1. OPTIONS FOR FATTENING
(FINISHING) MEAT GOATS
SUSAN SCHOENIAN
Sheep & Goat Specialist
University of Maryland Extension
Western Maryland Research & Education Center
sschoen@umd.edu - www.sheepandgoat.com - www.acsrpc.org

2. Introduction
• The goat industry is growing
worldwide.
• The U.S. goat industry has
increased substantially in the
past 20 years.
• The demand for goat
products is increasing due to
changing demographics and
immigration patterns.
• There are many challenges
to raising goats profitably,
including fattening (finishing)
goats for market.

3. Quality (finish) affects prices.
27-36 kg kids, $ per head (weighted average)
New Holland, Pennsylvania USA
April 1 -November, 4, 2013
$200
$180
$160
$140
$120
$100
$80
$60
4/1
4/8
4/22 4/29
5/6
5/13 5/20 5/27
6/3
6/10 6/17 6/24
7/1
7/8
7/15 7/29
8/5
8/12 8/19 8/26
9/2
9/9
9/16 9/23 9/30 10/21 10/28 11/4
Selection 1
$13
$15
$15
$16
$15
$15
$16
$14
$17
$16
$14
$14
$16
$18
$15
$12
$13
$13
$15
$14
$13
$14
$13
$13
$15
161
139
141
Selection 2
$10
$13
$13
$14
$12
$11
$12
$14
$15
$12
$11
$10
$14
$13
$13
$10
$11
$10
$10
$11
$11
$12
$11
$12
$11
120
102
118
Selection 3
$63
$10
$89
$70
$98
$88
$99
$71
$85
$10
$10
$83
$88
$10
$90
$79
$99
$97
$89
$68
$89
$94
$85
$10
$90
93
76
86

4. USDA grades for live goats
and goat carcasses
Selection 1
Selection 2
Selection 3
• Superior muscling
• Average muscling
• Inferior muscling
• Superior meat yield
• Medium meat yield
• Poor meat yield
Grades are supposed to be independent of age, breed, sex, weight, and fat(?).

5. Higher rates-of-gain are not possible
without some concentrate feeding.
Nutrient requirements for 20 kg. Boer bucklings (NRC, 2007)
ADG, g/d DM, kg/d
DMI, % TDN, kg/d % TDN
CP, g/d
% CP
0
0.67
3.3
0.33
49.2
43
6.4
25
0.75
3.7
0.37
49.3
58
7.7
100
0.72
3.6
0.48
66.7
103
14.5
150
0.64
3.2
0.56
87.5
133
20.1
200
0.72
3.6
0.64
88.9
163
22.6
250
0.80
4.0
0.71
88.8
194
24.2

6. Nutrient content of feedstuffs
Feedstuff
% DM
% CP
% TDN
Energy concentrates
88-91
8-14
76-92
Protein concentrates
88-91
23-66
74-87
Grass hay
88-91
6-12
50-60
Legume hay
88-91
15-19
55-65
Fresh forage
24-29
14-18
61-67

7. Literature review
• Concentrate feeding increases
average daily gain (ADG).
• Concentrate feeding increases
dressing percentage, carcass
weight, and carcass fatness.
• Concentrate feeding may reduce the
percentage of trimmed retail cuts.
• Concentrate feeding may alter fatty
acid composition.
• Higher quality forage will also
improve goat performance and
carcass quality.

8. Literature review
• The most important aspect
of concentrate feeding is
the cost: benefit ratio.
• There is a narrow
opportunity for profit when
feedlotting goats.
• Texas A&M researchers
determined the most
economical ration to be
whole corn and a premix
pellet, which must be
ground to prevent sorting.

9. Literature review
• The cost of gain can be
reduced by feeding on-farm
diets, e.g. whole barley
and a premix pellet.
• The cost of gain can be
reduced by feeding by-productbased rations: e.g. distiller’s
grains and soybean hulls.
• Fiber-based (soy hulls) diets
may produce more economical
gains than starch-based (corn)
diets.
• The cost of gain can be reduced by finishing goats to a lighter weight.
• The cost of gain can be reduced feeding the same amount of feed
over a longer period of time.

10. University of Maryland Extension
Pen vs. Pasture Studies
2011-2013

11. Bucks were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: PEN or PASTURE.
2011
• N = 18
2012
• N = 30
2013
• N = 30
• Intact males
• Intact males
• Intact males
• Mixed breeds, but
• Mixed breeds, but
• All Kiko
mostly Kiko
• From 7 farms
• Avg. 20.1 3.5 kg
mostly Kiko
• From 10 farms
• Avg. 20.5 3.7 kg
• From 1 farm
• Avg. 23.5
3.1 kg

12. PEN goats were housed in a
4.9 m2 zero-grazing pen.
PASTURE goats grazed
alongside bucks in the
annual Western Maryland
Pasture-based Meat Goat
Performance Test.

