IGA Blog

Message from the IGA President

4/1/2020

Greetings to the IGA Community! We hope that you are safe and well.

The current COVID-19 crisis has created extraordinary changes in our world. We know the dangers of infectious diseases and the need to prevent exposure. It has become challenging to plan any large gathering, so rather than put people at risk unnecessarily, the IGA Board decided to postpone the 13th International Conference on Goat.

A new date has not been chosen. We will continue to monitor the situation and hope to announce the change soon.

Unfortunately, because the 13th ICG is postponed, elections for the new Board will be delayed. When a new date for the conference is selected, we will send out an official call for nominations. Any IGA member in good standing (meaning their membership dues are up-to-date) can be nominated to serve a four-year term. Check our website regularly for more information in the coming days and months!

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COVID-19 update from Beth Miller

3/20/2020

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Dr. Beth Miller, IGA President

As we find ourselves in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I extend wishes of good health and safety to all our colleagues and their families around the world. IGA is a GLOBAL network, and more than ever, we can reflect on the importance of our international connections for research, agricultural production, trade, and friendship. We are in this together.

Many of us are working from home and are living under travel and other restrictions to prevent infection. The coming weeks and months will need contributions from all of us as individuals, institutions, and governments to recover from this unprecedented calamity.

Please note that many of the conferences and training programs listed on our website may be delayed or canceled. Please contact us immediately if you have updates or corrections.

IGA is still “open for business,” and we remain connected via the internet. Now is an excellent time to explore all that our website has to offer, from Proceedings of past conferences to free online books, manuals, and other publications.

Be safe and be well!

Beth Miller

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IGA message to Chinese colleagues and beyond

3/6/2020

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Hello, I am Dr. Beth Miller, the president of the International Goat Association, a global organization of scientists, farmers and development experts dedicated to improved human welfare through a more organized goat sector. On behalf of our Board of Directors, and all of our members, I want our Chinese colleagues to know that we stand with you in solidarity during this difficult time of the COVID19 outbreak.

As scientists, we know the dangers of infectious diseases, and the need to prevent exposure. As people, we understand the terrible isolation resulting from travel restrictions, and the fear from hearing of new cases. All of us understand that travel is the best learning experience, and makes our research and policies more robust and effective. For now, we accept the limitations on travel to and from China, but we also know that we will be able to visit with you again in the future.

Please know that your IGA friends and colleagues from around the word eagerly await the end of the outbreak, and the development of new tools for prevention and treatment, both in China and the other countries where new cases are being discovered such as Italy, Korea and Iran. Now more than ever, we can see the need for global cooperation so our countries and our families can thrive.

We commend the Chinese people on your patience and strength while facing this unprecedented situation. I look forward to returning to a time with safe and easy travel within and between countries. May you all enjoy good health and a quick return to a normal life, and working to advance goat health and production!

As more countries become affected, we ask IGA's Board members, Country Representatives, and Regional Directors to add their own messages of support on Facebook and Twitter.

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Announcement – 5th Asian-Australasian Dairy Goat Conference (AADGC) 2020, August 20-22, Thailand

12/11/2019

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Goat Milk: a Naturally Innovative Prescription for
Better Humans and Animals Health

This conference will take place at the OTOP Building, Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization (NPAO), Nonthaburi, Thailand.

Registration fees:

Time/Person	July 20th, 2020	after July 20th, 2020
Delegated participant	200 USD	250 USD
Student / Goat milk farmer*	150 USD	180 USD

Registration fee includes proceedings, refreshments, lunches, field trip, and welcome dinner.
Additional 10 USD for Koh Kred tour (22 July 2020), includes lunch.

*with certified by goat milk association from each country.

Timeline for paper submission and registration:
Abstract submission will be opened on February 20th, 2020
Full paper submission will be opened on May 20th, 2020

PAPER SUBMISSION
Call for papers
All participants intending to present scientific papers (oral or poster) at the AADGC 2020 conference will be got the peer review by the Scientific Committee and then the accepted papers will be published in the conference proceedings. A maximum of two papers are allowed from each registered participant.

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Second Meeting of the PPR-GREN, Kenya

11/15/2019

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IGA just finished participating in the Second Meeting of the PPR Global Research and Expertise Network (PPR-GREN), in Nairobi, Kenya from November 13-15, 2019.

You can read the Concept Note below.

Beth Miller, Felix Njeumi, and Paula Menzies

Paula Menzies and Beth Miller

Concept Note

Download a copy of the Concept Notes

BACKGROUND

Considering the high importance of sheep and goats for the livelihood of the small farmers, and considering that Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), an important infectious disease and killer of those animals, has dramatically spread as of mid- year 2000 to reach more than 70 countries, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) launched the PPR Global Control and Eradication Strategy (PPR-GCES), taking lessons from the success of the Global Rinderpest Eradication that was achieved officially in 2011. Additionally, it has been recognized in recent years that PPR could also affects wild ruminant populations, impacting biodiversity conservation. The PPR-GCES, which aims to eradicate PPR by 2030, was endorsed by participants at the International Conference on PPR organized in April 2015 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The PPR-GCES is being implemented through the PPR Global Eradication Programme (PPR GEP) coordinated at the global level by the Joint FAO/OIE PPR Secretariat which was established in March 2016. To assist and advise the Secretariat, an Advisory Committee was established in June 2017. In addition to the Secretariat and the Advisory Committee, a third governance structure was foreseen in PPR-GCES: the Global Research and Expertise Network (PPR-GREN) which is expected to be a forum for scientific and technical consultations/discussions. Indeed, although excellent vaccines and disease diagnostic tests exist currently for immediate and effective implementation of PPR eradication programme (s), the need to encourage and support PPR research activities which results might help in refining PPR eradication programme (s) for better efficiency and for speeding up the course of the campaigns was foreseen in the PPR-GCES.

