Maris, pictured above, with British Guernsey Buckling, Morel, bred and offered by April at Higher Ground Herbs & Homestead. Meet Maris McCrory, The First Golden Opportunity Youth Participant“I am excited to be a part of the Golden Opportunity Program because the British Guernsey breed is unique and valuable and I want to preserve it to the best of my ability. I began raising goats when I was 12 and I quickly fell in love with caring for them. When Mrs. April offered to give me Morel, a Guernsey buckling, I was thrilled and honored. I’m so grateful that she has started the breed preservation program. It is my sincere hope that other young breeders will have the same chance that I have been given and that this beautiful breed will flourish and thrive for many years to come.” - Maris What Is The Golden Opportunity?This program is available to selected youth as a way to aide in the preservation of the great Guernsey goat breed as well as provide learning opportunities for interested youth across the country. The objective is to involve youth in conservation of the Guernsey goat breed according to British Goat Society (BGS) standards. How Does This Program Benefit the Guernsey Breed?As some breeders rush head first into Americanization of the breed, others still value the original greatness of British Guernseys, as defined by their country of origin, and see the importance of not forfeiting their heritage or compromising in breed standards. This program walks youth through the entire process of breeding and managing this rare, heritage breed, including registration of appropriate Swiss breed foundation does and all applicable offspring with the British Goat Society. Other aspects of the program include mentorship in how to preserve a rare heritage breed by encouraging utilization of the goats to their full potential. How Does This Program Benefit Youth Participants?Youth participants receive a complete, hands-on learning opportunity with endless possibilities. With the guidance and encouragement provided, youth breeders have the ability to be a part of conservation through utilization and not only help preserve a great breed, but also open up entrepreneurial opportunities, youth-to-youth mentorship programs, and so much more. Youth participants will receive, free-of-charge, their very own registered British Guernsey breeding quality buck(ling) to start breeding up. This program builds character, empathy, entrepreneurialism, and encourages youth not only to learn but to do and eventually teach others. How Does This Program Benefit Breeder Participants?As a breeder participant, you are eligible to receive advertisement for your farm on the USGGC website and Facebook page, as well as at any USGGC sponsored events. You will also receive a digital badge to proudly display on your own website and social media pages, which sets you apart as a breeder and also draws attention to the breed. Rest easy knowing you're doing your part to preserve Guernseys and provide a wonderful opportunity to young breeders! How Do I Become A Youth Participant?In order to become a Youth Participant, you must own at least one Swiss doe for breeding purposes and complete the Golden Opportunity application and short essay as to why you would like to participate. Your application and essay will be held until you are paired with a Breeder Participant/Sponsor. To get started, please just reach out by contacting USGGC on Facebook. How Do I Become A Breeder Participant?In order to become a Breeder Participant, you must have owned/raised BGS registered Guernsey goats for at least one year and be a current member of the British Goat Society. You must have participated in the breed-up program, including registration of the initial Swiss foundation doe(s) and at least one generation of offspring. You must be willing to be a mentor to a Youth Participant as well as provide, free-of-charge, one registered British Guernsey buck/ling to them. You will need to complete a Golden Opportunity application so that you can be paired with a Youth Participant. To get started, please just reach out by contacting USGGC on Facebook.
