National Goat Expo Report - Part 2

 

There was a large variety of goat breeds present at the Expo. Some of the breeds are well known here in Ireland such as Saanen, Toggenburg, Alpine and Anglo-Nubian. However others either don’t exist at all in Ireland or are present in only small numbers. Each of the individual breeds had a number of competitions for different classes and ages of animal. There was also a large number of other competitions including dairy (see photo below), meat, fibre, miniature and myotonic. It was also lovely to watch the ‘Pee Wee Showman’ competitions, where even very young children are encouraged to show their animals.

Dairy Breeds

Dairy goats are by far the most common type of goat in Ireland. However some of the breeds at the Expo were much less familiar than the few we know so well.   La Mancha are a very distinctive dairy breed, easily recognized by their very short ears – ‘elf ears’. They are known for high yield and milk butterfat content. Oberhasli are a form of Alpine goat, originally from Switzerland. They are known for their distinctive colouring and excellent temperament, along with high milk production. The Nigerian Dwarf  is a miniature goat breed with West African ancestry. Although short in stature it gives a surprisingly high yield of milk. The milk is also extremely high in butterfat (as much as 10%) and is therefore ideally suited to cheese and soap production.

 

Meat Goats

 

In recent years we have become much more accustomed to seeing Boer goats in Ireland.  Their powerful build and dsitinctive marking is easily recognisable. It is originally from South Africa, has a fast growth rate and excellent carcass qualities. This breed had the highest numbers shown at the Expo. The Myotonic goat  or 'Fainting Goat is so called because when panicked the legs of this goat freeze for about 10 seconds, often causing it to fall over. It’s rarity means it can be quite valuable but they were originally bred for meat production.

Other breeds

 

The Pygmy goat is originally from West Africa, this hardy breed is typically kept as a pet but can be used for milk production. The Miniature Silky is bred for the quality of the coat and its miniature size. It was originally bred from the Tennessee Fainting Goat but other goat breeds have been added such as the Nigerian. The Cashmere is instantly recognisable by their name and any goat that produces cashmere wool is referred to as a cashmere goat. Breed standards vary regionally even in the United States.

The full report contains many more details and photos and is available on the Publications section of the Teagasc Goat Page.

Steps to Silage Making - Part 2

The second part of Steps to Silage Making concentrates on how to harvest and save your grass in order to produce the highest quality silage.  The first job is to monitor the growth of your grass and aim to cut it just as seed heads begin to appear.  Remember that yield increases with time, while your DMD (dry matter digestibility) decreases. 

Silage is basically pickled grass.  In order to produce the acid to pickle the grass we need sugars. Ideally we want a high level of sugars in the grass (>3%) in order to get high preservation.  Alternatively we can concentrate sugar levels in the grass through wilting to reduce the water content. Tedding (spreading) the grass can substantially increase the drying process. Not cutting in the morning (i.e. when dew is on the grass) will also reduce water content.  Sugars are highest on bright sunny days with cool nights. 

Once filling the pit has begun it should be completed as rapidly as possible.  During this stage of the harvest the most important thing is to expel as much air as possible from the silage.  The grass should be rolled after every load is added to the pit.  It should then be covered with two layers of plastic to ensure all air is excluded.  Once the silage has settled it may be necessary to adjust the plastic to maintain a tight seal. The pit should also be inspected regularly and any damaged areas should be patched.

 

If harvesting conditions are poor it is even more important to follow the steps above.  You may need to adjust cutting heights to reduce soil contamination. Soil compaction is a big issue and this may also need to be addressed through using lighter machinery, reducing tyre pressures and only half-filling trailers.  As effluent production can be much greater, proper drainage and collection facilities are vital.

 

For second cut silage apply up to 100kgs/Ha (80 units/acre) of Nitrogen and Potassium and 16kgs/Ha of Phosphorus (13 units/acre).  If you have soil samples ensure that recommendations are adhered to.  Applying slurry on the bare stubble immediately after cutting will provide much needed nutrients at a low cost.

RTE Television and Lidl announce The Taste of Success

A new RTÉ One series, The Taste of Success, will see members of the public and local producers compete to get their unique food product on the shelves of Lidl Ireland’s 140 supermarkets.  The top prize is worth in excess of €100,000 including €50,000 cash and €25,000 in product development and marketing support. 

 

As part of the process producers will be tested and have their products refined by Lidl Brand Ambassador Paul Flynn along with Lidl Ireland and a host of food industry experts. It's a unique opportunity to get your product developed and marketed in Lidl stores nationwide.  The closing date is next Wednesday 11th June so get your entries in.  You can get more information from the RTE website and download an application form here.

 

 

 

+RTE One Television +Lidl 

National Goat Expo Report - Part 1

This is the first part of my report on the 2013 National Goat Expo which took place in Bloomington, Illinois, USA last September.  This first part will cover the seminars I attended over the few days; part two will cover the shows and breeds and the final part will cover the other demonstrations and any other items of interest.  The whole report will be available for download next week from the Teagasc Goat Page.

 

Part 1 - Seminars

+Deborah Niemann is a homesteader, writer and self-sufficiency expert who has been raising livestock and making goats’ cheese for over 10 years. She conducted 3 seminars on the first day based on her experience and expertise. These primarily focussed on the range of value-added products that can be made from dairy goats. Deborah outlined the basics of making cheese from goats’ milk and the equipment required. She also detailed the equipment, process and ingredients for soap making. Goats’ milk and caprillic acid are extremely good for your skin and are used in the treatment of skin conditions such as eczema. Many things can be added to goats’ milk soap and Deborah described many of these and their uses. These include essential oils, herbs, clays and oatmeal. Finally, Deborah covered the production of meat, the tanning of hides and production of leather goods. There was also reference made to the whey left over from cheese production and its use as a feed for pigs and as a fertiliser.

 

Dr. Steve Hart has spent over 20 years in the E (Kika) de la Garza American Institute for Goat Research located at +Langston University in Oklahoma. He made a number of presentations over the three days of seminars; the first of which was a basic introduction to goats dubbed ‘Goats 101’. This was an excellent introduction to goat farming and covered all important aspects to be considered when beginning a goat enterprise.  He also covered topics such as parasites; nutrition and minerals; nutrition for high-yielding dairy does and pasture management and grazing. 


Dr. Frank Pinkerton retired in 1993 after a 40-year university career, the last 15 of which focussed on goats for milk, meat and fibre. He still works as a private consultant in goat management and marketing and writes articles for Goat Rancher magazine. He also presented a number of seminars over the 3 days, primarily based on meat goats such as was Management Influences Affecting Net Farm Income and Meat Goat Producer Problems and Constraints.Dr. Donald Bliss is the owner and operator of Mid America Ag Research, an agricultural and research management consultant company. They specialise in drug development and applied research with primary emphasis on parasitology investigations. Dr. Bliss gave an excellent presentation on parasites in goats, how they pick up parasites and how treatments might differ from other farm animals. He also discussed parasite life cycles, control programmes and strategic deworming programmes.

Leslie Cooperband of Prairie Fruits Farm gave two presentations on setting up a farmstead creamery and cheese making. She gave a detailed seminar on her own experience in setting up a dairy and cheese production unit, from 4 goats up to their present number in excess of 70. They currently make 8 different cheeses on the farm and Leslie went through the process of making some of these. She was also kind enough to bring some of the cheeses with her for a tasting at the end of the seminars.

The final speaker at the Expo was Dr +Noah Litherland of the +University of Minnesota. He gave two very detailed seminars, the first of which was on Successful Kid Rearing Practices. This was an excellent presentation with a huge amount of information covering the different phases of rearing up to weaning, the importance of colostrum and feeding. The final seminar was again very detailed and was on Managing Nutrition of Does during Late Pregnancy and Early Lactation. Dr. Litherland covered topics such as effects of prepartum feeding on postpartum performance, ketosis, rumen health, milk fever and uterine health.

