PERCEPTIONS AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS GOAT MEAT AND MILK CONSUMPTION IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

The increasing demand by the teeming human population on animal agriculture for their daily animal protein intake requires every livestock, including goat products, to be on the menu list. Dismally, consumer acceptance and consumption of any product hugely rest on their behavioural attitudes. This study aimed to assess consumer perception of goat milk and meat in some areas of Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Structured questionnaires were used to gather information on socio-demographic and economic characteristics and perceptions about goat meat and milk consumption. Also, information about consumer attitudes, their familiarity towards goat products and their awareness of the nutritional qualities of the animal’s product were gathered. Data from the 386 consumers selected randomly in Amathole and Buffalo city municipalities were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. Consumption of animal products was affirmed by 95.5% of the respondents. Respondents’ knowledge of goat milk breeds and their willingness to consume the product were 28.6% and 41.7%, respectively. Apart from the goaty odour (29.1%), about 55.8% of the respondents had no specific reason for not consuming goat milk. Many respondents (68.3%) consumed goat meat and had no specific reason for this high consumption pattern other than seeing it as just any other meat (42.2%). Most respondents did not know the specific nutritional benefits of consuming goat milk (42.7%) and meat (70.4%). There was a significant and positive association (P<0.05) between the age of respondents, whether they knew about goat milk, consumption of goat milk and the nutritional benefits. There was a significant association (P<0.05) between the educational level of the respondents and goat milk knowledge and their willingness to consume goat milk. The study findings indicate that a larger proportion of the respondents consumed goat meat and milk. However, there is potential for increasing the percentage of consumers for these products through education about their health benefits.

随着日益庞大的人口对畜牧业以获取每日动物蛋白摄入的需求不断攀升，各类畜禽产品（包括山羊制品）均需纳入膳食供应清单。令人遗憾的是，消费者对任何产品的接受度与消费量，在很大程度上取决于其行为态度。本研究旨在评估南非东开普省部分地区消费者对山羊肉与山羊奶的认知情况。研究采用结构化问卷收集受访者的社会人口学与经济特征信息，以及其对山羊肉和山羊奶消费的认知情况；同时收集了消费者态度、对山羊制品的熟悉程度，以及对该类动物产品营养价值的认知信息。本次研究随机选取了阿马托莱与布法罗城市自治市的386名消费者，采用社会科学统计软件包（Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS）对收集到的数据进行分析。95.5%的受访者表示会食用动物源产品。受访者中，了解山羊奶品种的比例为28.6%，愿意消费山羊奶的比例为41.7%。除29.1%的受访者提及山羊奶膻味外，约55.8%的受访者未明确说明不愿消费山羊奶的具体原因。68.3%的受访者会食用山羊肉，其中42.2%的受访者表示其高消费量并无特殊原因，仅将山羊肉视作普通肉类。多数受访者并不了解食用山羊奶与山羊肉的具体营养价值，其中42.7%的受访者不清楚山羊奶的营养价值，70.4%的受访者不清楚山羊肉的营养价值。受访者年龄、是否了解山羊奶、是否消费山羊奶与对其营养价值的认知之间存在显著的正向关联（P<0.05）。受访者的受教育水平与其对山羊奶的认知程度以及消费意愿之间存在显著关联（P<0.05）。本研究结果显示，多数受访者会食用山羊肉与山羊奶；然而通过宣传其健康益处，有望提升该类产品的消费者占比。