Akbash livestock guardian dog focus of Aug. 21 webinar
Free event will cover reducing livestock predation
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host the Akbash Livestock Guardian Dog Breed webinar on Aug 21.
The webinar is free and will begin at 3 p.m. Participants must preregister online at https://tx.ag/LGDAkbash.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at San Angelo has a research program dedicated to livestock guardian dogs, LGDs, and uses them at its ranches and in partnership with private ranch owners.
Free educational webinars for producers and those in the livestock guardian dog industry are offered each year courtesy of the LGD research program.
Akbash breeder to be featured speaker
Long-time livestock guardian dog breeder Kristal Spenrath from Krazy Goat Socks will present the workshop. Spenrath and her husband operate a ranch in Mills County where they raise fine wool sheep, Angora goats, Spanish goats and cattle.
The Spenraths have been using and breeding registered Akbash and Kangal Dogs for 19 years at their current location and use their dogs as part of their predator control program.
“I’m excited to have Mrs. Spenrath as our featured speaker for this webinar,” said Bill Costanzo, AgriLife Extension livestock guardian dog specialist in the Department of Animal Science, San Angelo. “She has been breeding livestock guardian dogs for over 30 years. She is a board member of the Akbash Dog Association of America, and she was instrumental in the founding of the Texas LGD Association.”
About the Akbash breed
The Akbash is a traditional Turkish breed of livestock guardian dog used to protect flocks from predators in the rugged terrain of western Anatolia. The Akbash’s coat may be either long or of medium length, it is always double and is usually white.
The white coat makes it easy for the shepherd to distinguish between the dog and the predator, even in the dark.
–Texas A and M