1009 Twilight Trail
Frankfort, KY  40601
877-Farm-SheepandGoat (877-327-6743)
502/352-2434
info@kysheepandgoat.org

 The Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office gets a nod in the March edition of Kentucky Farm Bureau News 

https://www.kyfb.com/media/files/fed/kfb-news/2010/KFB%20March%2010.pdf

Kentucky Farm Bureau First Vice President John C. Hendricks has passed away following a courageous battle with a recent illness. Hendricks was first vice president of both Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation and Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance Company. 

“John was a very close friend and trusted advisor,” said Kentucky Farm Bureau President Mark Haney. “He had a wonderful sense of humor and determined spirit. I grew to rely on his counsel. He was a strong leader. His commitment to improving the lives of farmers across the Commonwealth and the nation will truly be missed.”

 “Mr. Hendricks always wanted to do what was best for the farmer,” said Kentucky Farm Bureau Executive Vice President David S. Beck. “In every decision we made together, Mr. Hendricks’ primary concern was how it would affect the daily life of those in agriculture.”

 Hendricks was elected to the federation position in December 2008 and as first vice president of the insurance company in March 2009. He previously was the organization’s second vice president for three years and represented District Nine as a member of the federation’s board of directors for more than 12 years.

 Hendricks served as chairman of the Beef Cattle Advisory Committee, Roadside Markets Advisory Committee and the state Communication Advisory Committee. He was chairman of the Kentucky Farm Bureau Health Care Task Force and the Resolutions Committee.

 Hendricks was an active member of the Clark County Farm Bureau, where he served in a variety of leadership positions, including president and District Nine chairman. He was also a member of the American Farm Bureau Federation Federal Deficit Task Force.

 He was a member of the Clark County Cattleman’s Association, chairman of the Kentucky Tobacco Research Board, a member of the Ag Development Council and treasurer of the Clark County Soil Conservation Board.

 The Robertson County native was a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University with a degree in law enforcement and a minor in agriculture.

 He farmed in Clark County, producing beef cattle, hay and vegetables. He and his family were proud owners of a roadside market. The farm and market will continue to be operated by his family. 

 He is survived by his wife, Mary Beth, and two sons, John and Wiley.

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has expressed his support for state legislation that would establish a commission to set standards for livestock and poultry care on Kentucky farms.

“These guidelines should be based not on emotion, but on scientific research and widely accepted practices,” Commissioner Farmer said. “The commission would develop standards at the state level, taking the pressure off local governments and creating consistency throughout the Commonwealth.”

Senate Bill 105, sponsored by Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman David Givens (R-Greensburg), and co-sponsored by 19 other state senators from both sides of the aisle, is in the House Agriculture and Small Business Committee. It passed the Senate unanimously Feb. 11.

The bill would create a 14-member Kentucky Livestock Standards Commission chaired by the state agriculture commissioner. The commission would include five representatives from livestock commodity organizations (horses, cattle, pigs, goats/sheep and poultry); the dean of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture; the chair of the Kentucky Animal Control Advisory Board; the director of either the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center or the Murray State University Breathitt Veterinary Center; one representative each from the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association and Kentucky Farm Bureau, and one citizen at large with an interest in food safety. The state veterinarian would be a non-voting member.

The commission would set standards that apply only to livestock and poultry on farms of all sizes. The commission would have no investigators. Complaints would be handled by local enforcement officials. The commission would not preclude the authority of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners and would not pre-empt local planning and zoning ordinances.

Industry groups, other organizations and individuals that have endorsed SB 105 include the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association, the Kentucky Pork Producers Association, the Kentucky Soybean Association, the Kentucky Corn Growers Association, the Kentucky Small Grain Growers Association, the Kentucky Horse Council, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, the Kentucky Dairy Development Council, Kentucky Farm Bureau, the Kentucky Poultry Federation, the Kentucky Veterinary Medical Association, the Kentucky Livestock Coalition, the Kentucky Association of Counties, the Kentucky County Judge/Executive Association, the Kentucky League of Cities, 37 state senators and Commissioner Farmer.

http://profitablemeatgoats.net/index.html

 Check-off reporting forms are now on-line.

