Langston's University 24th annual Goat Field Day will be held on Saturday, April 25, 2009 at the Langston University Goat Farm with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. This year's theme will be Breeding for the Future in the Dairy and Meat Goat Industries.
Adult Activity (morning session): This year featured speakers will be Ms. Lisa Shepard who will speak on Performance Programs - Your "Genetic Toolbox", and Dr. Richard Browning, Jr., who will speak on Breed Evaluation for Commercial Meat Goat Herds: A Research Update.
- Ms. Lisa Shepard currently works for the American Dairy Goat Association under contract as the Performance Programs Coordinator. This involves efforts with the DHI Production Testing, Linear Appraisal, Sire Development, DNA Typing, Artificial Insemination, and Type programs. Prior to this, she was employed in the laboratory genetics field for 30 years which evolved into the areas of quality assurance and regulatory affairs. Ms. Shepard is also a representative to the California Dairy Goat Advisory committee, officer in the National Saanen Breeders Association, and on the Board of New Mexico's caprine DHIA. Lisa and her My husband raise a small seedstock herd of Saanens in Northern New Mexico. They keep it small so that we can enjoy our other interests in traveling and hiking.
- Dr. Richard Browning, Jr. is a faculty member in the Department of Agricultural Sciences at Tennessee State University (TSU) in Nashville. Dr. Browning earned a B.Sc. (1989) from Prairie View A & M University and M.Sc. (1992) and Ph.D. (1994) from Texas A & M University. Dr. Browning initiated meat goat breed evaluation research at TSU in 2001. The main focus of the research has been to study fitness and performance traits among Boer, Kiko, and Spanish does raising straightbred and F1 kids raised under commercial, pasture management conditions. The work has also included postweaning performance and carcass merit of the offspring.
Adult Activity (afternoon session):In the afternoon session, participants will break into small-group workshops. There will be a total of twelve workshops; however, participants will only have time enough to attend three.
This year's sub-theme will be "Globalization/Internationalization of Goat Production". Collaborators on the International Collaboration in Goat Research and Production Web-Based Decision Support Aids project will be at the 2009 Goat Field Day to discuss goat production in their respective countries. The Web-based Goat Nutrient Requirement Calculators are currently being translated into Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, and French versions and installed on servers in China, Mexico, Jordan, and Rwanda. Dr. Jun Luo of the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University in Yangling, China is the collaborator for the Chinese version and will present on dairy goat production in China. Dr. Ignacio Tovar-Luna of the Universidad Autónoma Chapingo in Bermajillo, Mexico is the collaborator for the Spanish version and will present on dairy goat production in Mexico. Dr. Laith al Rousan of the Jordan University of Science and Technology in Irbid, Jordan is the collaborator for the Arabic version and will present on goat production in Jordan, with emphasis on meat goats. Mr. Juvenal Kanani of the National University of Rwanda in Butare, Rwanda is a the collaborator for the French version and will present on meat goat production in Central Africa.
The afternoon workshops include:
- Using your Genetic Resources with Ms. Lisa Shepard.
- Using On-farm Performance Recording to Enhance the Meat Goat Herd Enterprise with Dr. Richard Browning, Jr.
- Dairy Goat Production in China - overview of the Chinese dairy goat industry and its production practices with Dr. Jun Luo.
- Dairy Goat Production in Mexico - overview of the Mexican dairy goat industry and its production practices with Dr. Ignacio Tovar-Luna.
- Goat Production in Jordan - overview of the Middle Eastern goat industry and its production practices with Dr. Laith al Rousan.
- Goat Production in Central Africa - overview of the Central African meat goat industry and its production practices with Mr. Juvenal Kanani.
- Basic Goat Husbandry - hoof trimming, injection sites, farm management calendar, disbudding, etc. with Mr. Jerry Hayes.
- Basic Herd Health - herd health program including vaccinations and other approved drugs with Dr. Lionel Dawson.
- Nutrition for Health and Production - calculation of energy, protein and feed intake requirements with Dr. Steve Hart.
- Internal Parasite Control - sustainable internal parasite control program with Dr. Dave Sparks.
- Pack Goats - basic goat training as a pack animal and equipment needs with Mr. Dwite Sharp.
- Managing External Pests - control of external parasites and pests on goats with Dr. Justin Talley.
- Goats from a Professional Buyer's Viewpoint - learn to look at your goats as a buyer sees them with Mr. Mike and Ms. Katie Pershbacher.
- DHI Training - supervisor/tester training for dairy goat producers including scale certification with Ms. Eva Vasquez.
- Tanning Goat Hides - basic tanning and leather treatment of goat skins with Dr. Roger Merkel.
- USDA Government Programs - overview of USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service's work with goats and its cost-sharing program with Mr. Dwight Guy.
- Fitting and Showing for Youth and Adults - tips and pointers on fitting and show ring etiquette with Ms. Kay Garrett (this is a full day workshop).
Fun Tent Youth Activity: Ms. Sheila Stevenson will host a full day of activities for youth ages 5-12 in the Fun Tent. This will allow the parents and older teens to enjoy the workshops knowing that their little ones are having fun in a safe environment. Last year, some activities included goat activities, pony rides, OKC ZooMobile, oklahoma wood-turners, leather working, pot your own plant, OKC Science Museum, and many others. This year's Youth Fun Tent activities have not yet been finalized but Sheila assures you that they will be as much fun as last year.
GPS Scavenger Hunt Youth Activity: Ms. Sheila Stevenson will also organize a ½-day GPS scavenger hunt on campus. Youth will learn the basics of GPS and will use a GPS unit to finds "hidden" objects.
Poster, Speech and PowerPoint Youth Activity: The Oklahoma Goat Producers Association will be sponsoring three contests (Poster, Speech and PowerPoint) during the Goat Field Day. There will be two age divisions for each contest. Junior division is 12 and under and senior division is 13 to 18. Cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place for each division and contest. The theme for the poster contest will be "What Goats Mean to the World". Speech and PowerPoint contestants may present their speech on any aspect of the goat industry.
Fitting and Showing Youth Activity: Youth and interested adults will be able to participate in a full-day clipping, fitting, and showing workshop conducted by Ms. Kay Garrett of the Oklahoma Meat Goat Association and a Vo-Ag teacher in Prague, OK. Participants will have the opportunity to have hands-on practice of clipping, fitting, and showing a goat.
Registration for the Goat Field Day is FREE but there is a $10.00 per person charge for the optional barbecued goat lunch. You can bring your own lunch and picnic on the grounds or you can pre-register for a lunch of barbecued goat.
For information regarding the Langston University's Goat Field Day, contact Dr. Terry Gipson at (405)466-6126 or at tgipson@luresext.edu
Register online for the Langston University's Goat Field Day
