Friday, May 8, 2026

Preventing Gastrointestinal Parasites in Small Ruminants & FAMACHA Certification Training @ Tuskegee University, June 12, 2026

  Integrated Approach for Preventing Gastrointestinal Parasites in Small Ruminants & FAMACHA Certification Training


8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, June 12, 2026

Caprine Research & Education Unit ,  250 Campus Road, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088

The purpose of this event is to help participants develop knowledge about the gastrointestinal parasite challenge in small ruminants being raised in Alabama and neighboring states and various approaches to prevent this challenge.  Gastrointestinal parasites are posing major health problems on goats and sheep grazing in the Southeast pastures because of this region’s suitable climatic condition for the survival and development of these parasites.  This event will provide an opportunity for farmers, scientists, educators, and students come together, share research-based information and experiences, discuss them, and enrich their knowledge and skills in preventing the gastrointestinal parasites in grazing small ruminants. More information about the event is presented in the Agenda.



Preregistration by May 30, 2026, is required for management purpose.  Register and secure your seat on time. Working lunch will be served for pre-registrants.




 

Saturday, April 11, 2026

2026 Goat Day, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama

Annual Goat Day will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Tuskegee University. Theme: From Pasture to Processor: A Modern Supply Chain for GoatsRegistration Link 

Friday, July 18, 2025

Goat Marketing Strategy Workshop, August 29, 2025, Tuskegee University

 Strategy Workshop for Marketing Meat Goats & Goat Products in the southeast USA

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, August 29, 2025
Caprine Research & Education Unit , Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088


The purpose of this workshop is to share and refine the strategy for marketing meat goats and goat products from the Southeast Region, and ultimately enhance the marketing for meat goats and goat products. Major collaborators involved in organizing this workshop are Dr. Dahlia O'Brien from Virginia State University Cooperative Extension and Ms. Angela McKenzie-Jakes from the Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension. This workshop is related to the Marketing Objective of Southern SARE-funded large system grant. The organizers are seeking to bring all relevant interest groups (goat producers, goat buyers, educators, experts/scientists) together and discuss and come up with marketing strategies for viable goat enterprise in the Southeast Region. More information about the event is presented in the Agenda.



Preregistration by August 11 is required for management purpose. Register and secure your seat on time. Working breakfast and lunch will be served. 

Monday, July 7, 2025

Master Goat Producer's Certification Training, 2025, Tuskegee University, Alabama

Tuskegee University Master Goat Producer's Certification Training, August 6-8, at Tuskegee University, Alabama; more information is available at this LINK.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

2025 Annual Goat Day, Tuskegee University, April 12

 Annual Goat Day will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Tuskegee University. Theme: Making the Most out of Goats. More information and registrationdetails 

Saturday, August 17, 2024

Time to prepare for developing and improving cool-season pastures

This is the time for preparing for developing cool-season pastures or improving the existing pastures for cool-season grazing. More details available in this POST

Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Opportunity for Alabama Small-Ruminant Farmers to Participate in Climate-Smart Project


This is a call for Alabama Farmers who are currently raising goats and/or sheep and willing to participate in the Climate-Smart Livestock Production Project with Tuskegee University to submit an Intent Form by 6PM central standard time, September 20, 2024. Please see the Program Flyer for further information and QR code to access the Intent Form. 






Friday, July 26, 2024

Master Goat Producer's Certification Training, 2024, Tuskegee University, Alabama

Tuskegee University Master goat producer's certification training, July 31-August 2, 2024 at Tuskegee University, Alabama; more information is available at this LINK.

Thursday, April 4, 2024

Goat Day 2024 - Tuskegee University

Annual Goat Day will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm at Tuskegee University. Theme: Feeding Value of Byproducts for Meat Goats with Special Focus on Hempseed Meal. More information and registration details 

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Information Session on Climate-Smart Practices for Alabama Farmers and Educators

Experts from Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M University are conducting VIRTUAL information sessions for Alabama farmers and educators working with farmers to inform them about the various Climate-Smart agricultural practices and opportunity for interested farmers to enroll for participation. The initial virtual sessions are scheduled for  February 1, 8, 15, 29, 2024, 6-7 PM central standard time. 

