Many goat producers have succeeded in targeting various ethnic markets by planning their production and breeding schedules around specific religious holidays. The traditions of these holidays vary widely between different religious belief systems and can affect the preferred size, weight, sex, and harvesting method of the animals usually consumed.
The holiday calendar below is a great resource for producers to plan the breeding and sale of specific animal groups for slaughter at auction or directly to the consumer. Dependent on the number of days within each religious year, the actual timing of these holidays may shift from year to year.
Holiday | Religion | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Eid ul-Adha - Festival of the Sacrifice | Muslim | June 28 - 29 | June 16 - 17 | June 6 - 7 |
Muharramm/Hajra - Islamic New Year | Muslim | July 18 - 19 | July 7 - 8 | June 26 - 27 |
Mawlid al-Nabi - Prophet's Birthday | Muslim | Sept 26 - 27 | Sept 15 - 16 | Sept 4 - 5 |
Ramadan - Month of Fasting | Muslim | Mar 22 - April 20 | Mar 10 - April 8 | Feb 28 - Mar 29 |
Eid ul-Fitr - Festival of Fast Breaking | Muslim | April 21 - 22 | April 9 - 10 | Mar 30 - 31 |
Pesch (Passover) | Jewish | April 5 - 13 | April 22 - 30 | April 12 - 20 |
Rosh Hashanah | Jewish | Sept 15 - 27 | Oct 2 - 4 | Sept 22 - 24 |
Chanukkah | Jewish | Dec 7 - 15 | Dec 25 - Jan 2 | Dec 14 - 22 |
Western (Roman) Easter | Christian | April 9 | April 17 | April 4 |
Easter Orthodox (Greek) Easter | Christian | April 16 | May 5 | April 20 |
Christmas (Western) | Christian | Dec 25 | Dec 25 | Dec 25 |
Christian | Jan 7 | Jan 7 | Jan 7 | |
Chinese New Year | | Jan 22 | Feb 10 | Jan 29 |
Here’s a guide to the preferred size, weight, sexes, and animals preferred at each holiday (courtesy of Ohio State University and Cornell University):
Christian Holidays:
Western/Roman Easter:
Preferred: Milk-fed goat kids weighing 20-40 lbs
Acceptable: Milk-fed goat kids weighing 40-50 lbs
Less Acceptable: Milk-fed kids weighing less than 20 lbs
Eastern/Greek (Orthodox) Easter:
Preferred: Milk-fed goat kids weighing 25-50 lbs
Christmas:
Preferred: Milk-fed goat kids weighing 50 lbs and under
Islamic Holidays: Eid ul Adha – The Festival of Sacrifice:
Preferred: Unblemished yearling goat kids weighing 60-80 lbs
Acceptable: Unblemished yearling goat kids weighing 60-100 lbs
Muharram – Islamic New Year:
Preferred: Goat kids with milk teeth weighing 60 lbs
Acceptable: Goat kids with milk teeth weighing 40-120 lbs
Acceptable: unblemished older animals
No preference is given to intact or castrated male kids
Ramadan:
Preferred: Goat kids with milk teeth weighing 60 lbs
Acceptable: Goat kids with milk teeth weighing 40-120 lbs
Acceptable: unblemished older animals
No preference is given to intact or castrated male kids
Eid al Fitr – The Breaking of the Ramadan Fast:
Preferred: Goat kids with milk teeth weighing 60 lbs
Acceptable: Goat kids with milk teeth weighing 40-120 lbs
Acceptable: unblemished older animals
No preference is given to intact or castrated male kids
Jewish Holidays: Chanukah:
Preferred: Young milk-fed goat kids
