Meat Goat Blog

AKGA Convention Coming Up

The American Kiko Goat Association, " AKGA " is conducting its annual convention in Batesville, Mississippi ( I typed Mississippi without spell checker, wow! ) June 25th & 26th. It will be held in the civic center and filled with seminars on raising goats.

Dr. Dave Sparks, a nationally recognized veterinarian and authority on goats, will discuss what to look for in breeding goats. Dr. Sparks raises goats in Oklahoma and understands the challenges goat ranchers face. He is filled with knowledge and ready to give out " lots of good tips " to those who attend. Numerous other speakers will present topics including one of our favorites Dr. Frank Pinkerton.

There are plenty of motels available and additional information can be obtained from the web site. http://www.hcrhorses.com/AKGAConvention.html

Live Goat Confirmation Clinic

A live goat confirmation clinic was held Saturday, June 27, 2009, as part of the AKGA convention activities. Dr. Dave Sparks, Dr. Steve Hart, and Dr. Richard Browning inspected and commented on a group of does and pointed out the good as well as the less favorable characteristics. The does were not part of the sale and were selected to show the audience what to look for. All of the speakers/judges agreed a small, tight udder as opposed to a large, over-extended one was required. Does with large bags often cannot nurse their offspring and also have other mammary problems such as mastitis.

The clinic was well attended with the bleachers packed full. Those attending were allowed to interpose questions during the middle of the talk and readily answered all the questions which people asked.

AKGA Convention Speaker Dr. Richard Browning

The AKGA convention was a good one. Dr. Richard Browning spoke about his five year study comparing three different breeds of goats; boer, kiko, and spanish. As most of us who have raised boers already know from experience, the breed is not exactly respected for its parasite resistance and mothering skills.

The spanish and the kiko were fairly equivalent in most categories, although the kiko grows a little faster and often bigger. It was fascinating to learn the amount of edible  meat after processing from all three breeds was close to the same. The boer is much larger than the kiko and spanish, but doesn't provide any more meat for the fridge.

Dr. Browning's study and results will be posted on the AKGA web site in the near future. If you are interested in raising goats or tired of losing money trying to raise them, it is good information.

AKGA Convention Showcase Sale 2009

The AKGA Convention committee sent out a reminder e-mail stating:

At 1:00 pm on Saturday June 27, we will hold our Third Annual Showcase Sale
featuring 100 Kiko goats consigned by breeder/members from all over the United States to be auctioned. The AKGA will accept cash, check, and credit card as method of payment. All credit card transactions will have a modest fee added to cover the extra cost to provide this type of transaction for your convenience.

Members as well as non-members are invited to attend the Showcase Sale. It is a great place to meet some really nice people and learn about goats. Thursday and Friday before the sale there will be educational classes. It is $10.00 per person to attend the educational meetings, a guaranteed bargain! For more information, you can go to http://www.kikogoats.com/.

2009 American Kiko Goat Association Convention

The AKGA convention is just around the corner, June 25th -27th at the Sequoyah County Fairgrounds in Sallisaw, Oklahoma. If you haven't been there, it is worth your time. Besides the Goat Meat Cook-off, there are several classes by experts from around the country. Dr. Richard Browning, a recogized and respected authority, will be there to talk about his research. There are many other speakers scheduled to discuss goat nutrition, managment of your farm, business plans, reproduction, birthing and neonatal care, and last years' Oklahoma Buck Forage test.

You can gain a great deal of knowledge from attending and make some new friends in the goat industry. The AKGA Board and the members serving on the various committees have put forth a lot of effort to make this convention " the best ever!"  Better put it on your calendar right away to be there!