April 30, 2009 - Nearly 25 years ago, Dennie and Sherri Clark moved to the Rockwall countryside in hopes of escaping the hustle and bustle of a fast-moving life in East Dallas.
"I was working in the office equipment industry when we moved to our small 17 acre farm in Rockwall," said Dennie. "We really enjoyed our new home in the country with privacy and space."
After almost 10 years of living in the country, Dennie and Sherri decided it was time to invest in a few goats to reduce the amount of mowing on the property. It was then that High C Goat Ranch was born.
"In 1995, we bought some Spanish and Nubian goats at a local sale," recalled Sherri. "We then began reading up about the South African Boer Goats and realized they were what we really wanted to raise. We loved their appeal and the size they grew out to be.
"Shortly after buying our first Boer Goats from the Farmers Stock Exchange in Mullin, we began breeding our Spanish and Nubian does to our Boer Bucks. In 1997, we bought a few more genetically sound Boers from John Edwards in Stephenville. We now have full-blood and percentage Boers."
Sherri and Dennie soon became involved in the show industry to promote their growing herd. Over the years they have won numerous titles at Fort Worth, Houston and the National Boer Goat Show. In 2004, High C Goat Ranch won American Boer Goat Association (A.B.G.A) Reserve Grand Champion Full-blood Breeders Herd at the National show. Then in 2005, they won the Grand Champion Title. The breeders herd class consists of one buck, two senior does and two junior does.
"We really enjoy showing and preparing our animals for competition," said Sherri. "We raise our goats to be potential show prospects, although not all of them make it to the show ring. We have also raised several goats and sold to the local FFA and 4-H chapters for wether projects. In fact, our entire fall crop was sold to local children for their projects."
According to Dennie, High C Goats Ranch's success in the show ring is a product of crossing two superior bloodlines from the goats purchased both from the Farmers Stock Exchange and John Edwards, and further developing them into a solid, thick and meaty show-quality blood-line.
"I would have to say we have also had a good deal of luck to help us out," he said. "We went into this business without any agricultural knowledge at all, and over time we researched and went to every clinic, seminar and breeders' conference in the area. We knew what kind of goats we wanted to raise and breed, so we took what we knew and put it to good use."
The Clarks also use books, as well.
"When we got started, there were not many people in the area that knew much about Boer Goats, including the local veterinarians," said Dennie. "We were one of the first producers in North Texas that started breeding Boer Goats. Throughout the years, as their popularity has increased, many more people are now aware of them."
High C Goat Ranch is now home to over 100 head of full-blood and percentage Boer Goats, including 40 to 50 senior does.
"Does can be bred as early as eight months old," said Dennie. "We start breeding our does no younger than 18 months old to ensure 100 percent growth potential. We average about 75 kids a year on our ranch with seasons in both the fall and spring. Goats are particular in the season which they breed. They generally start to cycle when the days begin to get shorter.
High C also implements an off-season breeding program to ensures kids are delivered throughout the year, which also creates a competitive advantage in the show ring, according to Dennie. The majority of breeding is done naturally, but occasionally artificial insemination or embryo transfer is utilized.
High C Goat Ranch's feeding program may also lead to their success in growth and show quality.
"We purchase a 17 percent crude protein performance goat feed from Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op," said Dennie. "The feed is not only high in protein; it also has a high fat content and is balanced two to one in calcium-phosphate ratio. The feed also contains copper for the goats copper deficiency.
"All of our goats are on pastures and are fed every day and have free choice alfalfa hay. Goats are browsers and prefer to eat weeds instead of grass. Unlike horses, when goats eat grass, they only eat the tender tops and leave the roots. Although goats are browsers, they still require frequent de-worming medication."
Dennie and Sherrie said they have reached their limit with the goat herd. Still, they plan to keep showing and breeding goats for many years to come and keep steady numbers before cutting down in as they get older.
For more information visit www.HighCGoatRanch.com