Pre-Registration is required to attend the session. Please see below:

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://tuskegee.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYldu-gqDoqGdFQ_gUR4g3SZBXu3oFzW6mi  

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.


Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Job Opportunity @ Tuskegee

Seeking applications for the following positions:

 

1. Agroforestry Project Coordinator


Essential Duties: 

  • Plan and organize quarterly meetings for project partners.
  • Participate in relevant meetings, seminars, and conferences, and present the project results and outcomes as necessary.
  • Prepare agroforestry, climate-smart educational materials.
  • Plan, advertise, and organize training sessions, workshops, and field days.
  • Inform, educate, and help farmers and landowners from the southeast USA apply for incentives for agroforestry-based climate-smart practices.
  • Coordinate and provide/arrange for needed technical assistance for farmers and landowners implement selected agroforestry practices.
  • Carry out day-to-day project-related activities: planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. 
  • Collect and compile accomplishments and prepare quarterly and annual progress reports.
  • Prepare a comprehensive final report of the project.
  • Carry out other relevant activities as directed by the supervisor. 

Essential Qualifications: 

Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Agroforestry, Silvopasture, Animal Science, Alley cropping, Horticulture, or other areas of Agricultural Sciences and five years’ experience in relevant fields.

Desired Qualifications:

Master’s degree (or higher) in Agroforestry, Silvopasture, Animal Science, Alley cropping, Horticulture, or other areas Agricultural Sciences and two years’ experience in relevant fields.

For more information and application, please visit this Job Site


2. Climate-Smart Project Associate


Essential duties: 

  • Schedule and conduct project meetings and educational events.
  • Prepare and submit documentation for purchasing project items and keep track of those.
  • Collect, process, and analyze samples and data related to project work.
  • Work with participant farmers, orient them to keep records related to climate-smart practices, collect and analyze data.
  • Prepare drafts for quarterly, annual, and final progress reports.
  • Take care of day-to-day project-related activities.
  • Perform other relevant activities as directed by the supervisor.

Essential Qualifications: 

Bachelor’s degree in agricultural sciences with a concentration in agroforestry, silvopasture, animal science, or similar fields with three years of experience.

Desired Qualifications:

Master’s degree in similar areas and one year of experience in the relevant fields.

For more information and application, please visit this Job Site




Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Conference Abstracts


Differences in Forage Quality and Hematological Parameters of Kiko Goats Grazing Southern Pine Silvopasture and Open Pasture During Summer - Arjun Acharya, Uma Karki, Sagar Acharya, Madhav Dumre

Farm Evaluation of a Biological Product to Control Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Pasture-Raised GoatsUma Karki, Sagar Acharya, Arjun Acharya, Madhav Dumre, Suresh Sharma

Potential of Southern Pine Silvopasture to Mitigate Enteric Methane Emission from and Enhance Performance of Hair SheepSagar Acharya, Uma Karki, Arjun Acharya, Madhav Dumre

Impact of Rearing System on Various Stress Indexes in Pregnant Does and Ewes During Winter - Sadikshya Lamsal, Uma Karki, Santoshi Chaudhary, Durga P. Dhakal, Bidur Paneru

PSV-4 Confinement Influenced the Diurnal Behavior and Distribution Pattern of Katahdin Rams and Kiko Wethers in Southern-pine Silvopastures. - S Poudel, U Karki, Y Karki, A Tillman, L Karki

365 The Extent and Pattern of Correlation Among Blood Parameters Differed Between Pasture-raised Goats and Sheep - Uma Karki, Anand Tiwari, Kendra Norwood, Ja’Nia Johnson, Lila B Karki

677 Prevalent weeds in a southern-pine silvopasture system managed with Kiko wethers - U. Karki, S. Poudel, Y. Karki, A. Tillman

49 Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Kiko Wethers Finished on Pasture and Browse. - U Karki, S Poudel, S Bhattrai, L Karki, A Singh

