Thursday, October 23, 1997

Goats are hot topic at annual Sheep and Goat Raisers' meeting

By J.T. SMITH / Abilene Reporter-News

Goats -- specifically meat goats -- took the lion's share of the attention at a lengthy 1997 annual meeting of the Taylor County Sheep & Goat Raisers' Association Tuesday night.

Marvin Shurley of the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association in San Angelo gave a highly detailed talk but also had some basic advice for any "wannabe" meat goat raisers.

"Before you even think about getting into the meat goat business, make sure you have some real good fences," Shurley said. "If you don't -- your goats will be gone. They'll be somebody else's goats."

Shurley noted that some breeds of goats can jump a seven-foot fence and tight-walk a pipe that is only two inches wide.

He had high praise for Spanish goats and their great adaptability. Early Spanish explorers and expeditioners brought them to the United States about 1540 or thereabouts.

"Spanish goats were first turned loose in this country more than 450 years ago," Shurley said. "And they survived."

Various goats can be found from thousands of feet high in the Swiss Alps to as low as sea level.

A growing industry in West Texas

Dr. Carl Menzies, TSGRA first vice president, San Angelo, is encouraged by the surge in meat goat popularity because the traditional sheep and Angora goat industries for wool and mohair, respectively, are struggling.

"The sheep and goat industry is having a tough time in Texas," Menzies said.

Menzies is encouraged that the new Ranchers Lamb has just begun operations as a slaughter plant in San Angelo. Having the state-of-the-art plant there will keep Texas producers from being forced to ship their lambs all the way to Colorado, which was an extremely costly trip.

The veteran industry leader said he hopes Ranchers Lamb will be able to expand soon to accommodate meat goats for slaughter as well.

Menzies said TSGRA will gain more political clout by working in cooperation with other groups such as the powerful Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and also the Texas Farm Bureau. Some common ag issues -- such as property rights -- cut across specific commodity interests, he noted.

The latest is the American Heritage River or "AHR" designations proposed by the Clinton Administration. Menzies said several agricultural groups are extremely concerned this likely may be just another federal effort at government intrusion onto private property.

Since the TSGRA was formed at Del Rio in 1915 for the original purpose of preventing theft of sheep and goats, it has cham- pioned private property rights.

Shurley added, sheep and goat producers are continuing to have less of a say in controlling preda- tors of their sheep and goats on their own property.

Elected to the Taylor County board of directors were Kay Richards of View, Larry Farr of Abilene and Waylan Jackson, Abilene. Officers for 1998 are Lanny Perry of Merkel, presi- dent; Jackie Richards of View, vice president; Gary Bomar of Abilene, secretary.