What’s been updated in goat welfare standards and guidelines?
Updated welfare requirements have been released for all individuals and businesses responsible for managing, caring for or keeping goats, regardless of enterprise type or scale.
This has come with the 2026 version of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Goats, released by the Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA), setting the direction on animal welfare expectations across the goat sector.
The standards establish the minimum acceptable welfare outcomes for goats, while the accompanying guidelines recommend practices to achieve desirable livestock welfare outcomes.
Industry expertise shapes a significant revision
The 2025–26 review is the most comprehensive revision of the goat welfare standards and guidelines since they were first released in 2016.
Led by GICA and Animal Health Australia (AHA), the project was delivered through a collaborative working group of veterinarians, goat industry leaders and experienced producers from all enterprise types. This mix ensured that the revised document reflects both current science and real‑world production experience.
One of the most notable changes is the introduction of a new fibre‑specific chapter, where angora and cashmere goat owners can easily locate best practice welfare standards and guidelines.
The review also resulted in 28 amendments to existing standards and guidelines, as well as the introduction of three new standards and eight new guidelines. These additions address key areas such as:
- handling
- husbandry
- pregnancy
- housing
- pain relief.
Welfare as a foundation for industry success
GICA is committed to maintaining leadership in animal welfare by proactively setting and strengthening welfare standards that benefit both goats and producers.
High welfare standards underpin responsible livestock management and are closely linked to herd productivity, business performance and long‑term industry resilience.
The updated document is designed for industry‑wide adoption and applies to anyone responsible for keeping or managing goats.
The 2026 Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Goats are now available to download directly from GICA or from the Australian Welfare Standards and Guidelines webpage.