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Author: April O. - Higher Ground Herbs & Homestead Conservation is our goal with these B.L.O.G.s, but the current mindset has to change in order to achieve this goal. First, we have to define WHY we want to preserve the Guernsey breed with it's original greatness. Then we need to figure out HOW to highlight and utilize their unique characteristics so that they're not just pasture ornaments. Why Preserve The Original Greatness?Heritage breeds are treasured for their uniqueness, their ability to thrive in the natural environment, and their mothering abilities, just to name a few things. This is primarily because they haven't been "messed with" by well meaning people with agendas to turn them into something other than what they are. We have seen many breeds become so heavily bred for specific traits that they lose their original vigor. It's easy to focus on the attribute we think is most important and lose sight of the whole picture. A valuable animal is more than your favorite feature. It's one that doesn't cost you more money than it produces, one that isn't a headache the deal with because of constant sickness or parasite issues, and one that produces a variety of sustainable "fruits." Guernseys are all of these things and more! Breeding the best specimens of the breed is important, but does that mean you choose one aspect and ONLY breed for that characteristic (ie: high milk production)? No! Breeding for improvement within your herd is what everyone should naturally want to do, but does that mean you should change the breed to be something entirely different than what it started out as? Definitely NO! From Pasture Ornaments To Valued LivestockFarm animals need jobs or they're at risk of being seen as an unvaluable, disposable, and maybe even a frivolous hobby. When farm cuts happen (people downsizing or finding other animals that meet a need), goats are often first on the list to go - BECAUSE THEY AREN'T PROPERLY EMPLOYEED. That isn't their fault; it's ours for not thinking outside the box. But we can change that! The following is a list of employment options for your beautiful Guernsey goats. I'm sure there are more options, so don't stop brainstorming other ways to give these guys a job and ensure their value and their place on the farm. Milk & Milk Products - This one is obvious, so let's start here. Did you realize that milk can turn into so many other great things?? Cheese - Cheesecake - Custard - Ice Cream - Soap - Lotion - Candles... and the list goes on! Many people seek out raw goat milk for themselves and their children as part of a healthy diet and/or for gut healing, tooth remineralization, etc. Those same people appreciate a nice goat cheese, which is surprisingly easy to make! Those and others absolutely LOVE goat milk soap and other body products as well, for their skin soothing and nourishing abilities. So, if you find yourself with too much milk, there is definitely a market for milk and milk products. You probably should check your state's laws regarding the sale of raw milk and cheese, though. Meat, Hides & Horns - It's inevitable that you'll have a "buck year" at some point and be over-run with little boys that will turn into eager breeders, whether they're fit to pass on their genetics or not. By nature of the Guernsey breed up program, bucks below HB2 level (BGS) will not contribute to the leveling up of a program. Bucks that are HB2 or higher may level up their offspring when paired with an appropriate doe, but that doesn't mean they're of breeding quality. So, raising these guys for meat, hides and horns (be sure not to waste a thing) is a valid option, and, in my experience it's also the most humane option, believe it or not. Why is that? Because if you sell them as pets, they lose their employment status and become unvaluable to the new owner, regardless of their level of excitement at the time of purchase. This often results in neglect, abuse, and bouncing from home to home until the day they die. If you raise them for meat for your family, or even meat to sell to others, they retain purpose and value - they keep a job. Pack/Cart Goats - Hiking, camping, farm chores and more! Yes, you can pretty easily train your goats to do all of these things and help you take a load off, quite literally. Goats can typically carry about 30% of their body weight, so for a Guernsey doe, that could be just under 40lbs, and for a buck it could be around 45lbs. Wethers (castrated males) seem to be the prime choice for turning into pack goats, as they don't have to care for babies or be in milk, and they don't stink during prime hiking/camping weather in the Fall, but any sex can be utilized. Land Management & Parasite Prevention - Surely by now you've seen packs of goats being utilized for brush clearing, even commercially. If not, go ahead and search for a video of that because it's pretty cool. Goats can be strategically placed (electric fencing is great) where you need them to clean up underbrush. They get fed and you get land cleared - win, win! Probably the last thing people would dare to consider is that, if managed properly, goats can play an important role in parasite management and reduction! What?! Yeah, it's great when you discover that grazing multiple species together actually reduces parasite loads. Check out a future B.L.O.G. post for more on that. Fiber - Some Guernseys have super soft undercoats that shed out in Spring. Obtaining this fiber is as easy as brushing your goat. After the fiber is harvested, you can sell it raw to fiber artists or proceed to make your own fiber art! Rare breed fiber typically sells for a premium! Agritourism - Admit it, you love just staring at and loving on these wonderful goats, don't you? I know I do! Others will too, and this is an often over-looked area of employment for many animals, but it is something that has grown in popularity, exponentially, in recent years. I'd suggest having an agritourism waiver for visitors to sign that is customized to your state's laws on the matter. It isn't complicated to find, though, so go ahead and do a search for "agritourism law for [insert your state]." From what I've seen, agritourism laws are written in favor of the farm and for your own protection against liability. I'm sure I've left some aspect of the usefulness of the Guernsey out, but this list is enough to get anyone thinking in the right direction. Get creative, and get motivated. Saving a breed is best accomplished by fully employing the breed, AND by educating others. Moving ForwardI will continue to post on the numerous ways to utilize these awesome goats, but in the mean-time, I'd love to hear YOUR adventures with Guernseys. Tell us about your triumphs and trials, and definitely share any creative ideas you've come up with to give these guys a job and ensure that their future is bright.
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