Click here for the Sheep Check-Off Form

Click Here for the Goat Check-Off form 

Farm broadcaster Cindy Zimmerman appeared to be having a good time with Ray Bowman during the Sheep and Goat Radio Show live broadcast from the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville.  Cindy and husband Chuck  operate the "new media" firm Zimm Comm, which posts farm news on the AgWired web site

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer urges Kentucky livestock producers and other animal owners to prepare for possible severe winter storms

 “Kentucky has been slammed by severe winter weather many times in recent years,” Commissioner Farmer said. “We remember all too well the ice storm that paralyzed most of the state almost exactly a year ago. That experience reminded us that we need to get ready before it hits.”

Warren Beeler, assistant director of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Division of Value-Added Animal and Aquaculture Promotion and a Grayson County farmer, said it’s most important for animals to have a readily available source of water in extreme weather conditions. Beeler said it’s critically important to animals’ safety and comfort to provide shelters or windbreaks for relief from extreme cold and wind. “An ample supply of high-quality feed is needed because livestock require extra nutrients to sustain themselves in the cold,” Beeler said.

Now is the time to get out the generator, make sure it is in good working order and fill it up with fuel, Beeler added. But don’t connect it to your home’s power system unless it has been properly installed and is disconnected from the main power grid when it is operating.

The purpose of this sale is to provide Kentucky goat producers with an opportunity to sell their replacement does in an environment that will highlight the attributes of quality Kentucky-grown goats.
Click Here for requirements for consignment and sale
Click Here for the consignor application 

Help the sheep industry by being part of the National Animal Health Monitoring System (NAHMS) 2011 Sheep study.  NAHMS is currently soliciting input on important issues now facing the US sheep industry.  Provide your insight to these issues by participating in the needs assessment for the upcoming NAHMS 2011 Sheep study.  The needs assessment phase has begun and will continue until February 4, 2010.  The study objectives will be developed based on information collected and prioritized through the needs assessment process. The study is scheduled to begin in early 2011.  The survey can be accessed at: www.sheepusa.org  on the home page.  

 Jan. 13, 2010 - Jason and Karen Walton of Jessamine County lost their barn and more than half their herd in an overnight fire.  The family's home was not involved in the blaze

http://www.wkyt.com/home/headlines/81314707.html#

 The University of Kentucky’s Annual Lambing School will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at the Animal Research Center Sheep Unit, Versailles, Ky. Participation in this school will provide shepherds with the opportunity to apply the most current techniques for success in the lambing barn.  Hands-on instruction will be maximized.  There is no registration fee.  If you plan to attend, please contact Dr. Don Ely at 859-257-2717 or email dely@uky.edu. 

 April 6, June 9, and October 5, 2010 are the dates for Eweprofit Schools at the University of Kentucky.  Although these schools are designed primarily for new and prospective sheep producers, veteran shepherds are welcome so they can sharpen their sheep management skills.  Participation in all three schools will allow students to come away with a total knowledge of flock management for each period during a calendar year (flushing/breeding, early and late gestation, parturition, lactation, and maintenance).  Complete management programs for (1) January/February, (2) April, and (3) September/October lambing will be provided.

 Each school will be conducted at the University of Kentucky Animal Research Center Sheep Unit, Versailles, Ky.   There are no registration fees.  For more details, contact Dr. Don Ely at 859-257-2717 or email: dely@uky.edu. 

 Coleman Natural Foods announced the introduction of natural, pasture-raised, halal-certified Rocky Mountain goat meat products. The new offerings are currently available at Whole Foods Market stores in multiple U.S. regions. 

Raised in Colorado and Wyoming, the goat meat is also free of antibiotics, preservatives, hormones, nitrates, nitrites and MSG and is 100 percent vegetarian-fed (no animal by-products, pesticides or herbicides). The goat meat is also raised by pre-certified farmers, has received source verification and is animal welfare- and food safety-certified.

The products are sold in the meat freezer section at Whole Foods Markets in retail-ready packed bags. Legs, loins and racks are available in one-piece bags, and stew meat from the shoulder is cubed and vacuum-packed in bulk.

From Meatingplace.com

 In a state known for its tobacco and cattle, sheep and goat production is proving to be a viable option for farmers and has Kentucky emerging as a leader in the two industries. And many are beginning to take notice. Gov. Steve Beshear signed a proclamation declaring last October as Sheep and Goat Month. Click here to read the entire story in Business Lexington...

