2016 Station ReportUniversity of Maryland College Park

10 YEARS OF THE WESTERN MARYLAND PASTURE-

BASED MEAT GOAT PERFORMANCE TEST

S. SCHOENIAN1, J. SEMLER1, D. GORDON1, M. BENNETT2, AND D. O’BRIEN3

1UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND EXTENSION, 2WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY, 3DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY

Objectives

RESEARCH

• Evaluate the post-weaning performance of meat goat bucklings consuming a pasture-based diet, with natural exposure to internal parasites, primarily the barber pole worm.

• Identify meat goat bucklings that are resistant and resilient to internal parasites, while maintaining above-average growth (ADG).

EXTENSION

• Encourage the use of performance-tested bucks in the US meat goat industry.

• Demonstrate the use of best management practices for controlling internal parasitism in small ruminants.

• Build small ruminant extension program around test.

Procedures

CONSIGNORS

• Any breeder, any state

• Up to 5 goats per consignor

• At least 2

• 5 preferred

• Half-sibs recommended

GOATS

• Male

• Any breed or cross

• No registration requirement

• 40-70 lbs.

• Born Jan 1-Mar 15

• Vaccinated twice for CDT

• Weaned for > 2 weeks

• Single group

• Rotationally-grazedPasture-based diet

• Adjustment period followed by 84-d test

• Deworm with three dewormers upon arrival

• Handle bi-weekly

• Identify top-performers

TEST

Handling and data collection

Arrival and every 2 weeks

• Body weight, ADG

• FAMACHA© score

• Body condition score

• Coat condition score

• Dag score

• Fecal consistency score

• Individual fecal egg count (FEC)

• Need for treatment (Tx)

Towards end of test Other

• Ultrasound scan

• Rib eye area and depth

• Structural correctness

• Feet and legs

• Hooves

• Bites (mouth)

• Reproductive soundness

• Scrotal circumference

• Teat number and structure

• USDA Grade

• Pooled fecal samples for larvae ID

• Pooled fecal samples to determine diet quality (NIRS).

• Carcass

Results

Year # goats # consigners States2006 31 9 52007 47 11 72008 57 20 102009 60 17 112010 72 20 122011 81 23 112012 49 20 102013 81 23 112014 77 23 112015 84 25 12

Totals 639 84 18*

*Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North

Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia

Activities associated with goat test

Year Auction Field DayTwilight Tourand tasting

Slaughter

2006

2007

2008 20 Dan Waldron

2009 11 Richard Browning 10 goats from test

2010 11 Paul Kuber 10 goats from test

2011 11 Pen vs. pasture study

2012 14 Pen vs. pasture study

2013 Virginia For public Pen vs. pasture study

2014 Kentucky For public Pen vs. pasture study

2015

2016 Kentucky For public Carcass contest

COMMUNICATION

E-mail listConsignors only

Meat Goat Test Bloghttp://mdgoattest.blogspot.com

Meat Goat Test Listservmeatgoattest@listserv.umd.edu

Web pagehttp://www.sheepandgoat.com/#!goattest/cbev

Flickr™Image folder for each year of test

Impacts

• Since 2006, 639 goats from 84 herds in 20 states have been evaluated in the Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test.

• Top-performers have been selected and sold or returned to farms for breeding

• The test has increased the use of performance testing in the meat goat industry.

• The test serves as a valuable source of information pertaining to parasite control, pasture-rearing, performance evaluation, and carcass traits in meat goats.

• Since 2006, the meat goat test blog has received 126,773 hits.

Thank you for your attention. Questions, comments?

10 year summary: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/#!10yearsbucktest/c23ym