The ABGA sanctioned PR Boer Goat Show was held on August 13, 2022 at the Coliseo Municipal Samuel “Sammy” Rodriguez in Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico. ABGA would like to congratulate the many members, supporters, and exhibitors who made the PR Boer Goat Show possible. We want to extend a special thanks to ABGA Judge Ron Dilley (Region 4 – Oklahoma) and PR Boer Goat Show Secretary Jose Molina for submitting the photos below. Photo courtesy of Jose Molina. From left to right: Odlanier Delgado, Carlitos Gonzalez, Ron Dilley, Joel Agosto Ramirez, Jose Molina, and Noel Agosto. Here are the results for the PR Boer Goat Show: Percentage Does: Grand Champion Percentage Doe: Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR TAINA Reserve Champion Percentage Doe: Felix Zayas – GZBG WATERMELON Junior Percentage Does: Grand Champion Junior Percentage Doe: Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR TAINA Reserve Grand Champion Junior Percentage Doe: Mauel Villanueva – MV7 POCAHONTAS 3-6 Months: Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR TAINA 9-12 Months: Mauel Villanueva – MV7 POCAHONTAS Yearling Percentage Does: Grand Champion Yearling Percentage Doe: Felix Zayas – GZBG WATERMELON 16-20 Months: Felix Zayas – GZBG WATERMELON Fullblood Does: Grand Champion Fullblood Doe: Rafael Mulero – 2ARM EBELL ANN Reserve Grand Champion Fullblood Doe: Joel Agosto Ramirez – GRI HONEY HOLLOW JANE’S ADDICTION Junior Fullblood Does: Grand Champion Junior Fullblood Doe: Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR MOANA Reserve Grand Champion Junior Fullblood Doe: Humberto Perez Rios – 409M MOLINA FARM ENCANTO 3-6 Months: 1. Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR MOANA 2. Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR BLACK MAGIC 6-9 Months: 1. Humberto Perez Rios – 409M MOLINA FARM ENCANTO 2. Humberto Perez Rios – 409M MOLINA FARM SURPRISE 3. Rafael Mulero – 2ARM FIRST CLASS 9-12 Months: Rafael Mulero – 2ARM AMBER NIGHT Yearling Fullblood Does: Grand Champion Yearling Fullblood Doe: Rafael Mulero – 2ARM EBELL ANN Reserve Grand Champion Yearling Fullblood Does: Joel Agosto Ramirez – LK7 CHILI PEPPER 12-16 Months: Humberto Perez Rios – HB19 HACIENDA BIMBO BLACK VALUE 16-20 Months: 1. Rafael Mulero – 2ARM EBELL ANN 2. Rafael Mulero – FTBG / KRBG BRILLIANTLY DESIGNED 3. Rafael Mulero – 2ARM SOFIA M 20-24 Months: Joel Agosto Ramirez – LK7 CHILI PEPPER Senior Fullblood Does: Grand Champion Senior Fullblood Does: Joel Agosto Ramirez – GRI HONEY HOLLOW JANE’S ADDICTION Reserve Grand Champion Senior Fullblood Does: Rafael Mulero – DLM3 RAJINS HIGH CLASS 24-36 Months: 1. Joel Agosto Ramirez – GRI HONEY HOLLOW JANE’S ADDICTION 2. Jose Rivera Perez – ACR TARZAN’S LONG AS A ROPE 3. Jose Rivera Perez – ACR TARZAN’S COSMOS 4. JOSE RIVERA PEREZ – ACR TARZAN’S CRAZY GOOD 36+ Months: 1. Rafael Mulero – DLM3 RAJINS HIGH CLASS 2. Jose Molina – 2CCB SJC9 ROJA CALIENTE 3. Joel Agosta Ramirez – 313PC PURPLE CLOVERS MISS SANDY Fullblood Bucks: Grand Champion Fullblood Buck: Rafael Mulero – 2ARM MIDNIGHT MADNESS Reserve Grand Champion Fullblood Buck: Jose Molina – GHCF SPOOKS TORNADO Junior Fullblood Bucks: Grand Champion Junior Fullblood Buck: Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR LOAGN Reserve Grand Champion Junior Fullblood Buck: Carlos Matos – HM20 HACIENDA MATOS PATRON DE C 6-9 Months: Joel Agosto Ramirez – JNBR LOAGN 9-12 Months: Carlos Matos – HM20 HACIENDA MATOS PATRON DE C Yearling Fullblood Bucks: Grand Champion Yearling Fullblood Buck: Rafael Mulero – 2ARM MIDNIGHT MADNESS Reserve Grand Champion Yearling Fullblood Buck: Humberto Perez Rios – JAD SRB INCEPTION 12-16 Months: Rafael Mulero – 2ARM MIDNIGHT MADNESS 16-20 Months: 1. Humberto Perez Rios – JAD SRB INCEPTION 2. Felix Zayas – GZBG MIGUELITO Senior Fullblood Bucks: Grand Champion Senior Fullblood Buck: Jose Molina – GHCF SPOOKS TORNADO Reserve Grand Champion Senior Fullblood Buck: Carlitos Rivera Gonzalez – BSB2 BIRDSONG BOERS WHATSUP 24-36 Months: 1. Jose Molina – GHCF SPOOKS TORNADO 2. Carlitos Rivera Gonzalez – BSB2 BIRDSONG BOERS WHATSUP 36+ Months: 1. Jose Rivera Perez – ACR NEW MIXICO STUD 2. Alfredo Rosario – 409M MOLINA FARM BLACK GUN

