Ingham County Goat Council Minutes February 19, 2004

Those attending meeting and club represented: Heather & Dawn White, Sam Hutton, Jan, Angela, Kailey and Shelby Sweers, Candance, Sammie Burier, Beth & Mindy Gleason, Richard Bunker, Bridget & Melodie Bilgi, Kristin Mudri, Brent, Desiree, & TJ Christie, Marilyn Thompson, Kathy McClintock: Dansville 4-Leaf Clovers. Nora Richmond & Pat Sheathelm: NW Leslie and Cris Bean: Onondaga 4H.

Minutes read from October 2003 and approved.

Treasurer report: $79.31 in savings. Approximately $300 from last fair's resale at auction. This amount will be added to account after it is released from Livestock Sale Committee in June.

Old Business:

* Dave White has been confirmed as 2004 judge.

* Directors chairs priced at an average price of $55 for 18" short chair and $65 for 30" taller chair. Discussion on using the chairs for Best Doe in Show and Best Junior Doe in Show. Dawn and Heather White will see about getting sponsors to pay for the chairs. The cost of embroidery on the backs would be added to the prices. Cris Bean will check on the price.

* The Herdsmanship award was discussed. This will involve each club maintaining their own pens and areas by keeping them neat and clean, having a positive attitude and influence with the fair attendees, and with other members in the barn. At least once a day, possibly twice, a team, unknown by members, will go through the barn with a checklist. At the end of the week the winner will be announced.

New Business

* Pat brought up the problem of meat goats being taken from the barn before the allotted time on Sunday morning. For the last two years someone has arrived early and taken the wrong goats. To facilitate the pick up of animals it was decided to mark each goat with animal marking paint as they leave the auction ring on the back of their head and neck area with the sale bill listing number.

* A camper is needed to set at the end of the goat barn for monitoring the barn and animals during the night. Kathy McClintock will loan her baby monitors again this year for that purpose.

* Meat goat weigh-in will be the same date as the lambs. Members only need to weigh in their goat for the Rate-of-gain contest at that time. Otherwise the goat will only be weighed at time of fair to determine which class the animal will be in for showing.

* Cris Bean will contact Dr. Lana Kaiser about doing the vet check and having her attend a meeting to discuss the exact requirements by the state.

* Approved for re-imbursement to Pat Sheathelm was $12.01 for film used to take last years award photos. (1st Kathy McClintock, 2nd Bridget Bilgi)

* Upcoming goat events: ANR Goat Day March 13, Goat Expo May 1, Showmanship clinics

* Next Meeting Date will be MAY 13.

* Adjourned (1st Dawn White, 2nd Pat Sheathelm)

Respectfully submitted by Cris Bean (for Rachel Bean)