The Goat Industry Council of Australia (GICA) together with Animal Health Australia (AHA) have undertaken a 2025-26 review of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Goats. This was the most comprehensive review since the document was first published in 2016.
The project was led by AHA and involved forming a working group with veterinary experts, industry leaders and experienced producers across all goat enterprises. This diverse expertise gave rise to standards and guidelines that optimise goat welfare whilst accommodating to the needs and perspectives of the entire sector.
The finalisation and regulation of the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Goats is currently not on the Animal Welfare Task Group’s (AWTG) work plan. The goat industry, however, agreed to take the initiative and develop Goat Welfare Standards and Guidelines that in the future could become endorsed into legislation.
The proposed standards are intended to replace the 1991 Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Goats (link provided below) and are intended to be used as the basis for developing consistent goat welfare management approaches across Australia.
The Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Goats are designed for industry-wide adoption. The established methodology used in other livestock standards was followed. Standards are written as if they were legal requirements, using ‘must’. They may form the basis for consistent legislation and enforcement across Australia, including for industry Quality Assurance (QA) schemes. The guidelines which use the word ‘should’ are the recommended practices to achieve desirable livestock welfare outcomes.
The Australian Industry Standards and Guidelines for Goats apply to all goat farming enterprises in Australia from extensive grazing to fully housed systems to individually owned. They apply to all those with responsibilities for the care and management of goats, including the fibre, milk and meat industries.
Unlike some regulated standard development processes, formal public consultative steps such as a Regulatory Impact Statement and public consultation were not utilised for this document, nor are they regulated by Government.
The state and territory governments are responsible for the regulation of animal welfare in Australia. Each state and territory has an Animal Welfare Act outlining their animal welfare legislation.