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Last Updated: Sep 25th, 2006 - 11:36:04 |
Goat Expo draws participants from 8 states
LEXINGTON - More than 200 people attended the 4S Goat Expo held this weekend in Lexington, studying grazing techniques, goat selection and management, goat marketing options, as well as participating in a show and sale.
The event kicked off Friday afternoon with about 70 goat enthusiasts participating in a tour of the Jeffrey Island land restoration project led by Kent Aden of Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District.
Aden discussed how the district is using more than 2,000 goats to graze away unwanted plants, including noxious weeds, on the 4,000-plus acre tract as part of a prairie restoration project.
Saturday's program was filled with speakers from Texas, Missouri, Wisconsin and New York with Dave Stenberg, Dawson County Extension Educator, serving as moderator for the event.
Preston Faris from Sonora, Texas, discussed the importance of keeping good records as part of an overall management plan. An important thing to include on kidding (birthing) records is the pedigree of a buck and doe, noted Faris.
Producers also need to keep production records, such as daily milk production or pounds of meat if raising a meat herd. Show records are also important when attracting potential buyers, he added.
An annual management plan or calendar that includes a worming schedule and breeding plan is also a useful tool.
Taking time for daily observation of a flock is also important, said Faris, as it gives clues to potential problems, helps a producer make the best of his or her grazing resource and keys on animal habits.
An important part of many goat flocks are guard animals.
Faris discussed the advantages and disadvantages of various guard animals used by producers ranging from dogs to donkeys to llamas. He listed a number of dog breeds that work well with goats including Great Pyrenees, Akbash and Komodors. The main disadvantage of using dogs is they require a separate feed station from the goats and are roamers by nature.
Donkeys and llamas have diets similar to goats, but both can be somewhat temperamental and often must be removed before working a flock with stock dogs.
"And with all types of guard animals, some don't work," concluded Faris.
Tony Phillippe, Wolf River Protection Fund Coordinator and Tribal Program Coordinator in the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, discussed the Wisconsin Meat Goat Cooperative and the various ways to market goats and their by-products.
They can be marketed on the hoof for weed control, dairy, fiber, for their manure production (fertilizer), as a tourism draw and for companionship.
On the rack, chevon or goat meat, is prized because it is low in fat and cholesterol, and is popular with many ethnic groups both fresh and frozen.
"Then there is the awful offal," said Phillippe. "More than 2,400 products come from goat offal, ranging from sausage casings, which are kosher, to unique low-fat sausages, to bone and blood meal fertilizer and medicinals."
On a small scale dairies using goats can tap into specialty restaurants and food stores and hospitals seeking to provide goat milk for restricted diets, he said.
Meats can be marketed to specialty restaurants and food stores, dieticians, and ethnic organizations. In his own experience, setting up a place for on-farm slaughter proved profitable, said Phillippe.
There is also a developing market for on-farm specialty classes using yarn made from goat hair, or to demonstrate the cooking and preparation of goat meat and dairy products from goats.
Tim Burley from New York discussed the development of his on-farm goatherd to fill the niche market of halal meat or meat kosher to Muslims. Just as with Jews, Muslims have a ritual slaughter they must follow and goat meat is an important part of their diet, Burley explained.
After more workshops Saturday afternoon a social gathering was held Saturday evening at Kirk's Nebraskaland Restaurant.
Sunday's activities were a meat goat show, a working dog demonstration and a meat goat sale.
Participants included folks from Lexington, Cozad, Smithfield, Cairo, Grand Island, Anselmo, Broken Bow, Oconto, and Callaway, along with people coming from Ordway, Colo.; Spring Branch, Texas; Gillette, Wyo., and Huntington Beach, Calif.
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