Past Events

Multi-species Grazing (Cattle and Goat) Field Day 2010

OSU veterinarian and goat producer Dr. Dave Sparks hosted the event at his farm near Porum, OK.

See slideshows from this event:

Forty people from Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Kansas attended the Kerr Center’s multi-species grazing field day on Saturday, May 8, 2010.

OSU veterinarian and goat producer Dr. Dave Sparks, and his wife Linda, who manages their goat operation, hosted the group at their farm near Porum.  

Linda and Wendy Sparks also provided a delicious buffet lunch.

Speakers included:

1. Dr. David Sparks, DVM, OSU Extension Food Animal Quality and Health Specialist
2. Dr. Bob Woods, OSU Cooperative Extension Area Agronomy Specialist
3. Dr. Steve Hart, Cooperative Extension Specialist and Researcher, Langston University
4. Josh Payne, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, Area Animal Waste Management Specialist
5. Brian Pugh, Extension Educator, Haskell County
6. Linda Sparks: Goat Producer

Following are the field day topics and speakers with links to further information on the topics. These links include information handed out or available at the field day. We have added other links to helpful information about raising goats in Oklahoma and the region.

1. David Redhage, Kerr Center: Welcome
1. Kerr Center Meat Goat program and Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test
2. Kerr Center livestock resources pages
   Resources on pasture and forage management, goats, cattle and other livestock, including Brush Control with Goats.
2. Dave Sparks, DVM: Overview of Operation, General Application of multi-species Grazing, Fencing and Economics
1. Meat Goat Selection for Traits of Economic Performance,
   Dr. Dave Sparks, slide presentation (4.6MB)
3. Dr. Bob Woods: Forages and Stocking Rates, Pasture Walk
1. Learn what kind of soil you have on your farm through the USDA’s online maps of soil type, by state and county
2. Get your soil tested (for nutrients, pH, and more: contact the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Office in your county (see government listings in phone book or go to: http://countyext2.okstate.edu/
4. Dr. Steve Hart: Parasite Control: The Value of multi-species and Rotational Grazing
5. Dr. Dave Sparks: Birthing and Neonatal Care
1. Instructions for Using the OSU Kid Record Spread Sheet
2. OSU Kid Record Spread Sheet (Excel file)
3. OSU Doe List Spread Sheet (Excel file)
6. Dr. Josh Payne and Brian Pugh: Mortality Composting
   See Slideshow
1. On-Farm Mortality Composting of Livestock Carcasses, OSU Extension Service fact sheet BAE-1749
2. Langston University Mortality Composting (composting livestock carcasses) webpage with video and links
3. Small Stock Mortality Composting, AIGR Extension Bulletin (by Roger Merkel and Terry Gipson, Langston University; Janelle Malone and Kefyalew Girma Desta, Oklahoma State University
7. Linda Sparks: Home Built Working System (see diagram)
   (see slide show)

Other Oklahoma resources for the basics of meat goat production and care:

OSU Cooperative Extension
Oklahoma Meat Goat Production website
This site has a goat event calendar (including info on the 2010 Meat Goat Boot Camp) and many educational powerpoint presentations on meat goat production such as:
Goat Parasite Workshop: Dewormers and Dewormer Resistance, Introduction to Eye Scores

To contact Dave Sparks, Bob Woods and Josh Payne:
OSU Cooperative Extension Northeast Area Office - Muskogee
230 W Okmulgee St, Suite A,B,C, Muskogee, OK 74401-7032
 918-686-7800   

Langston University
E (Kika) de la Garza Institute for Goat Research,
Extensive resources on meat, hair and dairy goats, including:
Ordering information for the  Meat Goat Production Handbook.
Diagnosis of Internal Parasitism in Goats, an online manual for conducting fecal egg counts in goats.
Web-based Training and Certification Program for Meat Goat Producers

To contact Dr. Steve Hart: http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/goat_contact.htm