There are good goats and bad goats. Goats that will run and goats that will kick. Competitors on horseback break through the gate at a run and dismount on the fly when they reach the goat tethered at the center of the arena. Sharon won a national championship in the event last year, and although she placed second on Friday, she still has a chance to qualify for a return trip this year. If the girls stick the dismount, it's a matter of shooting a double-hoof takedown, pinning the skittish,...

Designed for anyone who wants to learn more about raising goats for meat, milk or fiber, these tours aim to teach sound goat husbandry and help support the growing Maine market for local cheese and meat. Waters raises full-blood and percentage Boer goats, and the topic of this tour will be goat facilities and crossbreeding for meat production. UMaine Extension s series of goat enterprise tours are taking place through September at farms around the state. Considered browsers rather than...

The key to a successful hill sheep industry will be to have a production system that is sustainable both in terms of its impact on the environment as well as financially. If we look at the euro Profit Monitor (ePM) results for 2005 we can quickly see that the average sheep farmer retained nearly all of the direct payments (loosing on average two euro per ewe before premia are taken into account. Hill sheep in Ireland are generally farmed in a traditional manner where they have, in the...

It is important that the reviews and research can run their course and a more efficient and effective system is developed to meet the need should it arise. The move comes despite grower bodies recommending the standards for electronic devices in sheep and goats remains in draft form until there is an identifiable need and a cost benefit analysis of such technology. I would encourage the Victorian DPI to work collaboratively with other states and the national sheep industry to ensure a...

Farmers cut flock sizes as dogs run wild in WA Friday, 29 June 2007 West Australian farmers are cutting their sheep flocks as wild dog reports in the wheatbelt continue to grow. The dogs are causing serious problems for farmers, especially, in a region about 300 kms east of Perth. Mr Spark said he had reduced the number of sheep on his property and now he now, mainly runs cattle. However, he said the dogs would also attack young calves. Bonnie Rock farmer, Donald Spark said the problem was...