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today is announcing the approval of EAZI-Breed CIDR Sheep Insert (progesterone solid matrix) for induction of estrus in ewes (sheep) during seasonal anestrus. This progesterone Controlled Intravaginal Drug Release (CIDR) is a steroid hormone that allows out-of-season breeding in sheep.  Click Here for complete story...

Gov. Steve Beshear has recognized that Kentucky’s history is deeply rooted in the agriculture by proclaiming Nov. 16-22, 2009 Agriculture Heritage Week in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

 “I urge all Kentuckians to reconnect with the Commonwealth’s agriculture roots and salute Kentucky farmers for their continued contributions to this important industry,” said Gov. Beshear. “It is important for current and future generations to understand the impact agriculture has and will continue to have on their lives.”

 Agriculture has been and continues to be an important part of Kentucky’s economy.  Last year, Kentucky’s farm cash receipts totaled over $4.8 billion.  Kentucky agriculture also provides jobs for both rural and urban communities.

 Celebrate Kentucky’s agricultural heritage and agricultural future today. 

The Kentucky Proud Points Program was designed to recognize and honor youth exhibitors, their animals in all spices, and the top breeders who put forth the maximum effort to excel during the show season.  The 2009 Kentucky Proud Points Banquet was held October 31, 2009 in Frankfort.   After the luncheon awards were presented and door prizes where awarded to the youth in attendance.  Points are cumulated on Kentucky breed animals that youth show at four district shows, three Jr. Livestock Expos, Kentucky State Fair and the KY River Classic Breeding Sheep show.  The sheep winners are as follows: 

Breeding Ewes
1.     Trent and Olivia Nichols                                                                
2.     Cruz Nicholas                                                                                                                          

Breeding Rams                                                                                                              
1.     Trent and Olivia Nichols                                     
2.     Cruz Nichols                                                       

 Commercial Ewes
1.     TJ Yazell
2.     Josh Thompson
3.     Zack Schwartz

 Top 10 Market Lambs                                                           
1.     Josh Thompson                                                  
2.     Jacob Thompson                                                 
3.     Natalie Shown                                                     
4.     Josh Thompson
5.     Gavin Dunagan
6.     Chris Hinkle
7.     Jacob Thompson
8.     Tamsin Meier
9.     Jessey Craig
10.   Kasey Craig

 Lamb Showmanship
1.     Josh Thompson
2.     Jacob Thompson
3.     Kasey Craig
4.     Tamsin Meier
5.     Natalie Shown
6.     Sabrina Smith
7.     Chris Hinkle
8.     Haleigh Yazell
9.     Rachel Drumm
10.   Autsin Dunagan

 Overall Exhibitors
1.     Josh Thompson
2.     Jacob Thompson
3.     Zack Schwartz
4.     Haleigh Yazell
5.     Auston Dunagan
6.     T J Yazell
7.     Kasey Craig
8.     Natalie Shown
9.     Sabrina Smith
10.   Chris Hinkle

 Breeders Lambs
1.     Dunagan Market Lambs
2.     Yazell Market Lambs
3.     Wether or Not Market Lambs

Goat winners include:
Overall – Aubrey Harston, Scottsville
Showmanship – Catherine Riley, Hopkinsville
Market goat – Aubrey Harston, Scottsville
Buck – Tayler Renfro, Richmond
Breeding doe – Allison Fister, Georgetown
Commercial doe – Tayler Renfro, Richmond
Breeder – 4 Harper Farms, Benton

 Saturday October 24, 2009

 For those with an interest in goat dairies, dairy goats, and value-added productsConference to include a series of talks and hands-on demonstrations with dairy goats on site. Topics to includeforages and nutrition for dairy goats, dairy goat selection criteria, establishing a dairy, value-added products, internal parasite management including FAMACHA training (FAMACHA cards will be available for $10 ea.). Experts on site will represent: Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Center for Profitable Agriculture, Tennessee State University, and University of Tennessee.

