Goat Artificial Insemination (AI) training @ Tuskegee University, May 21-23, 2019

Tuskegee University will hold an Artificial Insemination (AI) Workshop in Goats on May 21-23, 2019 from 9 am to 3 pm daily! This event is limited to 20 participants and will take place at the Tuskegee University Caprine Research and Education Unit. Registration is $35 and includes lunch and all training materials. 

This interactive training program will allow agriculture producers to receive instruction on the reproduction of goats, including anatomy, physiology and reproductive management of does and bucks as well as the advantages and limitations of using AI. The workshop will also provide hands-on training in estrus synchronization and AI techniques. 

For more information, contact Atiya Shahid at ashahid9106@tuskegee.edu or 334-727-8403. Please visit https://tuskegee.edu/aiworkshop for registration, materials, and additional information.

Agroforestry Session @ 127th Annual Farmers Conference

Agroforestry and Woodland Grazing: Potential Benefits and Applications

Feb. 21, 2019

127^th Annual Farmers Conference

Double Tree Hotel, 120 Madison Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104

Agroforestry is a sustainable land-use system that involves the intentional integration and management of trees, crops, and/or livestock in a single management unit. This system offers more economical, environmental, and social benefits compared to the sole operation of its components. Well-managed agroforestry systems provide economic viability through regular, short-term incomes from crop and/or livestock components, and long-term incomes from trees. Additional short-term incomes are possible from hunting, wildlife tourism, and forest farming. There are different types of agroforestry practices (silvopasture, forest farming, alley cropping, riparian buffers, and windbreaks) that a landowner can select and adopt to make the land management system more sustainable. In this session, silvopasture and alley-cropping systems will be presented, along with the research findings in these systems conducted in Alabama. Moreover, research findings from woodland grazing systems will be shared. Woodland grazing has a great potential in Alabama and other states of the Southeast, as woodlands cover around 69% of the entire Alabama and 60% in the Southeast region. Researchers from Tuskegee and Alabama A&M Universities will be speaking at the event. 

Presentation and Discussion Topics

• Agroforestry introduction and pine silvopasture system for multiple benefits
• Alley cropping: Growing vegetables and medicinal plants between tree rows
• Efficient utilization of woodlands to produce desirable trees and small ruminants
• Economic implication of woodland grazing: Putting numbers together

More information about the  Farmers Conference is available at this link: https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/colleges-schools/caens/conferences-workshops/farmers-conference  

Tuskegee University Annual Goat Day - April 27, 2019

Annual Goat Day will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. at the Henderson Hall Auditorium & the Caprine Research and Education Unit. Theme: The Use of Drones for Grazing Management and Forage Growth. More information and registration details

AgriTREK/SciTREK and AgDiscovery Summer Programs for High School Students @ Tuskegee Univeristy

AgriTREK/SciTREK Summer Institute and the AgDiscovery Summer Program will be held June 8-22, 2019. The summer programs are being hosted at Tuskegee University by the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, the Tuskegee Center for Advanced Materials and College of Engineering with sponsors, including USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the National Science Foundation. More information and application details 

127th ANNUAL FARMERS CONFERENCE @ Double tree hotel

127th ANNUAL FARMERS CONFERENCE  February 18th - 23rd, 2019 @ Double tree hotel, Montgomery, AL: More details..

Legumes for Improving Pasture Productivity, Quality, and Animal Performance Training @ Tuskegee

Sustainable Year-Round Forage Production and Grazing/Browsing Management Series: Legumes for Improving Pasture Productivity, Quality, and Animal Performance

March 29, 2019

7:45 AM - 4:30 PM

102 Mary Starke Harper Hall, Tuskegee University, 1200 West Montgomery Road, Tuskegee, AL 36088

The objective of this program is to educate livestock producers and field agricultural professionals on using legume forages and browse to improve soil quality, pasture productivity, and forage quality as well as animal health and performance. Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen and enrich soil, thereby minimizing or avoiding the need for the application of chemical nitrogen fertilizers in pastures. Legumes usually have higher nitrogen content and lower fiber than most grass forages, thus improve forage quality. Animals raised on legume-grass-mixed pastures and browse remain healthy and perform well. Provision of quality pastures minimizes the need for purchased hay and feeds, and saves money. Experts from Tuskegee University, Mississippi State University, and Alabama Natural Resources Conservation Service will be speaking at the event. Moreover, graduate students and participant farmers will be sharing their experience and findings. More information about the event is presented in the Program Flyer and Agenda.

Participation to this event is free; however, preregistration is required by March 15, 2019 for management purpose. Register ONLINE quickly and secure your seat on time (NO - or () while writing phone# on the online registration form). Working lunch and morning and afternoon snacks will be provided to pre-registrants.

2019 North American Agroforestry Conference

2019 North American Agroforestry Conference is scheduled for June 24-27 at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon. Abstract Submission Deadline: January 4, 2019. For more details about the conference and abstract submission guidelines, please visit - https://afta2019.org/

Master Goat Training 2018 @ Tuskegee

Master goat producer's certification training at Tuskegee University, August 6-8, 2018; more information is available at this link: https://www.tuskegee.edu/programs-courses/colleges-schools/caens/conferences-workshops/master-goat-training

Alabama Meat Processing Facilities

Livestock slaughter and meat processing facilities in different locations of Alabama are listed in the files available at the following links:

• Alabama meat processing facilities 2018
• Alabama custom livestock slaughter and meat processing facilities 2005

Integrated Approach for Managing Diseases and Parasites in Small Ruminants

Hands-on Training for Farmers and Professionals

7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, September 28, 2018

102 Mary Starke Harper Hall & CAENS Research and Demonstration Facility, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088

The purpose of this training session is to educate small-ruminant producers and Extension professionals on the prevalent disease and parasite challenges that jeopardize small ruminant health and performance as well as human health, and an integrated approach to prevent these problems. Moreover, various treatment strategies will be discussed and demonstrated.  Hands-on activities will include general health inspection, use of FAMACHA card, measuring body condition score, inspecting and trimming overgrown hooves, taking body temperature, administering medication (injections, drenching, topical), and collecting and examining fecal samples for determining parasite load and need for treatment. More information about the event is presented in the Program Flyer and Agenda.

Preregistration by September 13 is required to participate in this event with the required payment ($25.00 if pre-registered by September 13; $30.00 after September 13, 2018) for management purpose. Registration can be made by visiting this link and filling the registration form online,   and check should be sent to the designated address, or both completed Registration Form (Download the registration form available on this page) and check can be sent to the address given in the registration form. Please register quickly and secure your seat on time. Working lunch and a package of educational materials including the FAMACHA card ($13.00 value) will be provided. If you are unable to pay for the registration fee, but need to participate in the event, please email the event coordinator at: ukarki@tuskegee.edu for possible scholarship for registration.