Goat vs lamb: nutrition compared
Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Healthier
Per 3.5 oz (100 g), goat has 143 calories and 27.1 g of protein; lamb has 283 calories and 24.8 g. Fiber: 0 g vs 0 g.
Where each one is ahead
- Goat has clearly more iron (21% DV vs 10%).
- Lamb has clearly more vitamin b12 (109% DV vs 50%).
Side by side, per 3.5 oz (100 g)
| Goat | Lamb | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 143 calories | 283 calories |
| Protein | 27.1 g (54% DV) | 24.8 g (50% DV) |
| Fat | 3 g (4% DV) | 19.6 g (25% DV) |
| Saturated fat | 0.93 g (5% DV) | 8.1 g (41% DV) |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sodium | 86 mg (4% DV) | 81 mg (4% DV) |
| Potassium | 405 mg (9% DV) | 339 mg (7% DV) |
| Calcium | 17 mg (1% DV) | 22 mg (2% DV) |
| Iron | 3.7 mg (21% DV) | 1.8 mg (10% DV) |
| Magnesium | 0 mg | 24 mg (6% DV) |
| Vitamin A | 0 mcg | 0 mcg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0.1 mcg (0% DV) |
| Vitamin K | 1.2 mcg (1% DV) | 5.3 mcg (4% DV) |
| Folate | 5 mcg (1% DV) | 19 mcg (5% DV) |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.2 mcg (50% DV) | 2.6 mcg (109% DV) |
| Cholesterol | 75 mg (25% DV) | 97 mg (32% DV) |
— not reported by USDA for this food.
Per typical serving
Servings differ: 4 oz (113 g) of goat and 4 oz (113 g) of lamb, the serving sizes we use for each (USDA household measures; 4 oz for meat and fish).
| Goat | Lamb | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 162 calories | 321 calories |
| Protein | 30.7 g (61% DV) | 28.1 g (56% DV) |
| Fat | 3.4 g (4% DV) | 22.3 g (29% DV) |
| Saturated fat | 1.1 g (5% DV) | 9.2 g (46% DV) |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g | 0 g |
| Total sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Sodium | 98 mg (4% DV) | 92 mg (4% DV) |
| Potassium | 459 mg (10% DV) | 384 mg (8% DV) |
— not reported by USDA for this food.
What the numbers don't tell you
Here roasted goat meets broiled ground lamb, and fat is the gap. Per 4 oz (113 g) the goat has about 162 calories, 30.6 g of protein, 3.4 g of fat and 4.2 mg of iron. The lamb has about 320 calories, 28.0 g of protein, 22.2 g of fat and 2.0 mg of iron.
In animal studies, what goat kids grazed and whether lambs ate grass or concentrate changed the omega-3 levels in their meat.
WHO counts both as red meat, which its cancer agency rates as probably carcinogenic to humans. Both are mammal meat, so a mammalian meat allergy can bring anaphylaxis one to several hours after eating. One case report describes a reaction to goat meat and cheese.
A pooled US estimate found Toxoplasma in 30.7% of goats, and CDC names undercooked lamb as one way the parasite spreads. A new infection during or just before pregnancy can harm the unborn child. Cook steaks, chops and roasts of either to 145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest, and ground goat to 160 °F (71 °C). CDC's pregnancy advice cooks ground meats to 160 °F too. A Canadian survey found Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in 14.6% of retail ground lamb.
For a leaner plate, this goat has about 1 g of saturated fat against 9.2 g in the ground lamb.
Evidence behind this note
- Level D What the goat grazed changes the fat of the meat: kids finished on red clover, birdsfoot trefoil or chicory differed in omega-3, omega-6 and the polyunsaturated to saturated ratio of the loin, so one USDA number cannot describe every carcass. Meat Sci, 2015
- Level D How the lamb was fed changes the meat itself: chops from grass finished lambs carried more of all four omega-3 fatty acids reported, from C18:3 to DHA, than chops from concentrate finished lambs. Eur J Nutr, 2025
- Level E WHO places red meat, which by its own definition includes lamb, in IARC Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans. WHO, Cancer: Carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat
- Level E A US gastroenterology practice update warns that the same allergy can cause anaphylaxis one to several hours after mammalian meat, which is why it is missed. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2023
- Level C Goat meat is an unexpected allergen for people sensitized to mammalian serum albumin: in a reported case an adult with cat allergy reacted to pork, then to goat meat and goat cheese, and then to beef. Eur Ann Allergy Clin Immunol, 2013
- Level C In a meta-analysis of United States food animals, Toxoplasma gondii prevalence in goats was 30.7%, second only to pigs raised outdoors at 31.0%. Foodborne Pathog Dis, 2016
- Level E CDC names eating contaminated undercooked meat, with lamb as one of its examples, as a way Toxoplasma spreads. A woman newly infected during or just before pregnancy can pass the parasite to her unborn child, who can have severe health issues even if she has no symptoms. US CDC, Toxoplasmosis: Causes and How It Spreads
- Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking raw goat steaks, chops and roasts to at least 145 °F (63 °C) with a three-minute rest, and ground goat meat to 160 °F (71 °C), measured with a food thermometer. USDA FSIS, Goat from Farm to Table
- Level E USDA FSIS advises cooking raw lamb steaks, chops and roasts to at least 145 °F (63 °C) and letting the meat rest for at least three minutes before carving or eating. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
- Level E CDC lists raw or undercooked meat as a riskier choice in pregnancy and advises cooking ground beef to 160°F, which steak tartare by definition is not. CDC, Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women, updated 31 Jan 2025
- Level C A Canadian retail survey found Shiga toxin-producing E. coli in 4.7% of ground veal samples, against 1.2% of ground beef and 14.6% of ground lamb. J Food Prot, 2025
Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
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- Goat: the meat nobody has trialled, the milk formula that has been
- Lamb: how the animal was fed shows up in your blood
Rankings and guides
- Protein: what it does and how much you need
- Fiber: what it does and how much you need
- Which foods are highest in protein?
More comparisons
Where the numbers come from
- Goat: USDA FoodData Central, Game meat, goat, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 175304 · all forms of goat
- Lamb: USDA FoodData Central, Lamb, ground, cooked, broiled, FDC ID 172544 · all forms of lamb
Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ, and the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.