Are you an ABGA show expert? Do you want to be part of JABGA’s acclaimed Regional Show program? You may be the next JABGA Regional Show Host! ABGA is currently looking for interested ABGA members to host regional shows in Area 1, Area 3, Area 4, and Area 5 for the 2022 season and all areas for the 2023-2024 season. You must be an ABGA member in good standing, have previous ABGA sanctioned show experience, and reside in the JABGA Area where the Regional Show is held to be a JABGA Regional Show host. JABGA Regional Show hosts will be responsible for the following, among other duties: Establish show budget and date with ABGA office staff and Youth Committee chairs Select and secure show venue Create show schedule with ABGA office staff and Youth Committee chairs Select and secure show judge from ABGA’s Approved Judges list Secure additional sponsors outside of the ABGA budget Arrange show judge’s travel with ABGA office staff Select and coordinate show volunteers (including but not limited to ring staff, volunteer contest judges, and show announcer) Providing scales for weigh-in (market and commercial doe shows) Coordinate exposition space for sponsors and vendors Validate JABGA ownership and Bred & Owned entries Plan and facilitate awards banquet If you are interested in hosting a JABGA Regional Show, please contact shows@abga.org . The JABGA regional show areas are broken down by state as follows: Area 1: Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Montana Area 2: Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota Area 3: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine Area 4: Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Puerto Rico Area 5: Colorado, New Mexico, Texas

Ghouls and goblins and goats... oh my! In true trick-or-treat spirit, we asked ABGA members from across the country to show us their best goat costumes on Facebook and Instagram. We want to thank everyone who submitted photos and joined in the Halloween fun. Click on the gallery below to see all of the cute, creative, and clever costumes submissions we received: 2022 Halloween Virtual Costume Parade Photos courtesy of: Cathy Schones Morris, Jessica Shannon Spangler, Amanda Griffith, Kristy Vaughn, Linda Johnson, Nancy Tartaglia, Andrea Luna, Angela and Kevin Manning, Josh Ganoe, Rebecka Knotts, Tracey Jenette LaRue, Laken Stocker-Dahnke. Goats & Goblins 2022 - Princeton, Ind. Photos courtesy of Cindy Dusek.

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS – The American Boer Goat Association is pleased to announce an added incentive program to the wether show by introducing the Boer Goat Advantage (BGA). The Boer Goat Advantage (BGA) wether incentive program will give wether goat breeders the opportunity to register their animals in ABGA’s herd books while donating a portion of their registration fees toward the incentive fund. The Registration fee per wether is $15.00. Five dollars from that fee will be issued toward the incentive fund, which will be utilized to offer cash and other prizes for the ABGA wether class at the ABGA and JABGA National Show and regional shows. The BGA incentive program comes after many years of unprecedented growth in the Wether Show sector across the United States. ABGA hopes the new program will appeal to youth livestock exhibitors and current Junior American Boer Goat Association (JABGA) members, who make up a greater part of wether goat exhibitors. Along with many other breed registry programs, the BGA wether incentive program comes with added marketing opportunities both in and out of the show ring. To qualify for the BGA wether incentive program, animals cannot be older than 12 months of age and cannot possess adult teeth. Animals must be tattooed or microchipped. Animal ID will be checked and verified at events.

Check out these photos from the PR Boer Goat show in Puerto Rico from Sunday, March 19, 2023. You can see the show results here .

