| need and realize it is likely that informed producers are more likely to be successful producers, informational workshops take place in all states year round.
It is the goal of Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Alabama Farmers Federation to insure producers are provided access to workshops offering the most current information possible.
Such a workshop recently took place on Saturday, October 30, 2004 at the
Alabama A&M University Agribition Center in Huntsville.
This meeting was designed to bring together specialists from Alabama and Tennessee to share relevant information that benefits producers from both states. Slightly over 50 existing and potential producers from both Alabama and Tennessee attended this meeting in the plush setting of the Agribition Center. The well attended meeting began at 8 a.m. and concluded by 3 p.m. A delicious lunch included barbequed and plain goat meat, hot dogs (not made of goat), side dishes, dessert and beverages.
All those attending were eager to hear what speakers had to say. Many of those attending had not heard the speakers from Tennessee nor the information provided by those presenting from Central Alabama. Universities represented by speakers included Alabama A&M University, Tennessee State University (TSU) and Tuskegee University.
Neal Howard, student from Alabama A&M University, was there to speak on processing goat meat into value-added products such as jerky, summer sausage, breakfast sausage, and the list continued. He helped work up the audience’s appetite for lunch.
Ralph Noble filled in for Sandra Solaiman – both are Goat Specialists from Tuskegee University – and addressed Seasonal Production Options. This topic was of particular interest because it addressed several options including feed-lot situations, pasture, browse, and supplemental feeding.
Ann
Peischel, Goat Specialist for Tennessee State University, spoke on utilizing goats in Agroforestry and Silvopasture. Ann has years of experience in utilizing goats for fire mitigation and land restoration in Hawaii and California, and now brings her expertise to Tennessee and shares it with producers in that state.
Maria Browning, Specialist from TSU, discussed breeding management options for goat production. She discussed natural breeding as well as artificial insemination and embryo flush and transfer.
Richard Browning, Specialist from TSU (and Maria’s husband), discusses studies he has conducted regarding breed selection and vigor, and other production concerns. The final topic addressed ongoing activities with the Meat Goat Industry in Tennessee. Richard and Maria shared what is taking place in Tennessee, this information benefited producers in both Tennessee and Alabama.
This meeting allowed producers to ask speakers questions at the end of each presentation and interaction between producers and speakers took place during lunch and after the presentations were completed.
As those who had attended the meeting departed, many of them commented this was one of the best meetings they had attended so far. It is the goal of Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the Alabama Farmers Federation to insure these types of workshops continue to occur for the benefit of sheep and meat goat producers.
Robert Spencer is Agribition Center Facilities Manager at Alabama A&M University. |
