College senior Walker Anttila continues is love for livestock to help pay tuition
FAYETTEVILLE, ARK. – Walker Anttila is a senior at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. He’s studying animal science with the hope of becoming an agriculture professor.
Born and raised in Montana, Walker has been raising livestock in one way or another since he was 8 years old.
At a time when most kids are catching lightning bugs or playing t-ball, Walker, now 22, was bringing home his first 4-H show pig.
Walker wasn’t born into an agriculture legacy. He listened intently to the stories his father John would tell of days past when he raised pigs, and Walker would imagine himself working hard to produce a good animal.
As luck would have it, he wouldn’t be dreaming too long. Walker’s mother Samantha was a teacher and always encouraging him to take advantage of new opportunities.
Through 4-H and FFA, Walker raised pigs, cattle, goats and sheep. By high school, he knew he had found his place in agriculture.
“I fell in love with ag,” Walker said. “I fell in love with raising animals and promoting agriculture.”
Walker’s mother is an Ozarks native, growing up in Batesville, Ark., so when he had the chance to apply to University of Arkansas, the choice was easy.
“It just feels like home,” Walker said. “It was between here and Nebraska. When I toured here, it just felt like home. I wanted to be down south, in the Ozarks are, so it felt like the right choice for me.”
In between classes, Walker is raising a herd of Boer goats to help pay for his college education. Luckily, he was able to house his does at his livestock judging coach’s farm.
Walker’s main goal is to develop a breeding program utilizing genetics to select show ring phenotypes, balanced with meat production genotypes. After being involved in not only goat production, but cattle, sheep and hogs. Walker felt breeding high-quality goats was the path the wanted to follow.
“Goats have always been the species that I’ve been the most passionate about,” he said. “It might not the most popular species out there, but I have had the passion to promote an industry not always seen.”
He added meat goat production is actually gaining in popularity.
“I’ve seen the industry grown,” Walker said. “Just the amount of them and the quality has grown to a great number. It’s been amazing to watch it grow, and it’s been an awesome opperunityt to be a part of it. No, goats aren’t the most highly seen animal, but you have to look at the benefactories, like how many you can run per acre and how many kids they have per year.”
Walker is connecting science to the real world of agriculture, building the beginnings of a show goat production operation based on sound genetics that will grow to full production on his family’s new Missouri farm just in time for graduation.
Walker has around 15 head of Boer goats for breeding, and partners with fellow breeders around the country in other animals. He also plans to add 15 does to the breeding program.
“I use different bucks from around the country, which each have their different purposes,” Walker explained. “We set up breeding for May/June and have them kidding in October/November.”
This year’s breeding program will also include AI for the first time.
Most of the offspring are destined to see the show ring as Walker sells the kids for local 4-H and FFA projects.
“I look for a lot of different things; I feel like it’s kind of a moving target,” Walker explained. “We look for muscle, we look for structure, the look. In the show industry, we don’t always want the most muscle; we’re looking for show ring appeal. We want muscle, content, and the style and structure that will help young exhibitors in the show ring.”
The program Walker is building now will provide foundation breeding stock for Ozarks Show Goats in Crane, Mo. His parents have moved the property and the family is working to make improvements to the facilities, recently completing a new barn.
“We’re expanding as much as we can with our resources,” Walker said. “We’re looking to buy more does this spring and breed everything AI.”
While he is finishing up at the U of A, Walker has already secured a position as the livestock judging coach at the University of Arkansas-Rich Mountain.
With the new career, Walker said he can promote the goat industry with 4-H and FFA members, and keep up with industry trends.
“With the position, I’m going to travel the country year round and going to these national shows,” he said. “I will be able to see what judges are looking for, or what producers want. I am going to be able to stay on top of it. You always have to keep up with what’s changing in the industry.”
