4-H Meat Goat Project

male 4-H youth standing with a white meat goat

Join this fast paced growing sector of the agriculture industry—market goats! Learn about breeds, husbandry, showmanship, nutrition, reproduction and much more! Develop your herd, evaluate both breeding and market animals, and create friendships.

Ages and Stages of Youth Development

Beginners

Beginners gain confidence and understanding on basic goat parts, husbandry, and nutrition. Understand proper production practices for ensuring a safe food supply. Evaluate both breeding and market goats.

Juniors

Expand knowledge on goat diseases, nutrition, and better understand production practices. Be able to evaluate goats and provide oral reasons to defend placings. Through reasons and presentations, expand communication skills.

Seniors

Seniors have detailed knowledge of goat reproduction, nutrition, and diseases while be able to clearly communicate knowledge to others. Serve as a leader and role model to younger project members. Investigate career opportunities.

4-H Programming Priorities

Leadership

By sharing knowledge of the meat goat industry and teaching other members about the project, youth are leaders in their club and community.

Health & Wellness

Working with livestock and goats provides an opportunity for physical activity, time spent outdoors, and stress relief.

Science

Gaining knowledge of nutrition, diseases, and genetics provides a way to explore science. Youth get hands-on math skills when balancing rations for their animals.

Agriculture

4-H members will gain insight into the agricultural issues impacting the meat goat industry.

Get Involved

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Youth Voice

  • Illustrated talk on breeds of goats
  • Demonstration on scrapie tags and identification
  • Discuss current issues within the meat goat industry
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Community Service

  • Plan and teach a fitting and showmanship clinic
  • Educate the community on scrapie’s tags
  • Safe meat handling demonstration
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Career Connections

  • Veterinarian
  • Nutritionist
  • Feed salesman
  • Ag marketing analyst
  • Ag teacher
  • Goat extension specialist
  • Ag business associate

Exhibit Ideas

  • Show a meat goat in showmanship and/or confirmation classes
  • Give a demonstration showing how to prepare and fit a meat goat before competition
  • Create a poster to make the public more aware of meat goat industry

Learning Resources

Related Topics

4-H Projects, 4-H Animal & Biological Sciences Project

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