Goats

Stories of large corporations and cities using goats to graze green spaces are cropping up all over the country. Now Bluegrass Station in Fayette County is partnering with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and area goat producers to green up some landfill sites. Bluegrass Station maintains more than 50 acres of decades-old, capped landfills at the rural location. Mowing the turf and keeping fences clear of vegetation is a laborious task that can cost between $45 and $55 per acre.

A sister and brother combination, Allison and Stefan Fink, won the 2007 Bluegrass District Goat Show last Saturday at the Clark County Fairgrounds. A record 177 goats were exhibited.Allison Fink displayed her novice champion market goat and Stefan Fink exhibited the 4-H/FFA market goat champion. In showmanship, Cole Wills placed sixth and Emily second in the 17-and-over age category. In the 12-13 age range, Stefan placed fourth, Dee Dee Kiser placed sixth, and David Kiser seventh.

Casey County will receive $49,900 for a goat diversification program. The money came from $481,942 approved Friday for agricultural diversification projects by the state Agricultural Development Board. The goat diversification program works to assist producers to venture into this relatively new area of agriculture in Kentucky.

Tobey Grey's Kiddy Biddy basketball tournament drew nearly 70 people, children through adults, in the last four weeks it ran at City/County Park. "It's all about giving kids like this guy (pointing to a young boy) the chance to get hooked into the program," Grey said. A table of trophies glistened in the hot sun next to the park's blue basketball courts Monday as the teams in three age divisions wrapped up the program with their championship games. Each player in the 8-11 and 12-15-year-old divisions received a trophy, and team trophies went to the 16-year-old to unlimited age group.

2007 CLARK COUNTY BEEF SHOW RESULTS Garry Taylor exhibited the supreme champion bull at the Clark County Fair. He displayed the class champion in the early champion yearling Charolais breed. In the female division, he had the Charolais Senior Calf Champion and Reserve. Ramsey Johnson exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Bull. He also had the Reserve Champion Angus Junior Calf and Champion cow/calf. In the steer division Ramsey placed second with his lightweight. Nick Chism exhibited the Grand Champion and top Clark County steer.

Showmanship Classes Youth under 6 : Logan Speake. Youth 6-9: Tristan Nesbit, David Barnett, Ashley Smith, Zachery Speake, Hunter Lester, Dakota Walton and Kailey Vinyard. Youth 9-11: Casey Simpson Youth 12-14: Tamsin Meier Youth 15-17: Jessica Johnson Youth 18-21: Adria Meier Supreme Showmanship: Tamsin Meier Costume Class: Zachary Speake. Dairy Classes Kid Doe Under 12 months: Frank Loveless, first. 12-24 months dry: Jessica Johnson, first; Frank Loveless, second.

Allison Fink exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Market Goat at the Kentucky State Fair on Aug. 20. The 79-pound goat will be auctioned this week in the Kentucky State Fair Sale of Champions. Pictured with Allison are Cade Wilson, judge and Roy Turley, Clark County Extension Service agent for 4-H youth development. Photo submitted

Feeding is an essential aspect of goat production and may be the highest expense of any meat goat operation. Goats raised for meat need high quality feed in most situations and require an optimum balance of many different nutrients to achieve a successful operation. Because of their unique physiology, rates of weight gain are smaller for meat goats than cattle or sheep. Goats require many minerals for basic body function and optimum production. Providing a free choice complete goat mineral is advisable under most situations.