Location: Middle Tennessee Research & Education Center, 1000 Main Entrance Drive (faces Saturn Parkway) Spring Hill, TN 37174
Registration: $35; fee includes educational materials, refreshments, product samples, and lunch. Pre-registration necessary, please contact: An Peischel at (615) 963-5539 or e-mail: apeischel@tnstate.edu

 The First Annual Southeast Dairy Goat conference is a collaborative program among Tennessee State University Extension Program, University of Tennessee Agricultural and Extension Service, & Alabama Cooperative Extension System. 

 Location: Middle Tennessee Research & Education Center, 1000 Main Entrance Drive (faces Saturn Parkway) Spring

Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer announced that Kentucky sheep and goat producers voted in favor of check-offs to assess themselves at a rate of one-half of one percent (.50%) of the net market price of their animals.

In separate referenda held Oct. 1 in county Extension offices throughout the Commonwealth, goat producers approved check-offs by a 75-41 vote, and sheep producers approved by a 32-12 count.

A date when check-off funds will begin to be collected has not been determined. Ray Bowman, executive director of the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, said the start date will be set after consulting with stockyards.

The collection of check-off funds will be mandatory, but reimbursement of funds paid will be an option to the producer. The Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association and the Kentucky Goat Producers Association will administer the funds in the areas of promotion, consumer information, producer communication, industry information and research.

The Kentucky Farm Bureau is launching a program aimed at attracting more people into large animal veterinary programs.

The Kentucky Farm Bureau Education Foundation is seeking participants for a Kentucky Large/Food Animal Veterinary Incentive Program, which repays loans of as much as $6,000 for students enrolled in eligible veterinarian and veterinary technician programs.

Applicants must have either a degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited college or university or have completed an accredited two-year veterinary technician or four-year technologist program.

Recipients of grants must be in the first or second year of practice in Kentucky and working in a practice that devotes at least half of its time to large animals or animals raised for food.

Click Here for the Incentive Program Brochure or Click Here for the KY Veterinary Incentive Program Application

 Don't be afraid to cook goat meat. Just take a recipe you love and substitute goat for the protein.
That's what Dave Schirmer advises and what he did for the cookoff at the recent N.C. Goat and Sheep Producers Roundup.
Schirmer substituted goat for beer-braised pork in a carnitas recipe to make burritos; his drunken goat burritos took first place. He also won first place in the lamb cook-off.
Click here for complete story

 Gov. Steve Beshear signs Sheep and Goat Month proclamation.  Joining the Governor are Agriculture Commissioner Ritchie Farmer, KY Sheep and Wool President Kathy Meyer KY Sheep and Goat Development Office Executive Director Ray Bowman, GOAP Executive Director Roger Thomas and First Lady Jane Beshear  - photo by Brian Moore, Creative Services

Governor Steve Beshear recognized two of Kentucky's livestock industries  by proclaiming October 2009 Sheep and Goat Month in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  Gov. Beshear signed the proclamation in recognition of the importance of these industries to the Commonwealth.

Kentucky has historically been a focal point for sheep production in the eastern US.  Additionally, the state has taken a leadership role in the emerging goat industry, a rapidly growing segment of American Agriculture.

According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, Kentucky raised 91,227 goats on 4,808 farms and 36,996 sheep on 1,436 farms.

Three-year-old Thomas Craft is learning to take care of the goats on his family farm with dad KGPA board member Edwin Craft and mom Amy Craft.   Thanks to Terry Hankins and Mary McDonald at Goat Rancher Magazine for the coverage.

http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/animalmktg/documents/09BuckTestPre-SaleCat.pdf

 Agricultural Development Board Invests $85,000 in coordinated industry development

 FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2009) -The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board, chaired by Gov. Steve Beshear, approved the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office for $85,000 in state Agricultural Development Funds for continuing service of the education, promotion, and marketing needs of Kentucky’s sheep and goat producers. 

 “I am committed to creating opportunities that will make Kentucky’s agricultural community stronger,” said Gov. Beshear. “Projects like the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office, supported by the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, play an integral role in achieving this goal.”

 The goal of this project is to continue to provide support to Kentucky’s sheep and goat producers.  These funds will support the implementation of a web-based marketing tool and other promotional activities for Kentucky’s sheep and goat industries.

 This project was one of 18 proposals approved at the Kentucky Agricultural Development Board’s August business meeting.

