Kentucky’s quality forage base provides ample opportunities for goat and sheep producers when it comes to grazing pastures. New and established producers can benefit from educational opportunities at the upcoming annual Kentucky Small Ruminant Grazing Conference.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is teaming up with Kentucky State University, the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office, the Kentucky Goat Producers Association and the Kentucky Sheep and Wool Producers Association to offer the conference Feb. 10 at the Ballard Convention Center in Madisonville.

“As usual, we have some great speakers lined up and, of course, the popular producer panel,” said Tom Keene, UK agronomy specialist. “Each year, we move the conference around to different areas of Kentucky to try and reach the most people. We will offer science-based research that producers can apply in their own operations.”

The daylong event begins with a registration at 7:30 a.m. CST. The conference begins at 8:30 a.m. with a welcome and a market update. Focused sessions begin at 9 a.m. Morning topics include: parasites and dewormers, pasture renovation and grazing summer annuals. Keene will present information on plant identification during lunch. Afternoon sessions include economics of small ruminant production systems and a producer panel. The conference officially ends at 2:30 p.m., but interested participants may stay to attend an optional FAMACHA training at 2:45 p.m. FAMACHA is a program designed to help producers of small ruminants diagnose parasite infection.

Preregistration, due Feb. 5, is $35 for the conference and an additional $18 for the FAMACHA training. The program and registration are available online at the UK Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability website, http://rcars.ca.uky.edu/small-ruminant-grazing-conference.

Those who do not want to register online may send their name, address, phone number and email address along with payment to UK Robinson Center for Appalachian Resource Sustainability, attn. Jackie Allen, 130 Robinson Road, Jackson, KY 41339. To pay with credit card, contact Allen via phone at 606-666-2438, ext. 291.