Chevon (goat meat)

“Chevon” is a modern word meaning “goat meat,” taken from the French word for goat (chèvre ). The new term (pronounced like shav’on) won a 1922 contest by the Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association, entered by Mrs. E. W. Hardgrave of Sanderson, Texas.
 
The United States Department of Agriculture accepted the term “chavon” in 1928. The term is still used, along with “goat meat” that it was intended to replace.
 
 
Wikipedia: Goat
The domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of goats.
 
Goats are one of the oldest domesticated species. For thousands of years, goats have been used for their milk, meat, hair, and skins over much of the world. In the twentieth century they also gained in popularity as pets.
 
Female goats are referred to as does or nannies, intact males as bucks or billies; their offspring are kids. Castrated males are wethers. Goat meat from younger animals is called kid, and from older animals is sometimes called chevon, or in some areas “mutton”.
   
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Main Entry: chèvre
Pronunciation: \ˈshev(rə), ˈshev-rə\
Function: noun
Etymology: French, literally, goat, from Old French chievre, from Latin capra she-goat, from caper he-goat — more at capriole
Date: 1950
: goat cheese
   
28 June 1922, San Antonio (TX) Express, pg. 7, col. 1:
SHEEP AND GOAT
RAISERS ADOPT
NAME FOR MEAT
 
“CHEVON” INSTEAD OF MUT-
TON AND LAMB CHOPS IS
NOW A PROPER NAME.
Staff Special to The Express.
SAN ANGELO, Tex., June 27.—The Sheep and Goat Raisers’ convention which opened this morning with its seventh annual convention, formally adopted a name for goat meat, for which B. M. Halbert, Sonora ranchman, offered a prize. The name adopted is “chevon,” the e bearing the long sound of a and the o bearing the short sound as in food, the accent falling on the first syllable, it is a derviation of the French word “chevre” meaning goat, and was offered by Mrs. E. W. Hardgrave, wife of a Terrell County ranchman.
 
The name was approved by a committee and adopted by the convention in session this morning. A list of 2,500 names was submitted to the committee from which to choose. Mr. Halbert, will present to Mrs. Hardgrave a fine registed Angora goat, “Namer Boy” as the prize for winning the contest.
 
“Chevon” was chosen as the name for goat meat Monday night by a committee composed of R. H. Martin of Del Rio, president of the association; Dr. B. Youngblood of Rio Frio, Claude A. Broome of San Angelo, Y. A. Brown of Rocksprings and Jas. T. Elliott of San Angelo. THe committeemen banqueted as the guests of Mr. Halbert before going into a session that lasted until after midnight.
 
Official recognition and use of the name “chevon” for goat meat by the United States Department of Agriculture, the packers, livestock journals, cafes, restaurants and other organizations will be sought by the sheep and goat raisers of Texas.
 
28 June 1922, Dallas (TX) Morning News, section one, pg. 10:
GOAT MEAT TO BE
KNOWN AS CHEVON
BY HARRY BENGE CROZIER
Staff Correspondent of The News
San Angelo, Texas, June 27.—Add another jewel to the triumphs of Texas cookery and make room in the dictionary for a new word converted from the French to provide a name for the most maligned member of the meat family—the goat.
 
As its first offical action in seventh annual convention here today the Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association of Texas ratified the action of a special committee in selecting chevon (pronounced shavon) as the official name of goat meat.
 
The name was chosen by the committee last night at a goat meat banquet, at which a list of 2,500 names sent in from every State in the Union and Mexico and Canada was canvassed. The author of the name that will relieve mutton of the double burden it has borne in the hotels and restaurants of the country is Mrs. E. W. Hardgrave of Sanderson, Texas. She and her husband raise purebred Angora goats.
 
“Namer Boy,” No. 275, a prize winning yearling Angora billy, will be awarded to Mrs. hardgrave by B. M. Halbert of Sonora, one of the pioneers of the Angora goat industry in Texas, whose suggestion it was that the meat of the goat be “dignified with a title.”
(...)
The contest was conducted by the SHeep and Goat Raisers’ magazine, official publication of the association. Captain James T. Elliott is editor and publisher.
 
It was pointed out by Mrs. Hardgrave, and by the committee in its report to the association, that in the adoption of the word chevon to designate the edible meat of the goat and general rule of adopting of French words to meat is being followed. Mrs. Hardgrave said along with her suggestion that mutton is derived from “mouton,” meaning sheep, and that beef comes from “bouef,” meaning ox in the French. The association will adopt resolutions urging Texas Senators and Congressmen to prevail upon the United States Department of Agriculture to officially adopt the word in all of its official correspondence and publications.
 
