Goats have been spotted at CEFS’ 2000-acre research farm in Goldsboro, NC! The new Pasture-Based Meat Goat Unit has been developed on roughly 5 acres of land and includes a herd of Boer females that are being bred with Boer and Kiko bucks. Boer is a South African breed and Kiko was selected intensively from feral stock in New Zealand.
The creation of the unit is in response to a growing demand for goat meat products in North Carolina. Goat farming can be a good way to diversify and increase income for both small- and large-scale producers. Goats are also an increasingly popular option for controlling invasive weeds and shrubs due to environmental concerns and elevated costs of other control methods, such as mowing and herbicides. The goats will also be used to teach the principles of controlled grazing, goat husbandry, goat grazing/browsing behavior, health practices, and fencing systems during workshops and the CEFS summer sustainable agriculture internship program.
For more information about CEFS’ new Pasture-Based Meat Goat Unit, click here.
From the February 2012 E-Newsletter