Sheridan's 5th Annual Irish Food Festival

Next Sunday 25th of May sees the now annual Sheridan’s Irish Food Festival taking place at their headquarters in Co. Meath. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet many of Ireland's top artisan food producers and sample the remarkable range of food they have created. From sausages to spices and chocolate to cheese, a massive array of Irish produce will be on show including some of our best goats’ cheeses such as Boyne Valley Blue, Cooleeney, Corleggy and Killeen. 

If that wasn’t enough there will be a range of workshops taking place, hosted by some of Ireland’s best known food producers and chefs such as Richard Corrigan and Ross Lewis.  RTE’s Ella McSweeney will also be hosting our National Brown Bread Competition.

It’s going to be a great day so if you love Irish food be sure to drop by and give yourself a treat.  I hope to see you there!

+Sheridans Cheesemongers, +BoyneValley GoatFarm

Discover Farmhouse Cheese Farm Visits

This month sees the beginning of the Discover Farmhouse cheese farm visits for 2014.  This is a unique opportunity to experience cheese making first-hand and discover the day to day operation of a cheese producing dairy farm. 

There is huge diversity between the host farms in both scale and type of production and they include the homes of many of our most well known and loved goats cheeses including St Tola, Killeen and Cooleeney.

 

Don't miss your chance to experience some of Ireland's best cheese producing farms.  The visits continue for the next two months and are free to attend.  Click here to get further details and book your place.

Steps to Silage Making - Part 1

Silage is the key winter feed in this part of the world and on many goat farms, provides the chief form of forage all year round.  Putting the correct steps in place at this time of year will provide sufficient quantities of high quality silage for your goats.  High quality silage also plays a key role in reducing feed costs as less concentrates are required.  It has been shown that silage quality has significant effects on feed intake, milk yield, milk quality and body condition score in goats. 

 

Step 1. Have a plan

 

Farmers that consistently make good quality silage always have a plan in place.  This requires short term planning (e.g. spring management and fertiliser application) and long term planning (e.g. sward quality, soil fertility) to maximise yield  and quantity of silage.

 

Step 2.  Check soil fertility

 

Studies have shown that soil P & K concentrations as well as pH (lime requirement) have been depleted in recent years. This is reflected in sub-optimal grass growth and consequently light yields at target harvest dates. 

 

Step 3. Establish targets for silage quality

This will vary depending on the type of animal being fed with low productivity animals needing poorer quality silage than high performance animals.  Therefore a suckled meat goat herd kidding in Spring will require lower quality silage (65 DMD) than high yielding lactating goats (75DMD). 

 

Step 4. Graze out the silage fields.

Graze silage swards short in late Autumn, or graze them in Spring to avoid a build-up of a low digestibility butt.   The dead butt has a digestibility of just 40-50% which will have a negative effect on silage DMD. Typically dairy goat herds are not grazed outdoors therefore try to take a cut of grass off your silage area before applying fertiliser for silage.

Step 5. Spread Fertiliser

1. Apply total nitrogen (N) at from 115-150 kg/ha or (92-120 units/acre) for old and reseeded pastures, respectively. This can be done from the combined input of bagged fertiliser (e.g. CAN, urea, etc.) and slurry.   However, most goat farms will not have access to slurry and therefore must concentrate on using bagged fertiliser.

