Upcoming Event - Feeding Sheep and Goats Webinar Series

Purdue Extension will present a webinar sereis to educate goat and sheep farmers on feeding practices following the drought, managing forage shortages and the production of commercial versus show goats.

The webinars will run 6:00-8:00 PM (CST) on Nov. 28 and Dec. 5 at various Extension county offices in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky.

Goats and sheep are small ruminants, so they rely on forage-heavy diets. Indiana's extreme heat and drought this spring and summer greatly reduced forage supplies. Those challenges, combined with a growing interest in sheep and goat production, are the impetus behind the webinars.

"We'll be talking about what this year's drought did to pastures and the lack of feed for farmers," said Mark Kepler, Purdue Extension educator in Fulton County and webinar organizer. "More and more farmers are starting to raise goats and sheep because they require less space and maintenance than larger farm animals. We're gearing this program toward those who are novice or beginners, but the information is really important to all sheep and goat producers."

The Nov. 28 session will cover dealing with forage shortages and feeding sheep and goats following drought.  

The Dec. 5 session will cover pasture management for 2013 and differences between raising show goats and commercial goats. 

Current Purdue Extension county offices signed up to host the webinars are Brown, Dubois, Elkhart, Fulton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Huntington, Jasper, Jefferson, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Montgomery, Morgan, Owen, Spencer, Switzerland, Vermillion and Warrick.

The Spencer County location will be held at the Spencer County 4-H Fairgrounds in Chrisney, IN. The series is free-of-charge but pre-registration is requested by November 26. To register, contact Purdue Extension-Spencer County at (812) 649-6022 or nheld@purdue.edu. 

More information about the webinar series is available on the Purdue Extension-Spencer County website at www.extension.purdue.edu/spencer.

Upcoming Events - Livestock and Forage Drought Management Update

The drought of 2012 has presented some unique challenges to livestock producers with regards to forage supplies and pasture condition. Purdue Extension of Dubois, Perry, Spencer, and Warrick Counties is presenting a Livestock and Forage Drought Management Update to discuss these challenges and identify management tips for this year and beyond. Specific topics include Utilizing Alternative Feeds and Forages, Forage Nitrate and Nutrient Testing, Herd Management and Feeding Techniques, and Pasture Renovation. Featured speakers will include Dr. Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension Forage Specialist and Dr. Ron Lemenager, Purdue Extension Beef Specialist.

The update will be held August 16 at 6:30 PM CDT at the St. Meinrad Community Center. The update is free-of-charge but pre-registration is requested by August 13. For more information, or to register, please contact the Spencer County Purdue Extension Office at (812) 649-6022 or nheld@purdue.edu.

Sheep and Goat Webinar Series Presentation Videos Now Available

If you missed the recent Sheep and Goat Webinar Series presented by Purdue Extension but are still interested in the topics presented, you're in luck!  Videos of each presentation are now posted online for viewing at www.ansc.purdue.edu/SP/MG/ .  DVDs of the entire series can also be ordered through the website for $15.  In addition to the videos, supporting reference material, including slide presentations and Extension publications are also available.  For the best video quality, a high-speed internet connection is recommended.   

Upcoming Events - Sheep and Goat Webinar Series

Learn more about sheep and goat production through a webinar series sponsored by Purdue Extension, Kentucky State University, and University of Kentucky.

This is a two-part series that will focus on kidding care and birthing in does and ewes, feeding, management, marketing, and economic projection issues in raising goats. Goat production numbers are rising in Indiana and Kentucky. According to the USDA 45,000 goats are raised in Indiana and 87,000 in Kentucky.

The webinar sessions will be held on two consecutive Wednesday nights starting on November 30 from 6:00-8:00 PM CST (7:00-9:00 PM EST).

Session 1 on November 30, concerns Kidding and Kid Care and will feature Dr. Kenneth Andries, Kentucky State University; and Dealing with Difficult Births in Does and Ewes by Endre Fink, University of Kentucky.

Session 2 on December 7, features teaching about Feeding and Management Tips to Reduce Input Costs for Sheep & Goat Producers led by Dan Morrical, Extension Sheep Specialist, Iowa State University; and Marketing and Economic Projections for Sheep and Goat Producers for 2012 and Beyond by Erica Rosa-Sanko, Agriculture Economist, Livestock Marketing Information Center.

This webinar series will be viewable at many locations across Indiana, including Dubois County (812-482-1782) and Warrick County (812-897-6101).  The series is free-of-charge, however pre-registration is required by November 23.  Please contact the host site you plan to attend to register.  A program brochure listing all viewing sites is located here.