READ MORE...

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Congratulations to the Organizing Committee of ARCG 2019

10/23/2019

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Marisia Geraci, Neena Gorkhali, Sharada Thapaliya, and Beth Miller

The Asian Regional Conference on Goats has just concluded and was an incredible success.

The conference was held from October 20th to 23rd in Chitwan, Nepal, with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Department of Livestock Services, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Heifer International Nepal, and University Grants Commission.

The main aim of the conference was to gather researchers, academicians, and development entities to exchange knowledge and technologies generated in the field of goat research and development across the globe.

To learn more, visit the conference website: afu.edu.np/vet/arcg2019.

Nirajan Bhattarai and Beth Miller

Sándor Kukovics

Yingjie Zhang and Chris Lu

Yingjie Zhang

Beth Miller at goat research center.

Juan Capote and Beth Miller at goat research center.

Beth Miller in a field of Napier grass.

Mamta Dhawa, Lucia Sepe, and Beth Miller

Lucia Sepe, Juan Capote, and Jean-Marie Luginbuhl

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IGA joins the SMARTER Stakeholder Committee

7/22/2019

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IGA is pleased to join the SMARTER Stakeholder Committee, to provide insight and feedback from the new “Small Ruminant Breeding for Efficiency and Resilience.” It is a new European and international initiative funded by the EU that will use genomic selection across countries. It will make selection for traits conferring efficiency and resilience both faster and more efficient. SMARTER will also characterize the phenotype and genome of traditional and underutilized breeds. Finally, SMARTER will propose new breeding strategies that utilize these traits and trade-offs and balance economic, social and environmental challenges.

Please visit the SMARTER website, and sign up for the free newsletter: https://www.smarterproject.eu/

Beth A. Miller, DVM
President, International Goat Association

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Book Announcement – That Sheep May Safely Graze: Rebuilding Animal Health Care in War-Torn Afghanistan

2/5/2019

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That Sheep May Safely Graze is written by David Sherman, former Editor-in-Chief of Small Ruminant Research, 2001-2005.

Veterinarian and global goat health expert David Sherman shares his big-picture view of the development challenges in Afghanistan based on his years of living there. He illustrates the importance of animal health, often overlooked by development experts, so readers can appreciate how healthy sheep and goats provide livelihoods for rural people, food for hungry cities, and wool for beautiful carpets. The book contains numerous short and charming vignettes that vary from quiet delight in small farm life to portraits of fascinating individuals to frustration with ever-changing political agendas. Most importantly, David invites readers to see the dignity and humanity in his Afghan colleagues and ordinary villagers. Western development aid has resulted in too few successes, but this highly readable account of Afghanistan’s veterinary field unit project is a “how-to” of effective assistance that improves the lives of animals and the people who depend on them.

Beth A. Miller
President, International Goat Association

This book will be released on March 15, 2019, but it is available to pre-order from Amazon in paperback or Kindle editions.

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Announcement: Award to Dr. Shoor Vir Singh

12/11/2018

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During the Asian Regional Conference on Goats (ARCG-2018) this year, the International Goat Association presented Dr. Shoor Vir Singh with a Certificate of Recognition for his outstanding service and contributions to IGA, and for efforts to promote goat research and goat keeping in India and around the world.

Dr. Singh served on the IGA Board of Directors for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2016. He also served as the IGA Regional Director for Asia for many years.

Dr. Beth Miller presents Dr. Shoor Vir Singh with a special award for his outstanding service.

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Conference Report – 4th Asian-Australasian Dairy Goat Conference

12/10/2018

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Go Cong Dong Goat Farm, Tien Giang province, Vietnam

Written by Beth Miller, IGA President

The Fourth Asian-Australasian Dairy Goat conference (AADGC 2018) was held at Tra Vinh University, Vietnam with nearly 200 participants from 19 countries in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The theme was Strengthening Development of Dairy Goat Production Adapting to Climate Change. All the papers are published in the proceedings (ISBN 978-604-9). They are also available here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NR-FA1XVARRSWgVbFjvtj47jt-IEnk_A/view.

Dairy goat production is increasing across Asia as farmers take advantage of increased prices for goat milk, and governments search for sustainable agricultural activities in the face of climate change. However, many challenges occur when new farmers take up dairy goat production, especially if they do not have strong livestock or commercial background. Training and technology are two key components of successful dairy goat enterprises, as well as markets and transportation. Key research topics include identification of the genetic merit of locally adapted breeds, and development of new and inexpensive feed resources so dairy goats can reach their genetic potential of milk production.

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<<Previous

Message from the IGA President

COVID-19 update from Beth Miller

IGA message to Chinese colleagues and beyond

Announcement – 5th Asian-Australasian Dairy Goat Conference (AADGC) 2020, August 20-22, Thailand

Second Meeting of the PPR-GREN, Kenya

Congratulations to the Organizing Committee of ARCG 2019

IGA joins the SMARTER Stakeholder Committee

Book Announcement – That Sheep May Safely Graze: Rebuilding Animal Health Care in War-Torn Afghanistan

Announcement: Award to Dr. Shoor Vir Singh

Conference Report – 4th Asian-Australasian Dairy Goat Conference

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