Goat field day educates producers
To help Florida’s growing goat-farming industry reach new heights, IFAS experts took part in a goat field day presented by Florida A&M University’s Statewide Goat Program.
Held April 13 at the FAMU Research and Extension Center in Quincy, the event focused on animal health. Close to 80 people attended, including experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and several universities, said Ray Mobley, an extension veterinarian with the Statewide Goat Program.
IFAS personnel attending included Jack Gaskin, an associate professor in the College of Veterinary medicine who presented a workshop on the bacterial disease caseous lymphadenitis; Les Harrison, a regional specialized extension agent based in Leon County, gave a workshop on marketing; and Sally Williams, an associate professor of animal sciences, and her graduate student Noufoh Djeri showcased value-added goat products during the lunch break to raise awareness about the marketing opportunities that exist for goat meat.
The event included a forum, “Issues Impacting Herd Health,” to help producers gain practical knowledge and inform experts about concerns facing the industry, Williams said.
“I thought that the forum was real helpful because it gave us insight on how we can assist the industry,” she said.
The next goat field day is scheduled for April 2008. In October 2008 Tallahassee will host a national meat goat conference.
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