Raising goats is a win-win situation if you own a farm. The animals produce meat, milk, fiber, and they’re great for weed control. They’re also pretty inexpensive to keep. That’s why Prairie View A&M University’s Cooperative Extension Program and Cooperative Agricultural Research Center, under the College of Agriculture and Human Sciences (CAHS), made them the focus of their second annual Small Ruminant Workshop Series.

“On September 13 and October 4, we invited limited resource and small-scale farmers and ranchers to our workshops to learn from CAHS research scientists, faculty and extension staff how to raise productive and healthy livestock, specifically small remnants such as meat and dairy goats. We also showed them the process of artificial insemination, which plays a significant role in improving genetics and efficiency in livestock,” said Extension Program Specialist Dr. Kesha Henry. “With these tools, they should be fully equipped to operate more viable and profitable livestock enterprises.”

Participants were also exposed to the profitable side of raising goats, including the process of making soap, cheese, popsicles, and other goat milk recipes. “One-hundred percent of the participants who filled out a survey at the end of the workshops stated they anticipated economic benefits as a result of attending,” said Henry. “Through programming like this, our goal is always to deliver practical research-based information that helps improve the lives members of the communities in which we serve across the state of Texas.

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-This story by Marchita Shilo originally appeared in Academic Insights.