Students and Faculty Destress through Goat Yoga during Mid-terms
Baton Rouge, La. – Southern University College of Agricultural, Human and Environmental Sciences (CAHES) students and faculty participated in the “Bleat the Stress! Goat Yoga on March 11, 2025 on the lawn of Fisher Hall.
The event was held to help students and faculty members manage stress during mid-term week on the Southern University Baton Rouge campus. Dr. Dana Pollard, assistant professor of animal production system, instructed the group of mostly students in various yoga poses while goats bashfully walked around the participants. Soft instrumental music played in the background during the two yoga sessions which lasted about 45 minutes each.
The focus of the goat yoga event was to improve the mental health of the students and staff through yoga techniques and interactions with small ruminants. The event helped to increase the flexibility of participants, improve their strength and build endurance, regulate emotions, build balance, and reduce stress and anxiety.
Adding the element of the goats complimented the therapeutic effects of yoga.
For additional information on the goat yoga event contact, Dr. Dana Pollard at dana_pollard@suagcenter.com.