234 Woodlands for Expanding the Grazing Opportunity for Small Ruminants in the Southeast: Challenges and Opportunities - Uma Karki, Bidur Paneru, Shailes Bhattrai, Nevershi Ellis, Lila B Karki

93 Health and Performance of Ewes in Woodland and Silvopasture Systems - Nevershi Ellis, Uma Karki, Bidur Paneru, Lila B Karki

10 Behavior and Landscape-Use Pattern of Small Ruminants Co-grazed in Woodlands with different Vegetation Characteristics  - Bidur Paneru, Uma Karki, Nevershi Ellis, shailes Bhattrai, Lila B Karki

097 Grazing Behavior and Distribution Patterns of Kiko Wethers in Southern-Pine Silvopastures - U. Karki, Y. Karki, R. Khatri, A. Tillman, N. Gurung

Woodland Grazing: Untapped Resource to Increase Economic Benefits from Forestland - Lila B Karki, Uma Karki, Anand Tiwari

176 Costs for Supplementing Small Ruminants Under the Various Grazing-Based Production Systems - Uma Uma Karki, Bhuwan Shrestha, Santoshi Chaudhary, Anand Tiwari, Lila B Karki

PSIII-13 Performance and Resiliency of Lactating Does and Their Kids in Woodlands with Supplemental Feedstuffs or Grazing - Bhuwan Shrestha, Uma Karki, Santoshi Chaudhary, Anand Tiwari, Lila B Karki

105 Integrated approach for controlling diseases and parasites in small ruminants: extension education and adoption - Uma Karki, Lila Karki, Nar Gurung

408 Market Opportunity for Goat and Lamb Meat in the Southeastern US. - L Karki, U Karki, S Mendreddy, S Poudel, S Bhattrai

037 Composition and Quality Assessment of the Woodland Browse Species and Goats' Performance Study under Woodland - R. Khatri, U. Karki, Y. Karki, N. Gurung, B. R. Min

Body Condition Score for Monitoring the Performance and Health of Small Ruminants in Field Conditions - Uma Karki, Anand Tiwari, Kendra Norwood, Ja’Nia Johnson, Lila B Karki

Legume-grass Pastures Enhanced the Performance of Kiko Does - Anand Tiwari, Uma Karki, Kendra Norwood, Ja’Nia Johnson, Lila B Karki

364 Blood Profile of Kiko Does Raised on Grass-legume-mixed Pastures vs. Sole-grass Pastures During Fall - Anand Tiwari, Uma Karki, Kendra Norwood, Ja’Nia Johnson, Lila B Karki

125 Possibility of Shifting Domestic Supply Curve for Lamb and Goat Meat: The Case of Market Price Information in the Southeast USA - Lila B Karki, Uma Karki, Srinivasa R Mentreddy

92 Health and Performance of Ewes in Woodland and Silvopasture Systems - Nevershi Ellis, Uma Karki, Bidur Paneru, Lila B Karki

178 Use of silvopastures and woodlands to expand the grazing opportunity for small ruminants - Uma Karki

19 Sustainable Pasture Improvement and Grazing Management Education Program for Farmers - Uma Karki

134 Vegetation characteristics and diurnal periods influenced the landscape-use pattern of goats and sheep in woodlands - Shailes Bhattrai, Uma Karki, Sanjok Poudel

PSIV-21 Landscape-use pattern and performance of small ruminants in woodlands with altering understory vegetation heights - Shailes Bhattrai, Uma Karki, Bidur Paneru, Nevershi Ellis, Sanjok Poudel

16 Supplement Type Influenced the Immune Response of Nursing Ewes to the Natural Challenge of Gastrointestinal Parasites While Grazing in Woodlands - Santoshi Chaudhary, Uma Karki, Bhuwan Shrestha, Sadikshya Lamsal

PSVII-10 Small Ruminants’ Preference for and Performance on Woodland Vegetation Maintained at Different Heights during Fall  - S Bhattrai, U Karki, S Poudel

2 Vegetation characteristics and diurnal periods influenced the landscape-use pattern of goats and sheep in woodlands - Shailes Bhattrai, Uma Karki, Sanjok Poudel

PSI-18 Performance of kiko wethers and katahdin rams co-stocked in woodlands with diverse vegetation - Bidur Paneru, Uma Karki, Nevershi Ellis, Shailes Bhattrai

_______

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7268-2747  

Thursday, September 14, 2023

Theses: Small Ruminant Production, Grazing, Health

 Graduate Students' Theses

White, Eryn. Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 2025. 32401666 

Lamsal, Sadikshya. Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,  2024. 31337134.