 For more information about the Kentucky Sheep & Goat Development Office, visit www.kysheepandgoat.org or contact Ray Bowman at (502) 352-2434 or info@kysheep.org.    

 Stories of large corporations and cities using goats to graze green spaces are cropping up all over the country. Now Bluegrass Station in Fayette County is partnering with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and area goat producers to green up some landfill sites.

Click here for complete story... 

The directors of the American Goat Federation (AGF) have elected their Executive Committee, consisting of President Tom Boyer, Vice President Robin Saum and Secretary/Treasurer Marge Kilkelly.

Boyer is a third-generation rancher from Coalville, Utah. He and his wife Carrie own Chalk Creek Boers. They have a commercial flock of meat goats as well as a flock of registered Rambouillets that has produced several national champions. 

Saum of Lancaster, Ohio, is currently serving her fourth term as president of the American Dairy Goat Association, a national dairy goat registry organized in 1904. Saum has been a Saanen dairy goat breeder for 19 years.

Kilkelly of Dresden, Maine, is director of the Northeast States Association for Agricultural Stewardship (NSAAS). She and husband Joe Murray are owners of Dragonfly Cove Farm where they and raise and market meat goats.

For the past five years, the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center has worked toward attaining national accreditation. All the hard work paid off as the center recently received its certificate of full accreditation from the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians for all species.

The center's director and epidemiology professor, Craig Carter, said the accreditation will allow the center to better serve the people of Kentucky and beyond.

"This is our gold star," he said. "It elevates our status and also enhances the way those in the agricultural industry view us. It also enhances our international reputation. It means others can be confident that when we run a test, the results are reliable, accurate, and repeatable in other labs in this country and in other countries as well."

Carter said with accreditation comes the opportunity to join the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, an initiative of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The network strengthens the United States' defense against large-scale foreign animal disease outbreaks and provides a way to track such threats should they become an issue.

"We would be a part of a national strategy to coordinate our work with all organizations that provide animal disease surveillance and testing services," Carter said. "Being part of that network will also allow us to compete for grants we could use to purchase equipment that will make our lab even better."

"The College of Agriculture is very proud that the LDDC has accomplished this milestone and we recognize the assistance of many stakeholders who helped us plan the new facility and hire new staff, including Dr. Carter," said Nancy Cox, associate dean for research for the UK College of Agriculture and director of the Kentucky Agriculture Experiment Station . "In particular, we appreciate the confidence of our elected officials in the General Assembly for the building project, as this was critical to achieving accreditation."

Although thrilled about the accreditation, Carter emphasized the team effort of the process.

"It's definitely not something I did on my own," he said. "Everyone in this lab had a part in it. They worked tirelessly preparing us for the accreditation process. This is something for everyone to be proud of."

David Switzer, executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders, quoting past U.S. President Harry S. Truman, said "it's amazing what you can achieve when you don't care who gets the credit."

"This is exactly the approach everyone involved in the accreditation process took," Switzer continued. "From securing the funding from the General Assembly to renovate the lab, to becoming accredited and now through implementing an integrated reporting system - all of this allows the lab to be able to fulfill its role of providing the quality of service the Kentucky livestock industry deserves."

The lab has put a lot of effort over the past two years into developing and testing software for a laboratory information management system. The newly implemented system will offer advanced electronic reporting capabilities that can get test results to veterinarians virtually within seconds.

The American Sheep Industry Association's (ASI) Goat Committee is pleased to announce the election of the interim board of directors for the first-ever national organization devoted to the goat industry - the American Goat Federation (AGF). The purpose of the AGF will be to build and define the U.S. goat industry on a unified front to work on issues facing the entire industry. 

ASI's Goat Committee, in collaboration with the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office and the American Sheep and Goat Center, have worked over the past year to support the organization made up of individuals genuinely interested in the overall success and promotion of the goat industry. Most recently, the Goat Committee elected the AGF's interim board of directors, which will be charged with formulating bylaws and developing a membership campaign and budget for the organization. 

"This interim board is made up of a diverse group of volunteer leaders that represent various segments of the goat industry," explains Lee Bloodworth, Texas producer and co-chair of ASI's Goat Committee. "The willingness of these individuals to serve on the initial board of the goat federation demonstrates their commitment to the success of the industry. It is very exciting to have the board in place to lay out the next steps of the new organization."