2. Apply fertiliser evenly and as early as feasible

3. Slurry (where available) should only be spread on bare stubble or very short grass

4. There is little real advantage to the silage sward from splitting the application of N fertiliser.

Colostrum - Liquid Gold

Colostrum is the first milk produced by the doe after birth. It is much thicker than subsequent milking with a yellowish colour.  It tends to be much higher in protein, vitamins and minerals than regular milk and provides an extremely high nutrient diet to the newborn kid.  But it’s the immunoglobulins that are the most important component of colostrum.  At birth, kids have virtually no immunity to pathogens present in its new environment.  However, the immunoglobulins present in high quality colostrum can provide passive immunity.  The doe produces immunoglobulins to protect itself from any diseases it has been exposed to.  Therefore if the doe is moved to the nursery area a number of weeks before kidding, it should develop immunoglobulins against any pathogens in the area and pass these to the newborn kid in the colostrum.  This also means that kids should only be fed colostrum sourced on their own farm.  This will prevent possible transmission of infection (CAE, Johnes) from other farms.  In order to maximise immunity the doe should also be vaccinated against clostridial diseases approximately four weeks before kidding.

There are three keys to feeding colostrum:

1.                   Feed colostrum as soon as possible after birth.

At birth the intestine of the kid is not mature and can absorb the large immunoglobulin proteins, but this capability diminishes rapidly (gut closure) and is virtually gone after 24 hours. In addition, the kid begins to produce digestive enzymes shortly after birth which can break down the immunoglobulins and destroying their ability to prevent disease.  However due to its very high nutritional value, there may still be some benefit in feeding colostrum for a number of days where available.

2.                   Feed approximately 1 litre

Most literature proposes that a kid should receive 10% of its bodyweight in colostrum in the first 24 hours.  However the more colostrum a kid receives, the more antibodies and high energy nutrition it also receives.  Therefore work to the rule of feeding the kid about 50mls of colostrum per kg of bodyweight every 4 hours.  For a 4kg kid this is 200ml every 4 hours and will provide at least 1 litre in the first 24 hours after birth.

3.                   Feed high quality colostrum

The concentration of immunoglobulins in the colostrum diminishes rapidly after birth, therefore the sooner it is harvested from the doe, the better.  In addition, the udder begins to ‘bag up’ with milk after birth and this dilutes the effect of the colostrum. 

If you are lucky enough to have colostrum that is surplus to your requirements, then it may be stored for future use.  It should be refrigerated immediately and stored for up to two days.  Alternatively it can be frozen for up to a year.  Place in small quantities in ice cube trays and move to zip lock bags once frozen.  Larger quantities can again be stored in zip lock bags, but remember to allow space for expansion and it is always a good idea to double bag in case the first punctures.  It should be thawed gently in a warm water bath in order to protect the immunoglobulins – if the water is too hot to put your hand into, it’s too hot for the colostrum.

If there is simply no goat colostrum available then there may be no alternative but to feed cow colostrum.  Ideally this should be sourced on the same farm, but this may not be possible. Therefore obtain it from healthy, disease free animals to prevent importing diseases, particularly Johnes Disease.  It would also be hugely beneficial if the cows were vaccinated against clostridial diseases.

Aran Island Goats' Cheese Up and Running!

I'm delighted to see Cáis Gabhair Arann is well and truly up and running.  I first spoke to Gabriel Faherty a few years back and was really impressed with his ideas and determination in getting his business off the ground.  Starting a farm-to-fork food business is a huge challenge anywhere, but must have had particular logistical issues when located on an island.  However, this idea is particularly well thought out in that it uses all of the assets available - Gabriel produces milk from his own herd of goats, makes cheeses that are clearly identifiable as being produced on the Aran Islands and perhaps most notably a visitor centre which should add a very substantial additional element to the business, particularly during the summer months.  There are some lovely pictures on the Aran Islands Hotel Facebook page which check out here.

 

The farm is featured on Bliain in Inis Mór on TG4 this coming Sunday 9th of February at 9.30pm so be sure to tune in.  You can also follow Gabriel on Twitter @AranGoatCheese.

 

I want to wish Gabriel, his family and staff every success and I look forward to visiting them in the near future. 

High Hopes for 2014

May I take this opportunity to wish each one of you a Happy New Year.   I know it’s somewhat belated coming on the last day of January but I can confirm that the Goat Blog will be much busier this year, with a mix of news, information and more technical updates.

