Category Archives: Sheep & Goats
Meat Judging and Lamb & Goat Camps Host Youth in Aggieland
Aggieland Lamb and Goat Camp The 24th Annual Aggieland Lamb and Goat Camps were held in July hosting 185 youth exhibitors and 250 adults. These three-day camps teach the fundamentals feeding, nutrition, health, facilities, selection, and showmanship of lamb and goats. Some of the state’s leading experts also joined to talk about junior meat goat and lamb competitions. Meat Judging Camp The Texas A&M Meat Judging Team hosted 61 youth participants from 3 different states during Meat Judging Camp July 21-23. Camp was hosted at Rosenthal Meat… Read More →
Texas Sheep and Goat Expo goes virtual
AgriLife Extension to offer free webinars Aug. 14-15 The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service announced the 2020 Texas Sheep and Goat Expo will be presented in an all-virtual format. The state’s largest sheep and goat event will be presented free to all participants this year. “With everything going on with COVID-19 and rules and associated recommendations for gatherings continuously changing, the planning committee wanted to ensure the safety of all of our participants, exhibitors and speakers while still being able to provide the same great information to those in… Read More →
So you want to build a slaughter plant?
In light of the recent increase in retail beef prices and decrease in cattle prices, many cattle producers have expressed interest in starting up small beef processing facilities that do not undercut the rancher and provide consistent prices for consumers. Davey Griffin, Texas A&M professor and Extension meat scientist, said he has been amazed at the number of producers looking into this option. “It is just astronomical the number of inquiries we’re getting about starting a plant, getting these cattle through the system and just serving customers as… Read More →
Angora performance test starts Dec. 11
The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center of San Angelo will conduct an Angora goat test starting in December for billy kids born in 2019. The test will take place at their Sonora Experiment Station, which is approximately 28 miles south of Sonora on State Highway 55. The cost is $100 per animal upon delivery to the test, which will run from Dec. 11-July 15. The goal is to provide producers with scientific data to better decide which billies may be genetically most appropriate for their program. “The purpose of this… Read More →
Sheep, cattle Pregnancy Ultrasound School set Dec. 5-6 in San Angelo
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service is now accepting applications for the Pregnancy Ultrasound School for sheep and cattle. The school will be held Dec. 5-6 at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at 7887 U.S. Highway 87 N. in San Angelo. Participants will learn how to determine pregnancy in sheep and cattle via ultrasonography. Students will be instructed on how to read ultrasound images, determine the stage of pregnancy and how to count litter size. Space is limited and applications will be accepted until the school is full,… Read More →
Two Researchers Awarded Grants to Commemorate Soft Bones 10th Anniversary and Hypophosphatasia Awareness Day
BOONTON, N.J., Oct. 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — To commemorate hypophosphatasia awareness day, Soft Bones, Inc., an organization dedicated to providing information, education and support to those affected by hypophosphatasia (HPP), is pleased to award its tenth annual Maher Family Grant to Dana Gaddy, Ph.D., Professor of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences at Texas A&M University to study a sheep model for hypophosphatasia; and Dobrawa Napierala, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Oral Biology at the Center for Craniofacial Regeneration, University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine; to study adolescents and adults with HPP. In commemoration of its tenth anniversary, Soft Bones… Read More →
AgriLife puppies: Goat and sheep dogs in training
Playing with puppies isn’t a bad way to start a workday. It might appear that Bill Costanzo, Texas A&M AgriLife Research livestock guardian dog specialist, is doing just that each day at the office. However, Costanzo is actually preparing puppies for futures protecting livestock– all while researching the factors that might contribute to that success. The AgriLife Research Center in San Angelo is conducting a study on what types of bonding pen experiences produce a better livestock guardian dog, or LGD. Bonding pens are fenced pastures where dogs bond with the… Read More →
Shearing schools announce upcoming dates
In addition to learning to shear in a hands-on manner, the upcoming shearing schools offer teaching on equipment, animal welfare and staying in shape for the physically demanding task. Equipment is usually supplied, but students are encouraged to bring any equipment they have, as well. These schools offer training for a wide variety of students–from hobby farmers looking to shear their own flocks to those with aspirations of shearing professionally. For more information, contact organizers of the school directly. Montana State University Wool Harvesting School will be Dec…. Read More →
Does out-of-season lambing offer profit opportunities?
With about 85% of the U.S. lambs born between January and May, yet demand for fresh product throughout the year, is there profit opportunity for producers who can shift their lambing season? This topic was explored from several perspectives during the American Lamb Summit, sponsored by the American Lamb Board and Premier 1 Supplies, which recently brought together about 200 sheep producers, feeders and packers to Colorado State University. “It is actually time of harvest not time of lambing that the sheep industry should be looking at more… Read More →
46th annual AgriLife Research Sheep and Goat Field Day, AgriLife Extension Texas Sheep and Goat Expo held in San Angelo
By Susan Himes SAN ANGELO — The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Centerin San Angelo held their annual sheep and goat events over the weekend, attracting over 300 participants. Sheep and Goat Field Day The morning of Aug. 16, the 46th Sheep and Goat Field Day was held at the center. Attendees toured the center and listened to Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service specialists discussing their work related to small ruminants being done at the center. “The field day was a great success, and attendees learned about… Read More →