 Those elected to the AGF interim board are: Tom Boyer, Coalville, Utah; Steve Burton, West Jordan, Utah; Jeff Crawford, Chatsworth, Ga.; Bob Duke, Utopia, Texas; Brain Faris, Ph.D., Manhattan, Kan.; Will Getz, Ph.D., Fort Valley, Ga.; Shawn Harper, Benton, Ky.; Katherine Harrison, Groveport, Ohio; Marge Kilkelly, Dresden, Maine; Pierce Miller, San Angelo, Texas; and Robin Saum, Lancaster, Ohio.

 "We conducted an extensive nomination and election process from May through July to arrive at the eleven national directors for the board" says Dean Swenson, North Dakota producer and co-chair of the Goat Committee. "We encourage all goat producers and affiliated goat industry groups to track the progress of the new organization, and become involved in a groundbreaking moment in the U.S. goat business."

 Getz explains that the role of the sheep industry has been strictly one of assisting in the initial steps to establish a trade organization for goat producers; actions and decisions from this point forward are up to the new directors and goat producers to define their national trade organization. 

When the smoke cleared, two contestants remained in the second annual “Get Your Grill On” American Lamb video contest: Nikki Norman and the lamb loving duo, Matt Charpentier and Joe Riley. After a fierce competition, these grill masters scorched the competition resulting in a draw with Nikki’s Mystical Mediterranean Grilled Boneless Leg of American Lamb, and Matt and Joe’s Brie-Stuffed American Lamb Burger Pitas. Showcasing the rich flavor of American Lamb, each contestant added their own touch with flavors like cloves, cardamom, mint, and lemon. Their dishes showcased the versatility of fresh, homegrown American Lamb, for easy to prepare meals any night of the week.

Both winning teams will be rewarded with a grill-on-the-go set, BBQ package, and lamb for six, just in time for Labor Day grilling.

You can also follow us on Facebook or Twitter, @FANofLAMB, to keep up to date on all ALB news and events.

Kentucky sheep and goat producers may vote on check-offs in separate referenda scheduled to be held Oct. 1 in county Extension offices throughout the Commonwealth, Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has announced.

The referenda ask whether sheep and goat producers wish to assess themselves at a rate of one-half of one percent (.50%) of the net market price of their animals. If the check-off is approved, the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association and the Kentucky Goat Producers Association would administer the funds in the areas of promotion, consumer information, producer communication, industry information, and research.

Voting will be open Oct. 1 from 8 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m. local time. Persons directly involved in the production of sheep and goats will be eligible to vote in their respective referenda in their county of residence. Producers will be required to provide identification and complete a certification attesting that they are eligible to vote. Corporate producers and eligible producers who reside outside of Kentucky may vote only in the county where their farm is located. Eligible producers may vote by absentee ballot.

Votes will be tabulated in the agriculture commissioner’s office in Frankfort.

If approved, collection of check-off funds would be mandatory, but reimbursement of funds paid would be an option to the producer.

For additional information, contact Jimmy Henning, assistant director for agriculture and natural resources in the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, at (859) 257-4302 or jimmy.henning@uky.edu, or Craig Maffet, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, at (502) 564-5126 or craig.maffet@ky.gov. 

A herd of goats (and sheep) coming to the rescue of a handful of imperiled turtles may sound like the plot of a Saturday morning children's cartoon show, but that's just what's happening in the Carroll County town of Hampstead, Maryland.  Read the story on line in the Baltimore Sun and watch the video below.  This is as green as it gets!

FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Board of Agriculture has approved a request from Kentucky’s sheep and goat organizations  to conduct separate referenda on check-offs for Kentucky sheep and goat producers. The Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association asked for a referendum for sheep producers, and the Kentucky Goat Producers Association requested a referendum for goat producers.

Persons directly involved in the production of sheep and goats will be eligible to vote in their respective referenda. Identification will be necessary to vote.  Dates for the polling have yet to be announced.

The proposed referenda ask sheep and goat producers to assess themselves at the rate of one half of one percent (.50%) of the net market price. If the check-off is approved, the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association and the Kentucky Goat Producers Association would administer the funds in the areas of promotion, consumer information, producer communication, industry information, and research.

