Research institute reaches out to domestic, international goat producers

By Jennifer M. Latzke

Tucked away in the rolling hills of central Oklahoma, Langston University may seem like just another small college. But, look closer and you'll see that its educational efforts reach around the globe and across the High Plains.

In the world of goat producers, Langston University is the authority on research and extension efforts related to goat production on the High Plains and throughout the world. Ask anyone in the goat industry and most will tell you they get their information about new advancements from the E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research, based at Langston University.

Langston, for those unfamiliar, is a special gem among the Oklahoma land grant colleges. It's what those in the academic world call an "1890 institution." This means that Langston University, an historically African American college, was adopted into the land grant system through the Second Morrill Act of 1890. Langston University is the farthest north of the 1890 schools.

Just like its bigger land grant brothers, Langston University has at its core a duty to promote research and extension services. The AIGR fits into that mission by sharing research results with both domestic and international goat producers. With eight permanent faculty members and a visiting scholar program that hosts international post-doctoral researchers, new information is coming to light every day at the institute.

Why goats?

When most High Plains livestock producers think of large scale livestock production, cattle, sheep and pigs come to mind first. But, the folks at Langston University will tell you that goat production is fast becoming a popular alternative for smaller American farms and ranches looking to diversify their holdings.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, as of July 1, 2007, there were an estimated 3.6 million head of goats in the United States. The state of Texas accounts for 1.2 million head alone, with Oklahoma accounting for about 81,000 head. With an increasingly diverse population U.S. producers will see an increase in the demand for goat meat and dairy products. Most meat goats that are raised in the High Plains are either sold live at auctions and shipped to Texas or the Eastern Seaboard for processing, or are sold on the farm to consumers wanting to process their own goat meat.

Roger Merkel, assistant professor at Langston University explained that even with higher domestic meat goat production numbers, most goat meat is imported into the United States. "In 2005, there was about 9.6 million metric tonnes of goat imported, or about $33.6 million worth of product."

A growing information need

With the growing goat industry comes a need for information. Therefore the most vital component of the AIGR is the dissemination of its research results. Goat producers, on the whole, are an independent bunch and aren't into formal instruction, said Interim Goat Extension Leader Terry Gipson. However, they are computer savvy and prefer to go online for their information sources. A few years ago the staff at AIGR started kicking around ideas to expand their information capabilities and with the help of a Food Safety Inspection Service grant they created an online course that goat producers can access on their own schedule at home.

"There are 22 modules producers can browse," Merkel said. "They can take the courses for certification if they enroll in the program, or they can just browse through the modules." There is a process of pre-testing and post-testing on each module and producers must score at least an 85 percent passing grade in 16 core modules and three of six elective modules for certification. A fee is also required. As a Certified Producer, users can post a logo to their websites that signifies they have completed this extra coursework through Langston University. The online course can be accessed via www2.luresext.edu.

Since its inception, more than 400 goat producers from all over the United States and several foreign countries have enrolled in the online course and about 28 have completed their requirements for certification.

As a companion to the online course, the research team also created a goat production handbook. "We worked with a consortium of organizations to develop the handbook," Gipson said. "We literally went to the goat experts for their input." The production handbook is especially important since most research on goat production needs was done in the 1980s and had yet to be updated in one complete volume.

Another online project completed recently is the addition of an online, web-based nutrient calculator that uses dropdown menus for a more user friendly interface, Gipson said. The calculators use an online feed library, and producers can choose their rations for calculation. The calculators automatically figure the least cost ration, and if it meets the nutritional needs of each class of goats, he added.

The institute has also added a podcasting component to its information dissemination service. For those producers who prefer to listen to their information, they can go online to the institute's website and download podcasts of various research results.

"We are pushing the envelope more and more and figuring out the most advanced ways of delivering our project information," Gipson said.

Domestic and international collaborations

Goat production can vary according to regional preferences.

For example, most goats on the High Plains are used for grazing marginal pasture land, and for weed control, Merkel said. However, in New York, most of their goats are processed for the New York City meat market, and can bring upwards of $4.50 a pound. With those kind of prices, they can afford higher feed inputs and can feed goats in confinement situations.

Mostly, though, goats that are destined for the meat market don't require a specialized diet. "Especially for the ethnic market, most want to taste the goat meat," Merkel said. "Most Hispanics, South Americans, Carribbeans and Africans grew up consuming goat and they are looking for that taste."

"Most of our consumers of goat meat prefer the leanness of the meat, too," said Interim Goat Extension Leader Terry Gipson. "They do not like a lot of extra fat." An important research component at Langston University is studying efficient diets for meat goats on the High Plains, and how producers can maximize their feed resources for their end meat products.

Internationally, goats are the livestock of choice for many developing countries because of their small size, and ethnic traditions. Goats are important to American outreach efforts in such countries as Ethiopia, China, North Korea and of course the Middle East. The AIGR has an international partnership with two universities in Ethiopia, as well as training and collaborative research efforts in the country.

"We work with women's groups to teach goat production," Merkel said. "The women will get two goats, a breeding pair, and give two goats back to the project when they are able. The project increases their family income and it's important to rural development."

Most of the international outreach efforts work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in its marketing assistance project. Instructors from Langston University have traveled all over the Middle East, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian West Bank and Armenia to help locals set up their goat herds in a bid to fix their economies that have been devastated by war.

"Through USAID we visited Liberia to help their producers recover from war," Merkel said. "In war, livestock herds are usually decimated."

"We plan to translate our web tools into Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and French for our international users," Gipson added.

From the plains of Oklahoma, to countries around the world, the folks at the E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research at Langston University are making a difference in the lives of goat producers--one grower at a time.

Jennifer M. Latzke can be reached by phone at 620-227-1807, or by e-mail at jlatzke@hpj.com.

SIDEBAR/CHART:

The researchers at the E. (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research recommend that producers considering raising goats follow these three steps:

1.) Look at the markets and decide where you will take your goats to market. Know the type of animal you plan to raise and just what the consumer is looking for. There are many market channels open to meat and dairy goat producers, from auction barns to directly selling to consumers.

2.) Consider your existing facilities. Specifically, look at your existing fences and shelters and decide how you will modify them to handle goats. The researchers at Langston University have set up a Fencing Garden that showcases the various types of fences that will be "goat-proof."

3.) When you finally decide to buy the animals, be sure to go to a reputable goat breeder if you plan to be in goat production for the long term. Breeders will be able to tell you about herd health backgrounds and will be a valuable resource to you.

Finally, understand that goat herd health is a complicated issue. There aren't a lot of approved animal health drugs for goats, and they are also susceptible to internal parasites. Goat nutrition is also different compared to other livestock. While goats will eat practically anything, there are certain weeds that can be toxic in large quantities. Check with a animal health professional in your area for specific concerns.

10/15/07
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Date: 10/11/07

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