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The whole goat typically weighs around 30–35 pounds. It’s frozen solid, wrapped in a burlap cotton bag, and according to the product description, broken down into six large sections. Even so, it will still need to be cut into smaller pieces before cooking or storing in your freezer at home.

The whole goat does fit in a shopping cart, but it sticks out quite a bit. Getting it home will likely require folding down seats in the back of your car or using a truck.

Since the whole goat carcasses are offered just in the Costco business centers, they are really designed for food service, such as restaurants, which have the ability to use the whole goat and break it down into smaller pieces for cooking. 

However, anyone with a Costco membership can shop at the Business Centers, so families can still purchase a whole goat. It’s a good fit for those who have a large enough kitchen and supplies to break down the carcass into cubes or specific cuts of meat, as well as those who like to bulk shop and/or meal prep to keep to a family food budget. 

Carcasses can be around 5 feet long (think the height of a glass freezer case door at Costco) and require a large counter or table to break it down. Also you’ll need a good set of knives, butcher style, and not just your average kitchen knives. This butchering book does a great job of illustrating how to cut a whole goat, especially if you’re interested in other retail cuts beyond just goat cubes (note this book is an affiliate link, but I use it as a reference guide with my own goat farm).   

Additionally, reviews and online discussion forums like reddit have shared that seeing a full frozen carcass in a retail setting can be surprising for some.

The whole goats are also Halal, which means it was processed in a way that is approved under Islamic law.

This is commonly available at Costco Business Centers, alongside the whole goats. 

Since fall 2025, our local Minneapolis–St. Paul Costco warehouse has also carried 15-pound boxes of goat cubes in the regular freezer case under the Thomas Farms brand.  I’ve never seen goat available at our “regular” Costco warehouse before, so it appears to a relatively recent addition. I’ll also note that our metro area is pretty diverse, so having goat meat at Costco wouldn’t really be out of the question.

Since this cubed goat box is the most accessible at Costco for families, not just easy to get, but easier to use over a whole goat because it is already cut up and ready to cook. Due to this fact, there is more online conversation and reviews on this particular type of goat meat. Some feedback indicates that 15 pounds can be too much for a small household unless cooking for an event. Others mention splitting a box with friends or family. For larger families or gatherings, the bulk size is seen as practical and cost-effective.

I’ve tracked Costco goat price data intermittently over the years and plan to monitor it more consistently going forward. Prices have increased since 2023, but they remain relatively low given what it costs to raise and process goats domestically.

In online reviews and forums many individuals frequently describe Costco goat cubes as “a steal.” Others express skepticism, asking how meat can be processed overseas and sell at this retail price.  

From my perspective as someone who raises goats, the pricing is very low when you consider U.S. production and processing costs. Processing alone for a whole goat in the United States commonly runs $90–$150 per whole goat (carcass). This does not include the cost to raise the goat.

Texas A&M has historically tracked live goat market prices in the range of $3.50-$4/lb. for the sale of a live animal at market.   

Goats typically yield around 50 percent of their live weight as carcass weight for meat. This means the live weight of an animal translates to 50% meat. 

Using simple math for a U.S. goat meat pricing estimate:

These calculations are based on commodity market pricing. They do not necessarily reflect a farmer’s full cost of production, which often is higher.

When comparing that to Costco’s roughly $131 for a 30-pound imported goat in 2026, the difference is noticeable.

You can read more about broader U.S. goat meat market trends here.

These goats are not raised in traditional farm or ranch settings. Instead, they are caught in the wild from feral goat herds, processed in Australian meat packing plants, frozen, and exported to markets like the United States. Australia considers their wild goats to be a nuisance since they are not native to the country and has had incentive programs for ranchers to remove them from the landscape.

Australia is one of the largest exporters of goat meat globally, and the U.S. is one of its primary customers. Additional context on export volumes and trade impacts can be found in this analysis of goat meat export data and tariffs.

Below is a categorized look at what people are saying about the cubed goat meat and whole goat product.

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