Mason Smartt, far left, smiles at a sheep during the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo at the First Community Spur Arena on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey/ San Angelo Standard-Times)
Attendees from as far away as Australia were in San Angelo last weekend for the 46th annual Texas A&M AgriLife Research Field Day and the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo at the Spur Arena.
According to organizer Susan Himes, more than 300 participants and dozens of vendors were on hand for the occasion.
Events kicked off the morning of Aug. 16 with the Sheep and Goat Field Day held at the AgriLife Research center, offering tours of the center and talks with the center’s specialists discussing their work.
The newest fiberglass sheep in San Angelo, “Miss TAM ‘Ewe’ university,” was dedicated also.
The Sheep and Goat Expo opened Friday afternoon and continued through Saturday, with experts from institutions including Texas A&M University and Angelo State University presenting a wide range of industry topics.
Educational sessions on Friday included health and management; sheep and goat carcass evaluation and meat cuts; integrative crop and livestock systems; business and marketing; and wildlife management.
Livestock is inspected during the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo at the First Community Spur Arena on Friday, August 16, 2019. (Photo: Colin Murphey/ San Angelo Standard-Times)
“The success of the 2019 Texas Sheep and Goat Expo can be attributed to the diversity of presentations and speakers,” said Robert Pritz, AgriLife Extension regional program leader, San Angelo.
Wool booth vendors demonstrated their spinning techniques. (Photo: AgriLife Extension photo / Susan Himes)
“One highlight of the event was the carcass evaluation session, with the objective of showing sheep and goat producers the important processes involved when taking a live animal to the retail counter for consumers.
“The event is always heralded for its hands-on approach to topics with information being shared from both industry professionals as well as respected sheep and goat producers from across the country.”
Saturday’s sessions were topic-centered with participants choosing sessions related to hair sheep, wool sheep, club lambs, angora goats or meat goats. The expo also included a day-long hands-on course for kids and a sale featuring sheep with registered genetics.
The San Angelo Expo is the largest event of its kind in the nation.
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Via source Go San Angelo | San Angelo hosts 46th annual Sheep and Goat Expo
For more information regarding news from the Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M University, please contact Kaitlyn Harkin at Harkin802@tamu.edu or (979) 845-1542.