Are you an experienced livestock judge, or have what it takes to be an ABGA Certified Judge? Sign up today! Location:  Lakeville, Indiana Dates:  November 1 - 3, 2024 Your trainer judges are: Josh Taylor Jesse Kimmel Randall White Catherine Riley Bailey Bergherm (Alternate) Overview Effective January 1, 2009 all ABGA certified Judges must be an active ABGA member to judge ABGA Sanctioned shows or perform inspections. Applicant must be at least 21 years of age to participate. A $50 non-refundable fee is due at submission. If selected, an additional $350 will be due at least 30 days prior to the Judges Certification Program. ABGA will send an invoice for the additional $350 fee.  No refunds will be issued. The ABGA Judges Certification Program can only accommodate 40 judge candidates. This is not a training program. Applicants should have prior knowledge of the ABGA Breed Standards, livestock evaluation, and reasons. Selected candidates will be contacted prior to the program. Applications are due before October 1, 2024, 11:59 PM CST. We will post more information as it becomes available.

Event: Judges Certification Training   Location: Des Moines, IA   Dates: April 26-27  Course Instructors: Josh Taylor and Bailey Bergherm  Cost: $50 – includes lunch both days Registration: Showman.app Schedule: Coming soon   The inaugural Judges Certification Training event will be held at the Area 2 Regional JABGA Show in Des Moines, IA, April 26-27. Certified judges Josh Taylor and Bailey Bergherm will lead this educational program designed to prepare participants to become ABGA certified judges, however anyone is welcome to attend. Both Josh and Bailey are on the 2025 certification trainer team, so you will be learning from the same people that will be officials at the fall certification course. This two-day course will consist of classroom time discussing breed standards and oral reasons, plus extensive time at the regional show evaluating live animals.

We would like to offer clarification of some information in our August Newsletter regarding percentage animals in ABGA. According to Rules 200-206, the American Boer Goat Herd Book is comprised of 3 herd books: Fullblood, American Purebred, and American Percentage. Fullbood Boer Goats: 100% American Purebred Boer Goats: are less than 100%; females are accepted down to 93.75% and males down to 96.875% Boer. American Percentage Boer Goats: females are accepted from 25% to less than 93.75% and males from 50% to less than 96.875% Boer. For more information about ABGA herd books and percentage animals, you can view page 5 of the ABGA Rules and Regulations . To determine the percentage of an animal, combine the percentage of the sire and the percentage of the dam, and divide by 2. (% of Sire + % of Dam) ÷ 2 = % of Animal

AUTHORS: DR. DAVID FERNANDEZ is an Extension livestock specialist with the 1890 Cooperative Extension Program located at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. DR. CHELSEY ANN AHRENS is an assistant professor with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, located in Little Rock. PUBLISHER: University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture YEAR: 2016