Although collection of check-off funds would be mandatory, reimbursement of funds paid would be an option to the producer.

For additional information, contact Ray Bowman, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, at (502) 352-2434 or www.kysheepandgoat.org, or Craig Maffet, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, at (502) 564-5126 or craig.maffet@ky.gov. 

A handful of companies are turning sheep's wool -- washed, carded, and sprayed with borax to deter pests and mold -- into precut batts of home insulation.

According to GreenSpec, which identifies green building products in Britain, sheep's wool insulation has a long list of eco-attributes: It's recyclable, a renewable resource, nonhazardous to install, biodegradable in landfills, and its manufacture uses little energy.

It's also a good insulator. The U.S. Energy Department rates its R-value at 3.5 -- about 10 percent higher than fiberglass. Wool can absorb up to 40 percent of its weight in moisture without becoming wet, drawing moisture away from wood framing in walls and helping to prevent condensation. It's also naturally flame-retardant.  Read the full story on the Chicago Sun-Times website.

These days, baby chicks aren’t the only thing twittering or tweeting around the barnyard.  More and more computer-savvy sheep and goat producers are turning to social media like Facebook® and Twitter® to stay connected and follow trends in their industries.

“Some producers don’t feel comfortable with technology,” according to Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office Executive Director Ray Bowman.  “But those who do have long recognized the benefits of web pages and e-mail to their operations.  Now they’re also acknowledging that social media is more than just a fad, it’s a valuable learning and communication tool.”

The Development Office has recently established a presence on both Twitter and Facebook and Bowman sees both as invaluable ways not only to expose a larger and more diverse audience to his organization, but to also have a better understanding of the issues facing all of animal agriculture.

“Farmers tweet from their tractors and barns, ag media people are tweeting the latest news you need, academia are sharing technical information and commodity groups are spreading information about the value of farm products,” says agriculture author and consultant Michele Payn-Knoper of Cause Matters Corp.  “The power of Twitter (and Facebook) is in the conversation and community.  The conversation is happening with or without agriculture.  To tweet or not to tweet – it’s up to you, but if you’re in agriculture, I’d suggest you jump on the train before you look back and realize it’s run with conversations running rampant that further misconceptions of our business.”

As environmentalism hits the mainstream, gas-guzzling lawnmowers are giving way to -- goats. The latest goat-getter is Google, which decided to rent some goats from California Grazing to mow the fields at its Mountain View headquarters (via Treehugger). Dan Hoffman, director of Real Estate and Workplace Services, explains how the process works on the Official Google Blog:

A herder brings about 200 goats and they spend roughly a week with us at Google, eating the grass and fertilizing at the same time. The goats are herded with the help of Jen, a border collie. It costs us about the same as mowing, and goats are a lot cuter to watch than lawn mowers.

Goats possess a unique characteristic that separates them from almost all other types of livestock; they will eat just about anything resembling a plant. They can clear vegetation from hard-to-reach places, and they'll eat the seeds that pesticides and mowing leave behind, preventing vegetation from coming back next year.

Efficient! Got goats in your neighborhood? (from Mother Nature Network)

By an astounding margin of 85.1 percent, the members of the U.S. sheep industry voted to continue the deduction on sheep sales to support the marketing of American lamb. These are the certified results of the nationwide vote that was conducted at U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Farm Service Agency offices during February 2009 and announced today by the USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service.

"This is the second referendum since the inception of the program in 2002 and both have recorded overwhelming approval for an industry-funded lamb promotion," remarks Peter Orwick, executive director for the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI). "Sheep producer volunteers encouraged a yes vote in the referendum to keep this valuable tool alive in the fight for a piece of the meat market in the United States."

For the complete story CLICK HERE

SONORA - Marvin F. Shurley, 52, lost his courageous battle with cancer on April 20, 2009 in Tulsa, Okla. Marvin was a fourth generation rancher in the Edwards Plateau area of Texas where his family has been involved in ranching for over 90 years. His great-grandfather started ranching in Sutton County Texas in 1893, and he was raised since birth in a commercial ranching environment. He was a livestock owner since the age of 14, starting with a gift of Angus cattle from his grandfather, and was involved in meat goat production as his primary ranch enterprise since 1990.  Read the complete obit at GoSanAngelo.com

The test version of our new marketing site, HoofTrader.com is up and running.  Have a look and give us your feedback

Click here for a letter from Dr. Niki Whitely of the Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control and click here for a survey she would like you to fill out and return.  Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is amending its regulations regarding the interstate movement of animals to require APHIS approval of livestock facilities that handle sheep and goats in interstate commerce.  Click here for complete story.

