This presentation is about the Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test.

1. WESTERN MARYLAND
PASTURE-BASED MEAT GOAT
PERFORMANCE TEST
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep &Goat Specialist
Western Maryland Research & Education Center
www.sheepandgoat.com – sschoen@umd.edu

2. Which buck is better?
Which buck’s offspring will be more likely to survive to weaning?
Which buck’s offspring will grow faster?
Which buck’s offspring will be more resistant to worms?
Which buck’s daughters will produce more lbs. of live kids?

3. Selection criteria for bucks (and
rams)
VISUAL APPRAISAL

Live evaluation




Body conformation
Live handling
Measurements
Shows

“Expert” opinion
PERFORMANCE RECORDS
1.
2.
3.
On-farm performance
testing
Central performance
testing
Across-flock performance
testing (EPDs)

4. Central performance testing
“A central performance test is
where animals from different
herds are brought to one
central location where
performance is recorded. The
rationale is that measured
differences are more likely due
to genetic differences, which
will be passed onto
offspring, rather than
environmental differences
which will not. The goal of a
central performance test is to
identify genetic differences
among animals.”
Dr. Dan Waldron
Texas A&M University
2008 Top-performing buck
(Kiko)
John Smith, Virginia

5. Small ruminant performance
tests
RAMS
BUCKS








Kerr Center (OK)
North Dakota
Penn State
Texas A&M
Virginia Tech
Illinois (?)
West Virginia University








Angelo State (TX)
Fort Valley (GA)
Kerr Center (OK)
Langston University
Nebraska (?)
Penn State
Texas A&M
University of Maryland
Western Illinois

6. Limitations to central performance
testing
GENETICS


Limited to traits that can
be measured in the
young male.
What is the
repeatability (accuracy)
of the data?
ENVIRONMENT


Different production
environments.
Nutrition may be a
limiting factor.

7. Western Maryland Pasture-based
Meat Goat Performance Test
Established
in 2006 to
evaluate the
performance
of weanling
male goats
on a
pasture-only
diet with
natural
exposure to
internal
parasites.
GRAZING FROM EARLY JUNE THROUGH LATE
SEPTEMBER

8. Maryland buck test
Most important goal is to identify bucks that are more resistant to internal
parasites.
RESISTANCE
Fecal egg counts (FECs)
H2 = 20 TO 50 PERCENT
RESILIENCE
Packed cell volume (FAMACHA©, Five Point
Check©)
H2 = 10 TO 20 PERCENT

9. Eligibility
Male goats of any breed or breed cross, born between
December 15 (previous year) and March 20 (test year) and
weighing 35 to 70 lbs. at the start of the test. Up to 5 goats per
consigner (any state).

10. 12.5-acre pasture system
Six paddocks for rotational grazing

11. Cool season grasses
ORCHARDGRASS
MAXQ™ TALL FESCUE

12. Warm season grass
DWARF PEARL MILLET (ANNUAL)

13. Chicory
Herb with “anthelmintic-like” properties

14. Weeds
Plant
Protei
n
TDN
RFV
Mixed weeds
14.1%
65.8
%
111
Chicory
14.3%
Lambsquarte
23.2%
75.3
184
Relative feed value of good alfalfa hay is 170 or higher.
%
89.6
298

15. Silvopasture
WALNUT TREES + MIXED HARDWOODS

16. Extremes in forage conditions
CONSIDERABLE SEASONAL AND ANNUAL VARIATION IN FORAGE QUALITY AND
QUANTITY

17. June
July
August
September
Total
16.00
14.00
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00
2006
2007
2008
2009
Monthly and annual rainfall (in)
June-September 2006-2010
Keedysville, Maryland
2010

18. In the event of severe drought
conditions
NUTRITIONAL TUBS
GRASS HAY

19. Upon arrival to test site
Data collected








Body weights
Body condition score (15)
Coat condition score (13)
Dag score (0-5)
FAMACHA© score (1-5)
Individual fecal egg
count
Pooled fecal egg count
Larvae ID
Treatments administered



Stand in footbath
Ear tag
Deworm with
anthelmintics from two
different chemical
classes.
(usually moxidectin +
levamisole)

5-day treatment for
coccidia in water.