Dhakal, Durga Prasad.   Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,  2024. 31484457.

Bhattrai, Shailes.   Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2019. 30521879.

Poudel, Sanjok.   Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,  2018. 30687666.

Tiwari, Anand.   Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations & Theses,  2021. 29060809.


Shrestha, Bhuwan.   Tuskegee University ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  2022. 29996670.

Use of Woodlands and Browse as Complementary to the Year-Round Grazing for Goats
Khatri, Rishi, Tuskegee University Thesis, 2016 (Not on ProQuest)



Updated: 06/03/2026

Friday, July 28, 2023

Goat Marketing in the Southeast US

 Marketing of meat goats and their products in the Southeast USA - Producers' perspectives

Goat experts from seven land-grant universities (Langston, Tuskegee, Virginia State, Tennessee, Fort Valley State, Florida A&M, Prairie View A&M) from the southeast USA are working together to promote the sustainable goat industry in this region. One of the challenges this team has realized is the marketing issues producers are facing in this region. Therefore, this team is conducting a survey study with producers from the Southeast Region (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands). The aim of this study is to help meat goat producers from the Southeast overcome challenges in marketing goats and goat products. Based on the survey results, strategies will be developed and used to educate goat producers to overcome the marketing challenges. All goat producers in the southeast USA are requested to take the survey below to help develop the marketing strategies for goats and goat products. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. However, it may take longer (up to 45 minutes) when internet is slow and/or other circumstances requiring more time. To take the survey, either click the surveylink  or scan and use the QR code in the image below. 
SurveyLink

Your response is extremely valuable to understand the challenges you are facing and develop marketing strategies to overcome them. Please feel free to share this message and survey link to your fellow goat producers from the Southeast. We need as many responses as possible to gather necessary information in order to develop strategies that help producers marketing their goats and goat products in the southeast US.

Thank you in advance for taking the time and completing this survey!


Friday, July 14, 2023

Master Goat Producer's Certification Training, Tuskegee University, Alabama

Tuskegee University Master goat producer's certification training, July 31-August 2, 2023 at Tuskegee University, Alabama; more information is available at this LINK.

Monday, May 8, 2023

Training @ Tuskegee University - Integrated Approach for Preventing Diseases and Parasites in Small Ruminants

 Hands-on Training for Farmers and Professionals

8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, June 23, 2023
Caprine Research & Education Unit , Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088


The purpose of this training is to educate small-ruminant producers, Extension professionals, and other educators on the integrated approach for preventing diseases and parasites in small ruminants (goats and sheep). Major topics include components of integrated approach, biosecurity, improvement of grazing lands and sustainable grazing, basic healthcare and FAMACHA system, and highlights of recent research. Hands-on activities will include general health inspection, use of FAMACHA card, body condition score, hoof inspection and trimming, taking temperature, copper wire particle, BioWorma, fecal sample collection, and more. More information about the event is presented in the Agenda.



Preregistration by May 31 is required to participate in this event for management purpose. Register and secure your seat on time. Working lunch and snacks as well as a package of educational materials including the FAMACHA card ($13.00 value) will be provided. 

Monday, March 27, 2023

Tuskegee Goat Day 2023

Annual Goat Day will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Theme: Improving Marketability Strategies using Value-Added Processing. More information and registration details 

Thursday, June 23, 2022

Master Goat Producer's Certification Training 2022

Tuskegee University Master goat producer's certification training, August 1-3, 2022; more information is available at this LINK.

Thursday, April 14, 2022

Tuskegee Goat Day 2023

Annual Goat Day will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. Theme: Improving Marketability Strategies using Value-Added ProcessingMore information and registration details