Meat Goat Blog

2010 Oklahoma Buck Forage Test

The 2010 Oklahoma Buck Forage test is scheduled for buck check-in June 28th. Like last year there will be a warm up period until July 11th. For those unfamiliar with a buck forage test, it is an official and objective assessment of bucklings entered for goat producers to demonstrate their stock's parasite resistance, growth, and attributes. According to the Kerr Center, test host and sponsor, the objective is:

"to identify individual bucks as well as their sires and dams that carry genetics expressing economically important traits in commercial meat goat production. Additionally, this test will allow breeders to compare genetics within their herd to make better management decisions as to herd lines that will produce profitable progeny for future herds."

The warm up period gives breeders from other places the opportunity for their goats to recover from the stress of travel before the actual examination starts. All goats begin the same day and without the disadvantage of having spent the previous 24 hours in a trailer.

The warm up period is not an option.  All goats must participate in the warm up. Deadline for is June 11th and the fee is $120.00 per buck.

Smart Goat Ranchers Keep Good Records To Avoid Wasting Time Later

Here is a classic reminder of why goat ranchers should keep records. Recently, we told you our kids were due anytime. We were right anytime -  two weeks from when we thought!

For some reason the date the bucks were put with the does didn't get entered in the computer. Probably someone was busy and just decided we wouldn't forget such an important event. A few months went by and the date wasn't quite as clear. So for the last week we've gone out looking every evening to see if we have any kids and can't find any!! When over 100 does are 12 days past due, you start to wonder?

Turns out this blog is helpful in more ways than we thought. The breeding date was mentioned here. http://www.meatgoatblog.com/meat_goat_blog/2009/10/index.html

Short story made long, if you enter the breeding date in your records it's easier to know when you kids will be born. First kids should start to arrive March 31st. You can save your time and energy with good records.

Thank You To Our Readers!

Hey, we just want to say thanks for following the blog. We get some wonderful comments from folks and really appreciate your interest. The compliments are refreshing and make it worthwhile. The constructive  suggestions are appreciated and keep us humble. We genuinely hope the blog is helpful to you and THANKS AGAIN to you for following it.

Polled or Horned Goats?

The first herd of goats we bought were polled. Breeders told us the horns get caught in fences and cause a lot of problems. They weren't wrong. The second herd we purchased were primarily horned and some got their heads caught in all sorts of things. Having tried both, we prefer horned goats.

The last few polled goats are set for our August cull. We plan to keep some of their kids, but move the hornless goats off to some other farm. Cull might not be the right choice of words. One doe is really nice, but she is also aging. But she is a handful to work.

We use the horns to control the goats during worming, vaccinations, or checking the color of their eye lids. Without horns you end up grabbing the ears; these are a lot harder to grasp. It also means you get to re-tag them when the ear tag rips out. Yep, now the doe is really hard to handle because her ear hurts, not to mention that blood on your fingers is just a little slippery till it starts to dry.  No - we like the horns.

Horns offer some natural protection. Some breeders disagree and suggest goats really tend to flee rather than fight. This is true to an extent, goats aren't notorious for fighting predators. But we still remember No. 11 ( she died last fall after a long productive life ). She could run off most of our Anatolians when she wanted. Granted they knew their job was to protect her, but she taught many a year old pup to keep their distance from her and her kids.

Last, if you run horned and polled goats, we promise you the goats without the horns suffer a disability. When heads butt, the lack of horns leaves one goat disadvantaged. At the end of the day, it is a preference every farm determine for itself.

Oklahoma Goats Deal With Weather Changes

Friday at 4:00p.m. the temperature was 70 degrees. Saturday morning at 8:00a.m., it was below freezing with snow, sleet, and ice. Sunday morning is filled with more cold and blowing snow. The wind is gusting to 20 -25 mph with huge wet snow flakes. Monday is forecast as sunny and 50 degrees with Tuesday expecting mid 60 degrees.

The does are ready to kid anytime and have to be able to adjust to the fluctuating weather. Just part of goat ranching in Oklahoma; we see these back and forth patterns in the Spring a lot of years. The goats don't like it, but they adapt to it.

We always laugh at the green grass shooting through the snow and are grateful it means Winter is almost over. Soon it will be green pastures and bouncing kids everywhere!

