Billy Carson with his Fall Doe , EUB Emma. Thank you to the Eubank Family for breeding such a fine

Our club rode in the Veteran's Day Parade in Westminster, South Carolina - Thank you to Doug and

A fine line up of project meat goats! Two of our club members are shown here, Tara Jenkins and Bill

Oconee County 4-H Goat Club

Oconee County 4-H Goat Club

Our club is open to all youth between the ages of 5 and 19 years of age.

Age is calculated as of January 1^st of the current year.

Our club’s focus is on the health, care, and management of all Goats, meat goats, fiber goats, dairy goats, and pet goats.

Children will learn how to milk a dairy goat, make goat cheese, hoof trimming, vaccinations, fitting and grooming, nutrition requirements, parasite management, herd standards to look for when purchasing a goat, and more!

We meet on the 2^nd Saturday of each month at 1:00 pm, most meetings will last approximately 2 hours. All parents/care providers are encouraged to participate and attend the meetings ~ Goats are “Family” projects! If your child is less than 10 years of age, he/she must be accompanied by an older sibling or adult. Due to the meetings agendas, the meeting locations rotate. You can visit the websites below to ascertain the location each month, or call Club Leader Gaylene Carson @

864-710-3703 or Oconee County Extension Agent Jason Caudill @ 638-5889.

www.billysboermeatgoatfarm.com

www.clemson.edu/extension/county/oconee

Meetings:

March 13^th – Topic ~ Parasite Management and Meat Goat Standards. The meeting will be held at the Walhalla Agriculture Bldg. 301 So. Broad Street in Walhalla and will start at 1:00 pm. Immediately following the parasite portion of the meeting, we will take a field trip to Westminster to study Breed Standards of the Boer Meat Goat for those whom wish to attend. Fecal exams will be available, your first sample is free and addtional samples will cost $2.50 each. You will need to bring about ¼ cup of feces which can be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic baggie for up to 5 days before the meeting.

If you are interested in the South Carolina Wether Goat Project, information will be available at the March meeting.

April 10^th – Topic ~ Hoof Trimming and Vaccinations. The meeting will be held at the 4-H Barn on Oakgrove Road

A great group of hard working kids! Spring of 2008

Tara Jenkins, Billy Carson and Laurin Ables ~ Passionate Future Goat Producers of America!

The 4-H Meat Goat Project is the fastest growing short term animal science project in the nation. In the South Carolina Meat Goat Project, the 4-H member begins in June with a weaned wether, (a castarated male) and cares for the goat kid through the summer.

At the end of summer, the 4-H member can participate in Local, County, and State Live stock shows which generally begin in September and run through October. Meat goat shows provide a great avenue to meet and develop friendships with other youth and leaders from across the state. Young people are also able to connect with supportive adults (who serve as mentors), demonstrate a commitment to learning, develop social competencies and gain exposure to career opportunities.

Meat goat projects provide youth with opportunities to expand their knowledge of the meat goat industry, production and, more importantly, develop the life skills that are needed to be positive contributors to society. Through meat goat projects youth will learn about selection and evaluation, nutrition and feeding, health and daily care, reproduction, marketing, and much more. Youth learn to accept responsibility, to value hard work, think critically, make decisions, and communicate.

Meat goats (like sheep and cattle) are ruminants which mean they have four compartments to their stomach. This is why they can digest pasture grasses and hay. However, they really prefer to browse on woody type plants.