International Goat Conference

The 2012 International Conference on Goats will be held September 23-27 in the Canary Islands. While part of Spain, the Canary Islands are situated off the North-Coast of mainland Africa (Morocco).

There are 330,000 goats dispersed among the seven islands that comprise the Canary Islands. By way of comparison, there are only 360,000 dairy goats in the United States.

Ninety-nine percent of the goats are dairy goats, of which there are four recognized breeds. The goats are milked once per day. Almost all of the milk is used to make traditional cheese that is consumed mainly in the islands. 

The International Conference on Goats is held every 4 years in a different part of the world. The conference brings together scientists, farmers, and other stakeholders who are involved in goat farming and sustainable development. The International Goat Association is one of the sponsors.

http://www.icg2012.org/

Superior Farms acquires Iowa Lamb

Superior Farms, one of the nation's largest lamb processors, has entered into an agreement to purchase Iowa Lamb Corporation, another large lamb processor.

Superior Farms is headquartered in Dixon, California, and has four facilities in the U.S. The company is employee-owned.

In addition to being one of the largest lamb processors in the U.S., Superior is also the largest lamb importer.  They import whole carcasses from Australia and fabricate the carcasses into retail cuts.

According to Superior Farms and Iowa Lamb, the new partnership will increase the efficiency of lamb processing and support industry growth.  On the other hand, it will further consolidate federally-inspected lamb slaughter into the hands of fewer firms.

Read press release

Editor's note:  Check out all the lamb recipes on the Superior Farms web site.

Wool packaging material

Woolcool^® is an incredibly effective, multi award-winning, eco-alternative to polystyrene and polyethylene insulated packaging for delivering and distributing temperature sensitive goods.

Developed by Angela Morris, Woolcool is a range of boxes using recycled, recyclable cardboard with pads of sheeps' wool insulation lining. The plastic lining is recyclable and the sheared wool is compostable.

The plastic covers have little holes in them that allow the wool to absorb the moisture released by the packaged food and to keep it cool for more than a day. The health and safety guidelines call for food to be kept at 5 degrees centigrade, but Woolcool keeps it twice as cool.

Woolcool makes use of waste-wool.

Visit Woolcool home page.

Topic suggested by Kelly Cole.

Rest in fleece

People should be buried in woollen coffins because it is a more environmentally friendly way of being laid to rest, the Prince of Wales has suggested, as part of a new campaign to promote green living.

The Prince asked for the woollen caskets to be put on display in his garden at the opening of a week-long festival to promote sustainable lifestyle choices.

Felted wool coffin

He is said to support the idea. Not only because wool is a natural, sustainable and biodegradable material that will rot away in the earth or can be cremated, but because it supports British farming.

The woollen coffins were launched by Hainsworth Woollen Mills last summer and already more than 500 have sold. The patented line is now being sold in Europe and the US and will soon be available in Australia and New Zealand.

Read full article at Telegraph.co.uk 

Thanks to Kelly Cole for suggesting the link.

Goats munch Christmas trees

ARLINGTON, Wash. -- Dozens of Christmas trees in Arlington, Wash., not only were recycled, they became a meal for goats to munch on.

KING-TV in Seattle says the trees were taken to the New Moon Farm Goat Rescue and Sanctuary, where the evergreens were fed to about 38 goats.

Sanctuary owner Ellen Felsenthal says people like the idea of turning trees into goat food.

Source: King5.com

Thanks to Sara Hare from the West Virginia Small Ruminant Project for suggesting this blog entry.

"Hot boxes" for lambs and kids

Here is a picture of the hot boxes I made. Please credit Brad Rill, Hampstead with the idea. A heat lamp is mounted inside at the top with the wire pulled through the opening of the 55 gallon barrel. The hole size is 9" wide and 14" high.

During the recent cold snap, I found that I could put the wet lamb inside and the mother could finish licking the lamb. I found that a 125 watt bulb was sufficient. When temperatures got below zero, one may have to use a 250 watt bulb. I found that a 250 watt bulb got almost too warm and caused the lambs to leave.

I pulled the barrels out when the temperatures rose or after a couple of days.

Submitted by John Hall, a Suffolk sheep breeder from Chestertown, Maryland.