The Texas 4-H goat project is loads of fun and learning – no KIDDING! Get involved with the 4-H goat project to learn all about animal health and nutrition, breeding, selection and marketing. You can participate in market projects, breeding projects and even non-competitive projects. Make it your own! This is a great way to gain valuable experiences while making lifelong friends.
In the goat project, you will be responsible for purchasing and taking care of your goat. You can choose to specialize your project and knowledge on either meat, hair, or dairy production. When considering a livestock project there are a few things to keep in mind. This is an incredibly rewarding experience that takes commitment and with the goat project in most cases for the county level it is about eight months of time. The best way to learn how to get started is to contact your local county extension office. They can explain how to participate and point you in the right direction for a goat and the focus you choose – meat, dairy or hair.
In this project you will learn:
- Responsibility
- Proper nutrition
- Proper care for your animal
- Decision making
And you can also learn through various other opportunities:
- Public Speaking
- Leadership
- Community Service
Resources
Contests
Major Livestock Shows in Texas
With market goats, you can show at all Major Livestock Shows in Texas. There are national breed shows for goats as well as market shows for sheep in every county across the state.
Livestock Judging
Held at 4-H Roundup each year, competitors must qualify through their district in order to compete at this event if showing at Roundup. Livestock Judging is a great way to learn decision making and public speaking and is at most major stock shows. Visit the State Roundup webpage to learn more.
Mohair Judging and Evaluation
The Mohair Contest tests a 4-H members knowledge and ability to determine the grade, rank, and categorize mohair. The contest provides an opportunity for youth to compete and develop skills that can be used on an angora ranching operation, within the mohair industry, or agricultural teaching field. The contest will be divided into two areas: fleece evaluation of grading rail and mohair placing and reason classes. Visit the State Roundup webpage to learn more.
Skillathon
This is a great way to showcase all of the knowledge that you gain throughout the project. This contest covers an array of topics and encourages you to really stretch your hard-earned information. Visit the State Roundup webpage to learn more.
