ENNIS — Over the past three months, the partnership program ‘Goat MT’ has reached more than 100 people and already improving ways goat producers manage their livestock.
“It’s a good reminder to me, of information we can share information with goat producers in Montana,” said Shylea Wingard, the project manager for Goat MT.
Goat MT is a partnership with MSU Extension and goat producers throughout the state.
Wingard currently is projecting to have 60 kids on her property this season. The sub-zero temperatures, and other birthing complications gave her issues she has not had in the past decade.
As difficult as the kidding season was for Wingard, she now has a wealth of knowledge to share on Goat MT with first-time producers.
“Provide some leadership, some organization, and put on these educational resources they need—from an objective source,” Wingard said.
Dr. Christian Posbergh, an assistant professor of Animal Range Science Department at MSU, notes the versatility and adaptiveness of goats.
Goats are a great way for someone interested in getting started in agriculture, or for someone looking to diversify, Posbergh said.
Whether a person decides to raise goats for their meat, fiber, dairy, or simply to eat invasive species, goats offer plenty of ways to prove use on someone’s property, Posbergh said.
“On the sheep side, we have been relatively organized for the past 100 years now within the state, and it’s time for goat producers to have similar opportunities. Provide an outlet for them to raise healthy goats,” Posbergh said.
Click here to visit the Goat MT page on Facebook; click here to visit the Goat MT website, which provides this overview:
GoatMT is a collaborative project by Montana State University Extension and Bar 88 Consulting & Livestock to provide education, training and support for Montana goat producers, Through coordinated workshops, webinars, on-farm training events, and mentoring, GoatMT will build a lasting educational network of producers, educators, and cohorts. Its goal is to provide beginning farmers and ranchers production, marketing and financial information to enhance their knowledge and skills to make educated decisions about starting, expanding or diversifying their ranching operations with goats as a viable enterprise.
There are plans for in-person training, as well as webinars and online resources to use for goat producers.