I really feel this is going to be a big year for the Irish Goat Industry, with much stronger communication and cooperation between farmers and processors, Teagasc, the Department of Agriculture and all the farming and food organisations.  Hopefully this will all get under way in the next few weeks with a meeting of some of the interested parties to get the ball rolling. I’ll keep you updated with any developments.

The report on my trip to the Goat Expo is also nearing completion and I’ll make it available here in the next few weeks.  It will include summaries of all the seminars I attended but I will also have more detailed information also available for each of them.  There will also be lots of photos of the competitions and all of the breeds that were on show.

Finally I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to each of you.  As a result of our work keeping the public updated via social media, myself and a number of my colleagues were offered a Staff Excellence Award.  No matter where you’re located - in Ireland or beyond – many, many thanks for all the hits on this page.  I will do my very best to develop and drive this Blog from strength to strength and I look forward to your contributions and experiences as part of this.

Cian

Shortage of Milk Leading to Shortage of Cheese

Following on from the article in the Irish Times last Monday I thought I might take this opportunity to maybe clarify the issues that it addressed and perhaps some of the comments attributed to me.  

It would certainly appear that there will be a shortage of goat’s cheese in the coming months.  From discussing the matter with a number of cheese makers it is evident that certain lines of cheese or batches that tended to be made at a certain time of year were not made this year.  The reason for this is a shortage of milk actually available for processing – in Ireland and beyond.  At present we have approximately 20 commercial scale liquid milk units in the country, but this figure has fallen by four in the last 18-24 months and will shortly become five.  It’s a simple equation to calculate that this is a reduction of about one fifth of our main suppliers of goat’s milk. 

The goat industry in Ireland has been going through a difficult period in recent years.  A historically undersupplied market received a number of new milk producers and consequently prices fell and remained inconsistent for a number of years.  It is only recently as supply fell off that prices have increased and steadied somewhat.  

A second reason is finding a secure and consistent outlet for milk.  It's important to consider that no goat farmer in Ireland is working off a written contract. All producers supplying either Glenisk or a cheese maker are doing so by way of a 'gentleman's agreement' as such. There are no quotas either so there is no security of outlet or supply on either side.

Finally the on-farm factors are also very important to consider.  Certainly we can strive to improve general husbandry practices such as nutrition and health but improving the genetic makeup of our herd is an absolute imperative.  There are a number of farms with highly yielding, high genetic merit goats but this is an exception rather than a rule.  Most animals on Irish farms simply do not have the genetic programming to perform and yield like their British or European counterparts.  This is a factor that could be improved drastically in a short number of years with correct recording, selection and breeding.

Although I did not actually call ‘for more support for (the) goat sector’ as is suggested in the article it is certainly true that goat farmers find themselves left out on a limb in comparison to other farm enterprises.  Although governed by the exact rules that cover, for example, TB testing in dairy cows there is no specific reference to goats within the ‘Compensation Arrangements for TB and Brucellosis’.  In addition, goats are classed along with sheep for identification and movement they are not eligible for any of the sheep schemes or programmes such as the Grassland Sheep Scheme or the Sheep Handling Scheme.  It also must be said that the employment embargo and a significant cut to budgets have had a very substantial effect on Teagasc’s ability to provide advisory resources for this sector and particularly the development of discussion groups which have been so successful in other areas.

It is obviously true that goat farming will never be a major sector in Irish farming but if properly nurtured and developed it could provide a very viable alternative enterprise for Irish farmers, particularly those on small acreages. In addition, with a significant portion of the world’s population relying heavily on the goat for their primary source of milk and meat, one has to believe there is definite potential for the goat industry to contribute to Food Harvest 2020.  We here in Ireland are world leaders in the technologies that produce the highest quality beef, lamb and dairy products. If applied correctly to the goat industry there is no doubt it would develop new high value products for sale into already receptive markets.

Blas na hÉireann/National Irish Food Awards

The National Irish Food Awards were held over the weekend and I'm delighted to say a number of our goat producer colleagues have been rewarded for their hard work and dedication to quality Irish food.  In the dairy milk section Galway Goat Farm took the top award for their goats' milk.  This is a relatively new enterprise and exemplifies how excellence can be achieved in a short length of time through hard work and determination.  (You can read an excellent article on their farm here).  Galway Goat Farm pipped Orchard Cottage of Ballinhassig, Co. Cork who won second place in the same category for their Organic Raw Goats' Milk.  It came as no surprise reading through the list of winners to see that the Finegan's had done it again, winning yet another award - this time a Chef's Choice - for their Boyne Valley Blue cheese.  

My heartiest congratulations go to Anne & Larry, the Desmond family and Jenny & Michael and wishing you continued success in the future.

US National Goat Expo 2013

This week sees the 2013 National Goat Expo taking place in Bloomington, Illinois and I'm delighted to say that I've been given the opportunity to attend.  The Expo offers an unrivalled opportunity to see top class goats of every shape and variety with a huge number of show classes for goats of every breed and age.  It is also an excellent opportunity to learn as the event will include seminars and workshops on everything goat related including health, nutrition, reproduction, pasture management, product marketability and more.  There aren't many training opportunities in Ireland so I hope to attend as many of these as possible. I hope to see you there!

Don't forget the bucks!

This time of year sees the start of the natural breeding season in this part of the world.  It’s a time for ensuring your breeding stock are in top condition and for culling out those that are below their best or may cause future problems.  Simple checks of the teeth and udders and assessing body condition score will guarantee that your does are in peak physical condition before the season begins.  However, it’s also incredibly important to assess your males.  Remember if you are using one male for every 20 or even 30 females and he is not performing to his best (or at all!), it will have a huge effect on reproductive performance and of course on farm profitability.  There are a few simple pointers that will ensure your buck is ready and fit for action:

Body Condition Score

A buck needs a body condition score of at least 3.5 before the start of the breeding season.  If below this, extra supplementation is vital to get him in top condition.  This should be a high protein feed as protein is very important in sperm production.  This supplementation should be continued right throughout the breeding period as his mind will be on more important matters and bucks can lose up to 17% of their bodyweight over the course of the season.

Genitalia

The scrotum should be examined for abnormalities.  The testicles produce the sperm and should be large, symmetrical and firm - like a clenched bicep.  Any irregularities such as lumps or softness may indicate a problem.  Running alongside the testicle is an area called the epididymis. It is spongy to the touch and is the area where sperm is stored. Again, check that it is present and is without irregularities.  In newly purchased males the penis should also be examined to make sure it emerges without any problem.

Feet

The feet should be trimmed (and treated where necessary) four weeks before the breeding season. Particular care should be taken with the rear feet as these take the entire weight of the buck during the mating process.  

Brisket

This is an area often overlooked but is subject to a lot of pressure, particularly as the male mounts the females.  Check for irregularities and soreness as these will lead to a reluctance to mount.

Vaccines & Dosing

Ensure the buck has received his booster for clostridial diseases and consider dosing for leptospirosis.  A dewormer should also be administered a month before the breeding season.

Libido

As the season commences, keep a close eye on the activities of your male.  Libido is not often a problem with goats but will lead to a very significant reduction in pregnancy rates if it does occur.

Have you any more tips or ideas? The huge experience of all goat farmers is an amazing resource to be tapped into so please feel free to give your own hints on how to maximise the reproductive performance of your farm!

Goat Artificial Insemination Course

Do you know how to artificially inseminate a goat? Artificial insemination allows easier access to much superior genetics and a wider variety of breeds than might usually be available and also helps maintain the biosecurity of a herd.  Christine Ball of Goat Genetics is running a training course on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th of September.  The course is kindly hosted by Ian Johnson of Ashbourne, near Derby in the UK and will have both theory and practical sessions. Understandably places will be limited so if you are interested contact Christine by email peaclond@talktalk.net.