The word will be heralded throughout the eating world along with suggested menus adopted from a list to be compiled by Texas ranch wives who have established reputations far and wide for succulent goat dishes from which have been eliminated the so-called goat taste, until now, when goat meat has been served in hotels and restaurants as “mutton.” Chefs all over the country will be invited to adopt the suggested ranch recipes with such variations as their cooking genius may suggest.
   
28 June 1922, Lincoln (NE) Star, pg. 4:
Chevon Pot Pie
Is Something New
SAN ANGELO, Tex., June 28.—How about a “chevon pot pie?” or would you prefer roast “chevon?”
 
“Chevon” is the name adopted today from a list of 2,500 suggestions for goat meat at the annual convention of the National Sheep and Goat Raiser’ convention here.
 
Official recognition of the name will be sought of the United States department of agriculture.
 
Chevon will soon take its place beside mutton on the meat market counters of the country.
 
28 June 1922, Kansas City (MO) Star, pg. 7:
WAITER, HOW’S THE CHEVON?
From French Chevre Comes Goat Meat’s New name.
SAN ANGELO, TEX., June 23.—Chevon, a derivation of the French word “chevre” meaning “goat” and pronounced in English “shavon,” is the long-sought name for goat meat destined to take its place in future dictionaries along with mutton.
 
This word was adopted officially by the Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association of Texas, yesterday morning, at the opening session of its seventh annual convention in San Angelo. It was submitted by Mrs. E. W. Hardgraves of Sanderson, wife of a Terrell County ranchman, from a list of approximately twenty-five hundred names sent in from practically every state and from Mexico and Canada.
 
3 July 1922, Mexia (TX) Evening News, pg. 4, col. 1:
The goat has ceased to be a goat with the butcher and the housewife who for hundreds of years has called for the choice bits of mutton over the counter. The name for all goat meat is now “chevon,” a French word, and if you want to find out how up-to-date your butcher is, walk up to the counter and call for four-bits worth of “chevon.” Likely as not he won’t know what you are talking about, but you will be entirely correct in insisting that “chevon” is what you want.
 
8 September 1922, Fort Worth (TX) Star-Telegram, pg. 3:
Chevon Accepted
as Official Name
for Goat Flesh
Special to The Star-Telegram.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 8.—Acceptance by the Department of Agriculture of the designation “chevon,” indicating goat flesh, when used for food, was assured Representative C. B. Hudspeth of Texas yesterday by Secretary Wallace.       
 
14 October 1928, Dallas (TX) Morning News, part 1, pg. 4:
Official Recognition
Givern “Chevon” as Name
For Edible Goat Meat
Special to The News.
SONORA, Texas, Oct. 13.—The word chevon has been accepted by the United States Department of Agriculture as a designation of the edible flesh of a wether-goat, according to B. M. halbert, chairman of the chevon publicity committee of the Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association of Texas.
 
This name was selected six years ago through a contest sponsored by the Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association to designate goat meat as separate from the flesh of a sheep, which is mutton. SInce that time its use has become general in live stock circles and it is winning recognition among the general public, also, Mr. halbert said.
 
Google Books
Animal Science
By M. Eugene Ensminger
Edition: 2
Published by Interstate
1950
Pg. 652:
GOAT MEAT (CHEVON)
Goat meat is sold under the trade name of “Chevon,” although in those areas where goat production is relatively important, it is suspected that some retail shops occasionally substitute it for the lower grades of lamb or mutton.

Google Books
Chevon (Goat Meat) Recipes.
Published by printed by Dairy Goat Journal, 1981
41 pages
   
Google Books
Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia
By Audrey H. Ensminger, James E. Konlande
Edition: 2, illustrated
Published by CRC Press
1993
Pg. 1394:
Chevon (goat meat) — This is goat meat. The meat from young goats (kids) is delicious. Chevon from older goats is likely to possess a strong flavor.
 
New York (NY) Times
How I Learned to Love Goat Meat
By HENRY ALFORD
Published: March 31, 2009
(...)
Novelty and great flavor aren’t the only draws here — the meat is lower in fat than chicken but higher in protein than beef. There’s even an adorable neologism (“chevon”) for those who want their meat to sound like a miniature Chevrolet or a member of a 1960’s girl group.
 
(Trademark)
Word Mark CERTIFIED AMERICAN CHEVON
Goods and Services IC 029. US 046. G & S: Goat meat originating in the US. FIRST USE: 19991001. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20040801
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 77339579
Filing Date November 29, 2007
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1A
Supplemental Register Date November 5, 2008
Registration Number 3552287
Registration Date December 23, 2008
Owner (REGISTRANT) Copeland Family Farms LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CALIFORNIA 1912 Timmond Rd Grenada CALIFORNIA 96038
Attorney of Record Christopher J. Day
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE “AMERICAN CHEVON” APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register SUPPLEMENTAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE