At the moment, you can find a variety of discussions and lively discussions about goat breeding on various news and social media. The trigger for this was a comment with a rejection that was received by the applicant in the Food Fund, but he was the only applicant among the goat breeders in Iceland. The review has received considerable attention because of it is considered to be a sign of prejudice and ignorance of commentators on the state of goat breeding in this country today.
The Icelandic Goat Breeding Association has been in operation for 30 years, but the association's role is to promote the protection and breeding of the Icelandic goat population and look for ways to improve the utilization and increase the value of goat products. The Icelandic goat population is considered to be in danger of extinction as there are only almost 1500 animals. Riða, which came up in Skagafjörður last autumn, took its toll on the stock, in addition to which sheep disease prevention lines also apply to goats. There has been considerable inbreeding in the stock, but this poses a risk to the future of the stock. It is therefore important to increase the number of stocks and one of the key prerequisites for this is to develop as many goat products as possible. materials for goat farmers and the general public. The key conclusion is that the products of Icelandic goats are well suited for a variety of foods that are healthy and have a variety of uniqueness. At Matís, leaflets on this subject were compiled, e.g. a leaflet on the quality of goat products in all kinds of foods. Reports on goat products have also been published, for example on nutritional value of goat products and the uniqueness of Icelandic goat products with an emphasis on the countless possibilities for product development and production.
When it comes to goat products, there are many interesting products. Dairy products, meat products, steaks (yeasts), skins and yarns are among them and some products have gained popularity around the world. For example, goat cheese is considered a special delicacy in many countries and has also become widespread in Iceland, in Italy goat milk ice cream is popular and in Poland sweets are made from goat milk. The goats themselves provide so many opportunities in tourism as they are known for their pranks and special looks. The fashion sector can also process goat products, both clothing and items.
It is clear that the products of Icelandic goats are well suited for food as well as for various value creation. There is every reason to continue research, ideas and development work on a variety of products, both in the near and distant future.