PROCEEDINGS OF THE 30th ANNUAL GOAT FIELD DAY April 25, 2015 Agricultural Research and Extension Program Langston University Langston, Oklahoma 73050 WELCOME We deeply appreciate your attendance at this 30th Annual Goat Field Day of the E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research of Langston University. Goat Field Day is one of the most important things we do each year. The primary purpose of Goat Field Day is for education and extension in areas of greatest interest to stakehold- ers of the Institute. Thus, please share your thoughts with us on today’s activities and suggestions for Goat Field Day next year. In addition to extension and education, Goat Field Day provides an excellent opportunity for the staff of the Institute to meet other people who work with goats. Such interaction helps make our program the most appropriate it can be for the people it serves. The proceedings of Goat Field Day is a very useful tool for the Institute beyond impact realized from the program today. First, there are reports on Goat Field Day presentations. After this information, there are highlights of research, extension, and international activities of the Institute in the past year. This section is an aid to assess our recent progress, display current activities, and contemplate future directions to be followed. This year’s general theme for Goat Field Day is “Taking Control of Marketing”. Here is the exciting program planned for today that has developed from your input. The morning program consists of: • Available Marketing Options for Meat Goat Producers Ms. Tess Caudill • Providing Safe, High-Quality Value-Added Goat Milk Products to Consumers Dr. Stephanie Clark • Marketing: Ordeal Or Opportunity? Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker The afternoon workshops are: • Factors Affecting the Marketability of Meat Goat Kids Ms. Tess Caudill • What IS a Goat Worth? Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker • The Other 8/9 of Your Business Plan Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker • Good News! Reaching Customers – They Are Looking for You Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker • The Art of Cheesemaking Dr. Stephanie Clark • Internal Parasite Control Dr. Barry Whitworth • Basic Herd Health Dr. Lionel Dawson • Basic Goat Husbandry Mr. Jerry Hayes • Nutrition for Health and Production Dr. Steve Hart • DHI Training Ms. Eva Vasquez • USDA Government Programs USDA/AMS: Market Strategies Mr. Cole Snider Perkins Livestock: Livestock Auctions Mr. Robb Taylor USDA/NRCS: Conservation Programs Mr. Kenneth Hitch USDA/FSA: Farm Loans Mr. Phil Estes USDA/WS: Wildlife Programs Mr. Kevin Grant USDA/NASS: Animal Inventories Mr. Wil Hundl • Tanning Goat Hides Dr. Roger Merkel • Fitting and Showing for Youth and Adults Mr. Coleman Sanders • Fun Tent Ms. Sheila Stevenson On behalf of the staff of E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research, we thank you for your continuing interest and support. _______________________________ Tilahun Sahlu Director, E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research Table of Contents AVAILABLE MARKETING OPTIONS FOR MEAT GOAT PRODUCERS Ms. Tess Caudill ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1 PROVIDING SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY VALUE-ADDED GOAT MILK PRODUCTS TO CONSUMERS Dr. Stephanie Clark ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 MARKETING: ORDEAL OR OPPORTUNITY? Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 MARKETING: WHAT IS A GOAT WORTH? Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 THE OTHER 8/9 OF YOUR BUSINESS PLAN Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 GOOD NEWS! REACHING CUSTOMERS – THEY ARE LOOKING FOR YOU Ms. Yvonne Zweede-Tucker ........................................................................................................................................................ 29 PARASITE MANAGEMENT IN SMALL RUMINANTS Dr. Barry Whitworth .................................................................................................................................................................... 33 MEAT GOAT HERD HEALTH PROCEDURES AND PREVENTION Dr. Lionel Dawson ....................................................................................................................................................................... 36 MEAT GOAT NUTRITION Dr. Steve Hart ............................................................................................................................................................................... 59 DHI TRAINING Ms. Eva Vasquez .......................................................................................................................................................................... 85 MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR MEAT GOAT OPERATIONS Mr. Cole Snider ............................................................................................................................................................................ 95 USDA FARM BILL Mr. Phil Estes ............................................................................................................................................................................... 98 OKLAHOMA SHEEP AND GOAT REPORT Mr. Will Hundl ........................................................................................................................................................................... 118 TANNING GOATSKINS Dr. Roger C. Merkel ................................................................................................................................................................... 119 CURRENT PROGRAM SUMMARY Extension Overview ................................................................................................................................................................... 132 Current Extension Projects ........................................................................................................................................................ 143 Research Overview .................................................................................................................................................................... 144 2014 and Current Research Projects .......................................................................................................................................... 145 International Overview .............................................................................................................................................................. 164 Proceedings of the 30th Annual Goat Field Day, Langston University, April 25, 2015 Available Marketing Options for Meat Goat Producers Ms. Tess Caudill Kentucky Department of Agriculture Frankfort, KY Introduction Meat goat producers have several different options for marketing their kids, from direct off the farm sales to local auction markets. Each marketing outlets has pros and cons associated with it and it is for the individual producer to decide which outlet or outlets fit his or her operation the best. Live, direct off the farm sales are very common in the meat goat business and would include the sale of breeding and show stock as well as sales of market animals for personal slaughter. These sales can be the result of extravagant advertising means, internet marketing such as crag’s list, or simply by word of mouth. In general, direct off the farm sales of live animals is a lucrative method for marketing meat goats. It often results in a cash sale, there is no commission or hauling to worry with and you essentially set the price. However, you need to be aware of current marketing trends so you are not pricing yourself way over or under the market. Direct sales also require dealing with other people and possible negotiation and some simply do not wish to be bothered in this manner. The final drawback to this type of marketing is that it is not likely you will be able to market all of your kids this way so some other marketing outlet may also be needed. A second marketing option would be direct marketing of processed meat kids. This could be done out of your home, over the internet, at farmers’ markets, to restaurants, local retail outlets/butcher shops, or even large national chains. You could be marketing whole carcasses or individual cuts. Advantages to this type of marketing are similar to selling live animals direct in that you get to set the price and you avoid paying commission, however, there are a number of other considerations. All meat sales in the US are regulated either by the USDA or an equivalent state meat inspection program. You must make sure you are abiding by all federal and state regulations before attempting direct meat marketing. In addition, the time involved in hauling animals to processors, processing fees and marketing expenses add up quickly and you must make sure you are able to price and sell your products at a level that covers all these additional expenses. Additionally, as previously mentioned, you may or may not