History | AGA

History

The goat was the second animal to be domesticated by man, the first being the dog. Sheep, pigs and cattle were not domesticated until about 2000 years later. The usefulness of goats as agricultural animals was recognized long before recorded history. Evidence shows that the nomadic people of the Middle East tended goats as early as 10,000 years B.C. as ancient cultures and tribes began to keep goats for milk, hair, meat, and skins.

History reveals that goats were often carried on ships as a source of fresh milk by early explorers to the New World, including Captain Cook and Christopher Columbus. Cashmere and mohair, luxurious fibres produced by goats, first attracted the attention of Europeans in the early 1800s. The first definite and tangible proofs of soap making are found in the history of ancient Rome, where soap is described as being made from goats' tallow and causticized wood ashes. Historically, goat hides have been used for water and wine bottles, and to produce parchment, which was the most common material used for writing in Europe until the invention of the printing press.

In Africa, the Middle East, Asia, South America, the Caribbean Islands and the Mediterranean countries, goats are valued as a favourite source of meat, and goat meat is often the staple of traditional meals for festive occasions and celebrations. It is a little known fact that goat meat (chevon) is eaten more than any other red meat worldwide. And, even in this day and age, more than half the world's population drinks goat milk. For years, the goat has been called "the poor man's cow" because it is smaller and eats less than a cow, yet provides ample milk for a family.

Goats did not have much presence in North America until the 1920s when purebred dairy goats were imported from Europe. The goat industry in North America has been slow to develop as the traditional agricultural community has been reluctant to accept this species, about which much myth and not much fact is generally known. However goat keeping gained in popularity during the back-to-the-land movement in the 1960s and 1970s, and is currently enjoying another "boom" as Canada's population diversifies, bringing with it the culture and tradition of foreign lands.

Alberta Goat Association History
The Alberta Goat Association (AGA) initially began as the Alberta Goat Breeders Association (AGBA) when it was registered as a non-profit society on February 14, 1970 by a small group of goat breeders who wished to have an official club to serve their interests. At the time, the majority of members raised dairy goats but the AGA has since grown to include members with all breeds of goats for a multitude of uses including dairy, meat, fibre, pets, therapy, grazing and pack animals.

Since the AGA’s inception goats have grown from a few animals here and there with the prevailing view of a backwoods farmyard with a couple goats standing on a rusted out truck eating tin cans to a viable sustainable agricultural industry with the AGA’s mandate to promote and support the goat industry in all forms to the Alberta agricultural industry, all levels of Alberta government and the general public at large.

In an effort to change the perception that the AGBA was only for breeders of purebred goats the AGA instituted a name change at the Annual AGBA convention and production sale in September 2014 for the AGBA to be formally know as the Alberta Goat association (AGA) thereby officially supporting all aspects of the Alberta goat industry.

There are currently close to 100 members from across Alberta in the AGA representing a vast variety of interests. A current board of nine directors implements the objectives of the association and members take part in an annual general meeting. AGA activities include seminars, field days, online webinars, displays and information services.

AGBA news and other goat related articles and information are available in the AGA newsletter ‘Goat Droppings’ as well as on the AGA website.

The AGA works closely with Alberta Agriculture and other various government agencies to further the goat industry. As well, the AGA is a voting member of the Canadian National Goat Federation and a supporting member of the Alberta Farm Animal Care.

Goat products have become a new age choice for consumers. At the same time goats are an increasingly popular choice for farmers looking to diversify or country dwellers who wish to provide for their families from a small acreage.

Membership changes starting 2013- background

The board of directors of the Alberta Goat Association would like to thank all of our present members for your support. Your contributions have provided us with the financial and moral support so vital to moving our industry forward. We have been working diligently to raise the profile of the goat industry in Alberta with our provincial and federal governments, consumers, our partners in the slaughter industry, industry partners in other provinces, and ALL goat producers in Alberta. Our convention, in 2012 in Ponoka, Alberta, was attended by goat producers from all around Alberta; they spent time considering the future of AGA and the path that the AGA board had worked so hard to carve out. Producers at the convention gave their enthusiastic support to the AGA board and their plan for the future. Producers voted to adopt AGA’s new vision statement: “AGA’s vision is to advance the growth of the goat industry to benefit Alberta goat producers.” This new vision is breathtakingly simple in its direction, and amazingly broad in its scope. The AGBA board has worked tirelessly to move this industry forward and they have accomplished an amazing amount on an extremely limited budget and on their committed voluntary time. Producers at our convention acknowledged, by a majority vote, that it was time to move AGA, YOUR industry organization, to the next level. To do so, there needed to be a change in our membership fee structure. In order to secure the future of our industry it is time to invest in our industry organization.

Fun Facts About Goats

A large goat can weigh well over 200 pounds.
Goats don't have any upper front teeth.
Both 'boy' and 'girl' goats can have beards.
There are over 210 breeds of goats in the world.
Goats have excellent night vision.
90% of the world's goats live in tropical & sub-tropical areas.
More chevon (goat meat) is eaten in the world than any other red meat.
More than half the world's population drinks goat milk.
The pupil in a goat's eye is rectangular in bright light instead of round.
A group of goats is called a "trip of goats", most people use the term "herd".
Before coins were used for money, goats were traded for silver, because they were so valuable.
Twelve thousand year old paintings of goats gave been found on the walls of caves in Europe.
Columbus brought goats to America in 1493

Mahatma Gandhi lived mostly on goat milk for more than 30 years.
A goat will spend several hours a day eating and several hours a day thoughtfully chewing its cud.
The life span of a goat is about 15 years.
The age of a goat can be determined by its teeth.
Goats are ruminants which means they chew cud like cows and sheep.
Coffee was first discovered when goat herders noticed the goats acting very energetic after