Oklahoma: 25th Annual Goat Field Day

The 25th Annual Goat Field Day will take place April 24, 2010, at Langston University beginning at 9:00 a.m. (registration 8:00 a.m.). It is a one day event with numerous meetings and discussions including Dr. Frank Pinkerton, probably the most well-known and highly respected goat expert in the world. He's not only knowlegable, but entertaining at the same time. According to the Langston University,

"... Frank was reassigned to develop the International Dairy Goat Research Center. He recalls that the interview for the new job was very short. The Dean asked him if he knew anything about dairy goats; yes, he said, they were those funny little cows with two tits. Close enough, said the Dean, and so it was that The Goat Man came to be. In '83, as the result of a bureaucratic political shuffle, he relocated to Langston University in OK, to do extension work in dairy, Angora, and meat goats. He retired in '93 to raise meat goats in east TX and do consultant work in goat management and marketing in TX, NY, VA, NC, and LA."

There will be instruction in Famancha, trimming feet, body scoring, parasites, vaccinations, disease control, disposal of dead animals, cheese making, and even goat packing.

It is a little pricey, $10 per person if you want the goat barbecue for lunch. Otherwise, it fairly affordable with free registration. Don't think free means it isn't worth trip, just the opportunity to sit in a meeting with Dr. Pinkerton is more than enough to make us go.

If you want to find out more, call Dr. Terry Gibson, another respected authority on goats at 405-466-6126 or go to http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/library/fd2010.html.

The field day is centrally located and guaranteed to be worth your time!!

Goat Seminars Everywhere

We noticed more seminars and conferences on raising goats this year than we can ever recall. The classes are just about everywhere it seems. If you are new to the industry or think you want to raise goats, you need to sign up at some of these opportunities and LEARN. Goats are not small cows, nor are they large dogs! There are some similarities to cows and dogs, but they are Goats!!

If you are just getting started, save yourself some money and a lot of headaches by attending some of these educational opportunities instead of learning the hard way like some of us do!

Master Goat Producer Certification Offered at Florida A & M

Florida A & M Extension has created a program to certify breeders and producers as Master Goat Producers.  The purpose of the certification is to provide education in small ruminants, management, and profitable goat and sheep production.

The course is offered to experienced meat goat ranchers as well as beginners. In order to qualify for the certification, you have to attend the four days of classes and pass all the tests. Afterward,  there is a farm inspection that must be completed and you have to pass the web-based certification course at Langston University. Obviously only those willing to work hard and demonstrate the willingness to learn will achieve the certification. However, the course is open to folks just wanting to gain the information and not necessarily the certificate.

So even if you don't like tests, you can still take the class. It is scheduled May 14 -15th and May 28-29th at Florida A & M University's Research and Extension Center in Quincy, Florida.  Free orange juice to all attendees! ( I made that part up ).

Contact Joy Dixon at 850-875-8555 or send her an e-mail at [email protected] if you need more information or want to register.

Profitable Meat Goat Conference Just Around The Corner

All the big names in the meat goat industry will be speaking March 26 and 27, 2010 in Indianapolis. The conference speakers include: Dr. Frank Pinkerton, Dr. Richard Browning, Dr. Dave Sparks, Dr. Steve Hart, Yvonne Zweede-Tucker, and many others. It is a tremendous value at $125 per person and covers all aspects of making money in the meat goat industry.

It is clearly intended for producers experienced in the business who want to improve their knowledge as well as see some old friends. However, the discussions and the expertize would benefit newcomers to the goat business. Unfortunately, we can't be there due to some scheduling conflicts, but really do wish we could attend.

For anyone interested, register on-line at www.profitablemeatgoats.net or call 406-466-3344. You don't want to miss it!

Fencing with Cow Panels

We really like the editors at www.allthingsgoats.com. We have said it repeatedly because they do such a nice job giving out tons of free advice. Just like the recent article on using cow panels for fencing http://allthingsgoat.com/2010/03/goat-fencing-with-cattle-panels/.

Cow panels make wonderful goat fencing and can be very mobile. You can use snaps like you find on lead ropes to make gates. Although we like the 4 inch holes rather than the typical cow panels. We run mostly horned goats and they tend to get stuck  in the larger holes.

If you don't check out this blog pretty regularly, you are losing out on some wonderful, practical information.