New goat project added to college farm

The early 1990’s saw the import of a new breed of goat to the U.S. The Boer (the Angus Cattle of the goat industry), has quickly grown to become a viable option for small farmers in Texas to diversify their operations and become more sustainable.  Unfortunately, due to the newness of the industry and few sources for research-based information on care and handling of the meat goat breed, many producers that have invested their time and money into starting operations that have been anything but sustainable.
Recognizing this lack of readily-available information applicable to farms in East Texas, the Northeast Texas Community College Agriculture Program has expanded its operation to include a commercial Boer goat herd on its instructional farm. The goats were added this August.
“I first became aware of Boer goats and meat goat production while working as a county extension agent in Cherokee County prior to my employment as Agriculture Director for NTCC. Despite my own lack of knowledge on the breed, I purchased my first goat in 2006 and with the aid of the PVAMU International Goat Research Center specialists and the East Texas Goat Raisers Association members received a crash course in the requirements of a goat farm in East Texas,” Rene’ McCracken, said.

Read more in our e-edition:http://www.etypeservices.com/SWF/LocalUser/Daingerfield1//Magazine36452/...