ORANGE CITY, Iowa — The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Dairy Team will host a dairy goat management meeting on Friday, Dec. 10 at the Kalona Chamber and Saturday, Dec. 11 at the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County office in Orange City.
The program will focus on dairy goat housing and ventilation, milking equipment maintenance, and milk quality to improve overall milk efficiency on the farm. All dairy goat producers are welcome.
“Paying attention to milk quality can pay big dividends for increasing milk production and overall health,” said Fred Hall, dairy specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. “The high level of interest by producers in improving production and quality prompted this program.”
Hall explained that the ISU Extension and Outreach Dairy Team just completed a statewide survey of producers to determine what the dairies look like and what their interest in programing is.
The Northwest Iowa agenda on Dec. 11 will include:
- Dairy Goat Housing and Ventilation
- Milking Protocols
- Milking Equipment Maintenance
- A Virtual Producer Tour
- A Focus on Milk Quality with the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
“Iowa State University ag engineers will deliver practical applications for dairy goat housing and ventilation,” Hall said. “We are also fortunate to have the Iowa State Veterinary College staff focusing on dairy goat milk quality. They will bring their knowledge and experience to the program.”
Both meetings will feature similar programs from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., so dairy goat producers can simply select the date and location that works best for them. Registration will open at 9:30 a.m. before each meeting.
There is a $5 per person registration fee to attend the program, which includes lunch, materials, and all presentations. Youth 16 and under may attend at no charge.
To register for the Orange City site, visit https://go.iastate.edu/TM5VTM or call the ISU Extension and Outreach Sioux County Office at 712-737-4230. Registration deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 8.
This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Program, Antimicrobial Resistance number: 2020-04197.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach