American Goat Federation

01/09/2024

View the USDA National Monthly Grass Fed Lamb and Goat Report.

01/08/2024

The American Goat Federation Annual Membership Meeting is tomorrow, January 9th from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Mountain Time.

Join us in person at the Sheraton Downtown, Denver CO or via zoom at the link below:

https://zoom.us/j/97150972443?pwd=WmtIR01XYnBCeU1xZzZIcTlYbUpHdz09

01/08/2024

Please join us on January 10th, 2024 for our January UI-USU-SDSU Extension Sheep & Goat Webinar at 11 AM PST / 12 PM MST / 1 PM CST to discuss factors that influence the ethnic hair sheep and goat markets with Reid Redden, Extension Sheep and Goat Specialist with Texas A&M. USU Extension - Sheep and Goat SDSU Extension Sheep & Goats

Register Here: https://uidaho.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fWiLWKvuS2-dx3AJnWotNw

12/30/2023

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27, 2023 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation today announced Marketing Assistance Loan rates for 2024-crop graded wool by micron class. Loan rates for ungraded wool and mohair are unchanged and remained the same from the prior crop year.

12/27/2023

There’s nothing like a good, ankle-stretching, brain-bathing hike out in nature.

Add to the mix a few goats following you at the end of a leash and you might even forget about the burning feeling on your shins as you traipse up the incline.

Click the link below to read more about goats in new frontiers!

Emily Brewster, a Northborough farm owner and neuroscientist, organizes goat hikes through the backwoods of her 16-acre property, Bracken Hill Farm.

12/26/2023

Non-Predator Goat Kid Losses
Percent kid crop lost in 2015
- USA: 14%
- Nebraska: 15%
- Kansas: 18%
- Oklahoma: 29%
- Texas: 12%
https://bit.ly/GoatLossUSDA_NAHMS2015

Internal Parasites: #1 non-predator cause of kid loss

Management Practices to Limit Parasites
Breed Selection
% of parasite infected does by breed
- Boer: 53%
- Spanish: 24%
- Kiko: 22%
https://bit.ly/Browning_et_al_2011

Multi-species Grazing
goats grazed with cattle have:
- decreased f***l egg counts
- higher live weights
https://bit.ly/Bambou_et_al_2021

Prescribed Fire
kills free-living parasites on the ground.
https://bit.ly/Scasta_2015

Long Rotations/Patch Burning
30+ days of rest decreases parasite reinfection
Patch Burning: Recently burned patches grazed for first 180 days, then rested (~720 days) until reburned.
https://bit.ly/West_et_al_2016

12/15/2023

GoatMT is hosting a series of webinars in the next couple of months. The January webinars will be taught by MSU Extension Sheep Specialist, Brent Roeder and USDA Wildlife Services West District Supervisor, Kraig Glazier. Roeder’s webinar is in conjunction with another webinar series that will be on January 4 at 7 PM MST. He will talk about kidding nannies and lambing ewes as well as neonatal care, dystocia, colostrum, and other topics. Glazier will talk about Montana predators such coyotes, mountain lions, black bears, grizzly bears, and wolves. He will also talk on how USDA Wildlife Services deters livestock and predator interaction on January 25 at 7 PM MST.

Register by going to https://montana.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bqQrdMJwSSozkEK

Webinars brought to you by GoatMT, USDA-NIFA, Bar 88 Consulting & Livestock, and Montana State University Extension. GoatMT is funding provided by USDA-NIFA Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program.

12/14/2023

“More than $22 million in USDA funds are coming to help livestock producers across five Western states remain economically viable and steward habitat in predator rich environments, thanks to two Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grants awarded to a consortium led by Western Landowners Alliance and Heart of the Rockies Initiative.

The RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation administered by the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural lands.”

Read more below!

$22 million Coming to the West to Reduce Conflicts Between Ranchers and Wolves Posted on December 12, 2023December 12, 2023 by Post Contributor By Louis Wertz More than $22 million in USDA funds are coming to help livestock producers across five Western states remain economically viable and steward....

12/13/2023

American Goat Meat Featured at James Beard House Event

The Research Chefs Association held "Harvesting Harmony: A Gastronomic Affair Cultivating Conscious Cuisine" at the James Beard House in New York City, November 4th , 2023. This event featured ten RCA professional chefs in collaboration to provide a "sustainability-focused dining experience."

American Goat Federation provided goat shoulder for the event. Chef Jerry McDonald prepared a "suya seasoned and braised goat shoulder over charred pumpkin and heirloom grits."

12/10/2023

Registrations are open for our annual membership meeting!

The meeting will be offered both in-person and virtually via Zoom.

Click the link below to register! We hope to see you in Denver!

https://rb.gy/3u3kcc

12/09/2023

Extra, Extra!

Click the link below to subscribe to AGF's bi-weekly newsletter!

https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/Odfuru6