20. Every 14 days
Low-stress livestock handing – handling by horns

Five Point
Check©







Weigh
FAMACHA© score
Body condition score
Coat condition score
Dag score
Health check:
Treat as necessary
Collect individual
fecal sample
Collect pooled
fecal sample

21. Treatment and isolation pens
Goats are penned for multi-day treatments and observation.
Goats with abscesses or pink eye are isolated for testing and
treatment, respectively.

22. Carcass evaluation
Since 2009, 19 bucks have been harvested and deboned to collect carcass
data
and characterize the carcasses of pasture-reared goats.

23. New for 2011
Ten goats (half-sibs) are being pen-fed for carcass evaluation.
The carcasses of pasture-raised vs. grain (and hay)-fed bucks will be
compared.

24. Number of goats tested
Year
of test
Start
test
Finish
test
2006
31
31
2007
47
47
2008
57
57
2009
60
60
2010
72
68
2011
81
80(?)
Five year consigners (L-R)
Don Smith, Virginia; and Jeanne Dietz-Band,
Maryland

25. Growth performance
Live weight, lbs.
Year
ADG
85
2006
0.190
80
2007
0.253
2008
0.134
2009
0.206
70
2010
0.121
65
2011
0.103
60
75
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
55
2011
50
45
40
d (-14)
d-0
June
d-14
d-28
d-42
d-56
d-70
d-84
d-96
September

26. Fecal egg counts
(eggs per gram of feces)
Determined by Delaware State University using the modified McMaster
procedure.
Fecal egg
counts are a
measure of
parasite
resistance
(infection).
Resistant
animals
shed fewer
eggs onto
the pasture.
Average fecal egg count (all goats)
4,500
2007
4,000
2008
3,500
2009
2010
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
d (-14)
June
d-0
d-14
d-28
d-42
d-56
d-70
d-84
d-96
September

27. FAMACHA© eye anemia
scores
FAMACHA©
scores are
an estimate
of packed
cell volume
(PCV) and
are an
indication of
parasite
“resilience”
and the
need for
deworming.
Average bi-weekly FAMACHA© score
3.2
2006
3.0
2007
2.8
2008
2009
2.6
2010
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
d (-14)
d-0
June
d-14
d-28
d-42
d-56
d-70
d-84
September
d-96

28. Anthelmintic treatments
Percent goats requiring anthelmintic
treatment
FAMACHA©
scoring
70%
1 – no Tx
2 – no Tx
3–?
4 – Tx
5 – Tx
60%
50%
2006
40%
2007
2008
30%
2009
2010
20%
10%
0%
d-0
d-14
June
d-28
d-42
d-56
d-70
d-84
d-96
September

29. Fecal coproculture (larvae ID)
Other worm species in fecal samples: Trichostrongylus*, Oesophagostomum, Nematodiris, Eimeria, and
Moniezia
The worm
burden has
been almost
all barber
pole
worm, espec
ially as the
summer
progresses.
Percent Haemonchus contortus
100
95
90
85
2008
80
2009
d-70
d-84
2010
75
70
65
60
d-0
d-14
June
d-28
d-42
d-56
d-98
d-112
September

30. Test specifics

Nomination period
April 1- May 15

Testing fee
$20 nomination fee
$85 total cost

Delivery dates
First weekend (Fri-Sat) in June

Sale, field day, and skillathon
September 24 or October 1

Top bucks eligible for sale

Sell does via private treaty

Carcass evaluation
2008 Top-consignment
Kendall & Dana Barnes, Kentucky
http://mdgoattest.blogspot.

31. Gold, Silver, and Bronze
standards

32. Thank you for your attention.
Questions?
http://mdgoattest.blogspot.c
om
SMALL RUMINANT
PROGRAM
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
www.sheepandgoat.com
sschoen@umd.edu