With the growing popularity of Caribbean and Indian cuisine in America, goat meat is finding its way into many more recipes. Goats are under mandatory USDA inspection. Read on for more information about this red meat. Background on Goat Goat is thought to have been one of the earliest domesticated animals. Cave art 10,000 to 20,000 years ago indicates that goats were common and important then. At the present time, goats provide the principle source of animal protein in many North African and Middle Eastern nations. Goat is also important in the Caribbean, in Southeast Asia, and developing tropical countries. Three-fourths of all the goats in the world are located in the developing regions of the world. Kids (goats under a year of age) are often slaughtered when 3 to 5 months of age and weighing from 25 to 50 pounds. Kids do not store much body fat until they are about a year old. Many goats are older than a year and heavier when marketed, but most, except aged cull goats, are slaughtered when less than a year of age. The meat of older goats is darker and less tender, but more juicy and flavorful than kid. The meat from male goats is lighter in color and lower in fat. The meat from female goats is more desirable for steaks and chops because it is more tender. How are goats raised for food? In the U.S., there are three distinct types of goats: Dairy goats, raised primarily for milk; Spanish or Mexican goats, produced for meat on a variety of open rangeland; South African Boer goats, a recently introduced breed that can adapt to various climates and can rebreed while still nursing; and Angora goats, raised primarily for their wool, used to make cloth. Excess males and cull goats are also used for meat. The Spanish and Angora goats are increasing in numbers in the Southwestern States, primarily in Texas. On brushy ranges, they improve the pasture for cattle and sheep by eating large amounts of twigs, shrubs, and brush. Are goats inspected? Yes. Goats are covered under the U.S. Federal Meat Inspection Act of 1906 and thus must be slaughtered under Federal or State inspection. Any carcasses slaughtered for sale must be inspected. Following are the number of goats federally inspected in various years. Year Number 2010 779,000 2004 558,857 1999 463,249 1994 364,905 1989 ​ 230,297 1984 ​107,299 Is goat meat graded? No. There are no quality or yield grades for goat meat. Can hormones and antibiotics be used when raising goats? No. Hormones are not approved for growth promotion in goats. Antibiotics may be given to prevent or treat diseases in goats. A "withdrawal" period is required from the time most antibiotics are administered until it is legal to slaughter the animal. This is so residues have enough time to exit the animal's system. Goat meat is tested for antibiotics, sulfonamides, and pesticide residues if problems are suspected. Imported goat meat is sampled at ports of entry for residues that may result from the use of animal drugs, pesticides, or environmental contaminants. Data from residue monitoring rarely show residue violations. What are the retail cuts of goat? Retail cuts of goat are similar to those for lamb or mutton. Goat should have light pink to bright red, firm, fine-grained flesh with well-distributed white fat. In some breeds of goat, there can be color variation between males and females; in other breeds, there is no difference. Where is goat meat consumed? The demand for meat from goats has increased in some markets of the Southeastern USA, which has led to new marketing opportunities for the small farmer/rancher. There has been an increase in the influx of ethnic groups from areas of the world where goat meat comprises a significant portion of the diet. In addition, there has been an increase in the consumption of "ethnic" foods as consumers explore and broaden their culinary experiences. Goat meat is often served in specialty dishes centered at festival or holiday events. Is goat classified as "red" meat? Yes, goat is considered red meat. Safe Handling of Goat Meat Handle goat the same as any other type of meat. At the grocery store, make your selection of goat meat from the refrigerator case just before checking out at the register. Put packages of raw meat in disposable plastic bags (if available) to contain any leakage, which could cross-contaminate cooked foods or raw produce. Take packaged meat home immediately and refrigerate it at 40 °F or below; use within 3 to 5 days (1 or 2 days for ground goat meat), or freeze (0 °F or below) for up to a year. However, if kept frozen continuously, it will be safe indefinitely. Before and after handling any raw meat or poultry, always wash hands in warm, soapy water for 20 seconds. Safe Thawing There are three ways to thaw meat: in the refrigerator, in cold water, and in the microwave. Never thaw on the counter or in other non-refrigerated locations. It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. To thaw in cold water, do not remove packaging. Be sure the package is airtight or put it into a leakproof bag. Submerge the package in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately. When microwave-defrosting meat, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving-defrosting. Partially cooking food is not recommended because any bacteria present wouldn't have been destroyed. Foods defrosted in the microwave or by the cold water method should be cooked before refrigerating or refreezing because they may have been held at temperatures above 40 °F, where bacteria multiply rapidly. Cooking of Goat Meat For safety, cook ground goat meat to 160 °F as measured with a food thermometer. Cook all raw goat beef steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may choose to cook meat to higher temperatures. Less tender cuts should be braised (roasted or simmered with a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pan) or stewed. Kid meat lends itself to all recipes for lamb: chops, leg or shoulder, crown roasts, rack or saddle, and kebabs. A goat carcass rarely has much fat to protect it from drying. Goat meat is generally quite lean, although its higher moisture content makes it tender when handled properly. The meat of adult goats is almost always subjected to stewing because of its relative toughness, but in stews, it is flavorful and tender. Storage Times Consumers should follow these tips for home storage of goat meat. Follow handling recommendations on the product. Keep meat in its package until it's ready to be used. Take goat meat home immediately and refrigerate at 40 °F or below. For best quality, use ground or cubed goat meat (such as stew meat) within 2 days of purchase and larger cuts within 3 to 5 days, or freeze the meat at 0 °F or below. It is safe to freeze meat in its original packaging. If freezing longer than 2 months, overwrap as you would any food for long-term storage. Ground or cubed goat meat will keep its best quality in the freezer for 4 months. Larger cuts, such as chops, steaks, legs, or loins, will keep their best quality for 6 to 9 months; ground meat, 3 to 4 months. Frozen goat meat remains safe indefinitely if kept frozen continuously. You can find the original article here: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/goat-farm-table

ABGA Member Dawn Foster of No Step Ranch in Sterling City, Texas takes us through the steps on how to give your goat a hoof trim.

ABGA Member Dawn Foster of No Step Ranch in Sterling City, Texas takes us through the steps on how to tag your goat.