Sheep and goat producers will have an opportunity to learn from fellow producers, Extension specialists and industry professionals during the Nebraska Sheep & Goat Producers Annual Conference, Nov. 6–7, 2026, in the North Platte area.

The two-day conference combines producer tours with educational sessions addressing many of the management and marketing decisions facing sheep and goat operations. Topics include livestock marketing, sheep and goat meat markets, feeder lamb nutrition, feeding ewes and does before kidding, risk management, animal health, fly and lice control, production systems and marketing.

The conference begins Friday, Nov. 6, with two producer tours. The first stop, at 1 p.m., will be Nebraska Prime Lamb LLC near Hershey, operated by the Monheiser family. The second tour begins at 3 p.m. at Back to Grass Nebraska near Brady, operated by Steve and DeAnn Vaughn. Their operation uses holistic and rotational grazing practices and has been rebuilding after the Cottonwood Fire affected their ranch, fencing, stored hay and livestock.

Friday concludes with the Nebraska Sheep and Goat Producers annual meeting at 5 p.m. at Pals Brewing/North Platte Stockyards.

Saturday’s program begins with breakfast at 8 a.m. at North Platte Stockyards. Educational sessions include Randy Fisher discussing factors that help producers market their livestock; Jennifer Lutes, University of Missouri Extension, discussing who buys sheep and goat meat; and Ryan Spurling, South Dakota State University, presenting programs on feeder lamb nutrition and feeding ewes and does before kidding.

Additional presentations will cover risk management protection for sheep and goats, Pipestone production systems, testing for OPP/CAE, Johne’s disease and Q fever, and fly and lice control. David Boxler with Nebraska Extension will address fly and lice control in sheep and goats. The afternoon will also include a marketing panel featuring producers and industry representatives.

Saturday activities will take place at North Platte Stockyards and the West Central Research, Extension and Education Center, 402 W. State Farm Road in North Platte. The program is scheduled to conclude at 4:30 p.m. with evaluations and drawings.

Registration for Nebraska Sheep & Goat Producers members is $40 in advance or $50 at the door. Non-member registration is $90 in advance or $100 at the door

For more information, contact Melissa Nicholson at ne.sheep.goat@gmail.com or 308-386-8378. Registration is available through the Nebraska Sheep & Goat Annual Meeting Registration page.

The Nebraska Sheep & Goat Producers Annual Conference provides producers an opportunity to see local operations, hear from specialists and fellow producers, and gather information they can apply to livestock production, management and marketing decisions.

Extension programs are open to all.