By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
Fast facts
- Free event provides education on raising sheep and goats
- Topics include forage, nutrition, grazing strategies, parasite control, flock management
- Event co-sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture sustainability program
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Small ruminants have practical and profitable uses on the farm. Still, there is a lot to know about sheep and goats to maintain their health and the sustainability of the land they are on.
FIELD DAY — Sheep graze at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville, site of the Oct. 28 Northwest Arkansas Small Ruminants Field Day. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)
A free event offering education on how to raise sheep and goats will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville with sponsorship from Soil for Water, a forage sustainability project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program.
The Northwest Arkansas Small Ruminants Field Day, hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon at 1935 W. Heck St. in Fayetteville.
Lunch will be provided after the morning’s learning sessions and demonstrations with Dirk Philipp, associate professor of forage agronomy, Dan Quadros, assistant professor and small ruminant extension specialist, and other speakers from the animal science department at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
In addition to ways cattle producers can integrate sheep into their farming operation, Philipp said participants will be taught sustainable grazing techniques based on research conducted by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture. Quadros said sheep are a growing segment of Arkansas livestock operations, and small ruminants can be an asset for big and small farms.
“This field day will provide hands-on opportunities and demonstrations from the classroom to the farm-level environment,” Quadros said. “It will be very valuable for beginning farmers who want to adopt new technologies and learn the business risks and rewards, as well as established cattle ranchers looking for ways to maximize use of their land.”
Coffee and pastries will be served at 8:30 a.m. before a “farm walk and talk.” Joining Philipp and Quadros in presentations will be Linda Coffey, livestock specialist for the Southeast Regional Office of the National Center for Appropriate Technology, along with Washington County Extension Agent Ronnie Horn and Benton County Extension Agent and Staff Chair Johnny Gunsaulis.
Learning sessions will include the following topics:
- Forage and nutrition
- Grazing strategies
- Reproduction and flock management
- Parasite identification and control
- Practical, on-farm necropsy
Registration for the event is required to attend. To register, please visit https://bit.ly/Small-Ruminants-Field-Day-Registration.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