In an article in the Corbin (KY) Times-Tribune last summer, KY Sheep and Goat Development Office Executive Director Ray Bowman was asked about Americans eating goat and quipped “It’s becoming almost chic -I never thought I’d say that!”
Now two of the nations more prestigious publications have borne out Bowman's prophesy.  In their March 31 edition, the New York Times boasted a glowing article in their "Dining and Wine" section entitled "How I Learned To Love Goat Meat."  The article comes on the heels of a Time magazine feature which listed goat as number 7 on their Top 10 Food Trends of 2008.
Bowman remarks that American palates are just catching up with what the rest of the world has known for centuries - goat is really good!
"As the New York Times article points out, Americans are a little late to the party.  Goat is the most widely consumed meat in the world and is a staple in many international cuisines.  And, the health benefits attract many new consumers.  Even though goat is still classified as a red meat, it is lower in fat and higher in protein than any other meat."
Bowman goes on to acknowledge that the meat is currently a bit pricey and not easy to obtain, but that just adds to the mystique.  "As production driven by demand continues to grow in the United States, goat could possibly become more mainstream and consequently availability should go up as retail prices come down.  Consumers should, however, continue to insist on domestically-grown meat which is fresher and more flavorful."
Whether for trend or taste, more and more Americans are trying goat and finding out it's not baaad - it's terrific!

Goats are tough, spirited animals. But they’re no match for scrapie, a form of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

Since 2001, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has coordinated an accelerated National Scrapie Eradication Program to eliminate the disease from U.S. sheep and goats. But transmission routes, progression, and genetic underpinnings of scrapie in goats are poorly understood. Low occurrence rates, underreporting, and the inconvenience and cost of tissue testing make eradication challenging.

The good news is that a new, live-animal test to detect scrapie is being applied to goats. There’s also an ongoing study of goat genes that might confer resistance to the disease. Click here to read the entire story...

After a decline in 2007, exports of U.S. lamb and mutton muscle cuts set a new single-year record in 2008. The volume of lamb and mutton muscle cut exports for calendar year 2008 increased 28 percent over the previous year, exceeding 5,000 metric tons (11.2 million pounds). But the strongest growth was in value, which nearly doubled over 2007 by reaching $21.5 million – an all-time record for a single year. When lamb variety meats are included, total exports showed slower growth but still increased by 44 percent in worldwide value to more than $25.3 million – the second-highest total on record.  click here to see complete story

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Goat Committee made long strides this year toward melding goat industry interests with those of the sheep industry.

"We've been working a long time to bring goats in with sheep and I think we're on the right track," said (ASI president) Glen Fisher during the ASI Board of Directors meeting.

Fisher said the American Goat Federation made an initial offering of $10,000 to be donated to ASI for its limited administrative guidance over the next year in getting a goat federation operational.

The purpose of the American Goat Federation will be to build and define the industry as a unified front when working with processors as well as on legislative issues as that approach is more productive than having many single voices from on industry.  In addition, a national group can work on issues such as animal health products, predator control, research goals and state public policy.

Fisher recommended the following steps to occur to develop the federation:

     1.  A Goat Committee chair and other members of the committee be selected.
     2.  The ASI Goat Committee will appoint members to the American Goat Federation Board.  The
committee and board will work together throughout the year to develop the federation.

"We hope by 2010 to have the American Goat Federation up and operating and have the ASI Goat Committee elevated to a council.  That builds a natural link for coordination between the two national organizations to fund activities jointly on common issues," concluded Fisher. 
(from March issue Sheep Industry News)

Click Here to read the March 2009 edition.

"For all the modern discoveries, shepherding is an ancient scientific culture and teaches people more than they intended to learn and brings out qualities in them they might not attain directly through moral ambition."
Garrison Keillor

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