by Jay Parsons, Tyler Cozzens January 21, 2026 Five years of data show lamb feeding margins have been difficult to sustain since 2020, with high feed costs and market volatility driving frequent losses. Seasonal timing and lower input costs remain critical for improving profitability. Photo: Real Ag Stock This article was first published as part of the Cornhusker Economics series by the Department of Agricultural Economics on Jan. 21, 2026.  We are reposting it courtesy of

by Sarabeth Parido Work has already begun behind the scenes for the next Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival . The Festival Committee meets year-round to dream, plan, organize, and fine-tune all the details that make our weekend together feel seamless and welcoming. From coordinating vendors and workshops to organizing the fleece show and sale, contests, and community programming, there’s a lot that happens long before the gates open in May. As we begin shaping the 2026 festiva

Today there is a desire to control specific species of vegetation in many areas...the use of animals to graze or browse the vegetation to control it, called targeted or prescribed grazing.  Prescribed grazing is the use of livestock to achieve desired vegetation management and landscaping goals.  Targeted grazing is very similar but is usually used when a specific species is the focus.

Planning is already well underway for the 2026 Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival, May 16-17, 2026 Masterson Station Park in Lexington, KY.

Dr. Beth Johnson, Office of State Veterinarian, Kentucky Department of Agriculture The key to any successful business is to produce as much product as efficiently as possible with minimal financial input. As all goat producers know, the major goal of a meat goat producer is to get as many pounds of a sellable product out of a single doe as possible. To achieve this goal we must have live kids born that survive to weaning or later depending on the producers plans for their kid

by Sarabeth Parido Looking for meaningful, handmade, locally produced gifts this Christmas? Skip the big-box stores and discover the heart and soul of local fiber arts with the Kentucky Fiber Trail — a year-round guide to some of the best fiber farms, yarn shops, and artisan studios across the Commonwealth.  The holidays are the perfect time to explore the trail and support Kentucky makers who pour their creativity, skill, and tradition into every skein, fleece, and finished

By Kelley Yates In September 2024, the University of Kentucky was awarded an USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Grant. Sub grants were given to the Kentucky Center for Ag Rural Development and the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office. The goal of the grant was to create a co-hort of beginning farmers who were interested in learning more about raising vegetables, fruits, cattle, poultry, and small ruminants. The program would be for nine months, meeting once a

By Sarabeth Paraido As we head into the fall and holiday season, many will start to handcraft their gifts for loved ones.   For those who raise their own fiber animals,  this is a wonderful expression of their creativity and love for both their animals and the ones they are gifting their items with.  One of the most magical parts of working with fiber is watching wool transform—from a soft, creamy fleece to vibrant yarn full of depth and life. Natural dyeing is a craft of tra

By Dr. Beth Johnson, DVM Recently there has been increased interest on the social front encouraging producers to use Lye (sodium hydroxide) as a dewormer.  PLEASE do the research; there is no evidence that it works as a dewormer. While lye is a strong alkali with high pH, the concentration needed to kill worms would also be lethal to the animal, and digestive acids and buffers in the animal's gut would reduce the lye's effectiveness anyway.  A 1% sodium hydroxide solution, wh

By Sarabeth Parido Workshops are at the heart of the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival — a place where creativity meets community and...

By Kelley Yates, Executive Director, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office  Sarah Carr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Kentucky State...

By Sarabeth Parido We’re thrilled to announce that applications are now open for vendors and workshop instructors  for the 2026 Kentucky...

Exploring the Synergy Between Solar and a Growing Sheep Industry  By Camren Maierle Introduction   As the world grapples with the twin...

Shared with permission- photo by Dezirae Edwards By Sarabeth Parido The 2025 Bluegrass Yarn and Fiber Crawl has officially wrapped up, an...

You can download a copy of the report below:

You can download a copy of the report below: .

By Sarabeth Parido Get ready to pack your project bags and hit the road! The 4th Annual Bluegrass Yarn & Fiber Crawl, hosted by the...

By Susan Schoenian  Sheep & Goat Specialist, Retired  University of Maryland Extension  Flushing is a term known to most sheep/goat...

By Catherine Riley To develop an elite herd of small ruminates, artificial insemination and embryo transfer offer the most economical way...