2011 Goat Field Day

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Our annual Goat Field Day will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 at the Langston University Goat Farm with registration beginning at 8:00 a.m. This year's theme will be Healthy Goats, Healthy Herds.

Adult Activity (morning session): This year our featured speakers will be Dr. Susan Kerr and Dr Jacqueline Johnson.

Dr. Susan Kerr hails from rural New York State. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Cornell University. Dr. Kerr then practiced private rural mixed animal practice for seven years. After deciding to focus more on disease prevention than treatment, she obtained a PhD in Education from Kansas State University and has been employed with Washington State University Extension since 1995. She has co-authored national 4-H animal science curricula and is a frequent presenter at regional and national small ruminant educational events. She enjoys improving animal welfare and quality of life through owner education.

Dr. Jacqueline Johnson received her Bachelor of Science degree from Tuskegee University, Master of Science degree from North Carolina State, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Johnson was in private practive before her present position as Professor in the Department of Food & Animal Sciences at Alabama A&M University in Normal, AL. Provide leadership in developing and implementing educational programs in the area of animal health, with an emphasis on small ruminants. Prepare and distribute bulletins, phamplets, fact sheets, papers, visual aids, radio/news releases and magazine articles. Dr. Johnson provides leadership in developing and implementing educational programs in the area of animal health, with an emphasis on small ruminants.

Our ever-popular goat milk cheesemaking workshop has been scheduled on Friday April 29, 2011 (the day before our annual goat field day April 30). Mrs. Gianaclis Caldwell, Owner/President of Pholia Farm Creamery will be our distinguished Invited Instructor for this year's workshop. Ms. Caldwell is an internationally renowned goat cheese entrepreneur, creator, designer, marketer and author in the world of cheese. She has owned goat farm, designed cheese plant and managed cheese operation in her unique and creative manners. She is also an excellent instructor and speaker with vast personal experiences. She will share with us her rich background, hands-on experience and masterful skills in small-scale cheese manufacture, particularly goat milk cheeses. She will demonstrate basic principles and practical skills of making soft, semi-soft and hard cheeses using our own Grade "A" goat milk. Milk quality, cheesemaking facility and marketing strategies will also be discussed. This one-day hand-on workshop will be held in the pilot creamery at Langston University. There is a registration fee of $50.00/person, which includes a continental breakfast, break snacks, and a lunch consisting of goat meat BBQs, sticks, goat milk ice cream and cheeses, etc. To reserve a seat, please send your personal check of $50.00 to LU Ag Sales (Attn: Dr. Steve Zeng, Department of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Langston University, Langston, OK 70350). Only the first 15 registrants will be admitted. For more information, please contact Dr. Steve Zeng, Dairy Product Specialist, at (405) 466-6145 or szeng@luresext.edu.

Adult Activity (afternoon session):In the afternoon session, participants will break into small-group workshops. There will be a total of twelve workshops; however, participants will only have time enough to attend three.

The afternoon workshops include:

• Goat Emergencies - learn what to do and not to do in an emergency with Dr. Kerr (1:30p ONLY).


• Neonatal Kid Care - feeding, passing a feeding tube, routine procedures and other treatments for the newborn kid with Dr. Kerr (2:30p ONLY).


• Biosecurity: It’s Worth the Effort! - how to keep disease off your farm and your goats healthy with Dr. Kerr (3:30p ONLY).


• Internal Parasite Control - sustainable internal parasite control program with Dr. Johnson (1:30p ONLY).


• Basic Herd Health - herd health program including vaccinations, injection sites, and approved drugs with Dr. Johnson (2:30 and 3:30 only).


• eXtension Goat Information on the Web - research-based goat production information on the Internet with Dr. David Kiesling.


• Cheesemaking Overview - basics of cheesemaking with Ms. Gianaclis Caldwell.


• Social Media - how social media can be used to link producers, with Dr. Nelson Escobar.


• Nutrition for Health and Production - calculation of energy, protein and feed intake requirements with Dr. Steve Hart.


• Goat Reproduction - basics of goat reproduction and techniques and equipment for artificial insemination in goats with Dr. Dave Sparks.


• DHI Training - supervisor/tester training for dairy goat producers including scale certification with Ms. Eva Vasquez.


• USDA Government Programs - overview of USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service's work with goats and its cost-sharing program with Mr. Dwight Guy.


• Body Condition Score as a Management Tool - overview/hands-on of conducting body condition scoring for management use in goat production with Mr. Glenn Detweiler.


• Fitting and Showing for Youth and Adults - tips and pointers on fitting and show ring etiquette with Ms. Kay Garrett (this is a full day workshop).

Fun Tent Youth Activity: Ms. Sheila Stevenson will host a full day of activities for youth ages 5-12 in the Fun Tent. This will allow the parents and older teens to enjoy the workshops knowing that their little ones are having fun in a safe environment. Last year, some activities included goat activities, pony rides, OKC ZooMobile, oklahoma wood-turners, leather working, pot your own plant, OKC Science Museum, and many others. This year's Youth Fun Tent activities have not yet been finalized but Sheila assures you that they will be as much fun as last year.

GPS Scavenger Hunt Youth Activity: Ms. Sheila Stevenson will also organize a ½-day GPS scavenger hunt on campus. Youth will learn the basics of GPS and will use a GPS unit to finds "hidden" objects.

Fitting and Showing Youth Activity: Youth and interested adults will be able to participate in a full-day clipping, fitting, and showing workshop conducted by Ms. Kay Garrett of the Oklahoma Meat Goat Association. Participants will have the opportunity to have hands-on practice of clipping, fitting, and showing a goat.

Registration for the Goat Field Day is FREE but there is a $10.00 per person charge for the optional barbecued goat lunch. You can bring your own lunch and picnic on the grounds or you can pre-register for a lunch of barbecued goat.

For information regarding the 2011 Goat Field Day, contact Dr. Terry Gipson at (405)466-6126 or at tgipson@luresext.edu

Register online for the 2011 Goat Field Day