13. PEN goats were fed hay ad libitum.
2011
• First cutting
2012
• First cutting
Orchardgrass hay
Orchardgrass hay
(Dactylis glomerata L.)
(Dactylis glomerata L.)
• ~0.9 kg per day
• ~0.9 kg per day
2013
• Mostly 2nd cutting
Orchardgrassalfalfa mixed hay
• ~1.1 kg per day

14. PEN goats were limit-fed grain, once daily based on appetite.
2011
2012
• Commercial meat goat
• 4 parts whole barley to
pellet (17% CP)
1 part 38% pellet
2013
• Whole barley
• $0.29 per kg
• $0.48 per kg
• $0.35 per kg
• Max. 0.59 kg per day
• Max 0.73. kg per day
• Max 0.68 kg per day
• Avg. 0.5 kg per day
Avg. 0.45. kg per day
• Avg. 0.55 kg per day

15. PASTURE goats were rotationally grazed among six 0.8-ha paddocks.
2011
• ~ 17 bucks per ha
2012
2013
• ~ 13 bucks per ha
Tall fescue (MaxQ™)
Festuca arundinacea
• ~ 19 bucks per ha
Orchardgrass
Dactylis glomerata L.
Cool season grasses comprised two-thirds of the grazing area (~3.4 ha).

16. Warm season annuals comprised one-third of the grazing area (~1.6 ha).
2011
• Dwarf pearl millet
Pennisetum glaucum
2012
• Millet + brassica
Pennisetum glaucum +
Brassica napus
x B. campestris
2013
• Dwarf forage
sorghum
Sorghum bicolor
(BMR variety)

17. Internal parasite protocol
Stomach worms
• Upon arrival, bucks were
dewormed with drugs from 2-3
anthelmintic classes.
Albendazole
Valbazen @ 3 ml/23 kg
2) Moxidectin
Cydectin® 0.1% oral drench
@ 2 ml/5 kg
3) Levamisole
Prohibit® soluble drench
(concentrated drench solution)
@ 3 ml per 23 kg.
1)
Coccidia
• Upon arrival, goats were
treated for coccidiosis for five
days in their water.
• 2011, 2012
Amprolium
(Corid)
• 2013
Sulfadimethoxine
(Di-Methox)

18. Bi-weekly data
•
•
•
•
•
•
Body weights
FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
Body condition scores (1-5)
Coat condition scores (1-3)
Dag scores (0-5)
Fecal consistency
scores (1-4)*
• Fecal egg counts (EPG)
• Treatments
End of test data
• Ultrasound rib eye
• Ultrasound rib fatness
• USDA grade*
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hot carcass weight (HCW)
Cold carcass weight (CCW)
Dressing percentage (DP)
Rib eye area (REA)
Body wall thickness (BWT)
Leg circumference*
Kidney and heart fat (KH)
weight and percentage.
Fat weight and percentage
Bone weight and
percentage
Lean weight and
percentage
Boneless, fat-free yield
Fatty acid composition
Carcass data
* Started in 2013

19. Results have varied by year.
2011
• Pen-fed goats gained
more and produced
superior
carcasses, yielding 5%
more boneless, fat-free
meat.
2012
• Pasture-raised goats
gained faster, but had
higher fecal egg counts
and FAMACHA©
scores. There were no
differences in carcass
traits, including yield.
2013
• Pen-fed goats grew
much faster and had
lower fecal egg counts
and lower FAMACHA©
scores. They produced
superior carcasses,
yielding almost 5% more
boneless, fat-free meat.

20. Body weights (kg)
31.0
29.0
27.0
25.0
23.0
21.0
19.0
17.0
ADG: 105 vs. 52 g/d
15.0
4-Jun
10-Jun
23-Jun
7-Jul
20-Jul
4-Aug
18-Aug
1-Sep
15-Sep
Pen
16.7
19.5
19.5
20.5
21.1
25.8
25.8
28.7
30.3
pasture
19.4
20.2
20.6
21.4
22.7
23.1
24.3
25.2
25.9

21. Fecal egg counts (EPG)
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
10-Jun
23-Jun
7-Jul
20-Jul
4-Aug
18-Aug
1-Sep
15-Sep
Pasture
474
110
612
669
609
1439
1979
3920
Pen
612
138
606
159
140
313
343
316

22. FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
3.0
2.8
2.6
2.4
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
4-Jun
10-Jun
23-Jun
7-Jul
20-Jul
4-Aug
18-Aug
1-Sep
15-Sep
Pasture
2.6
2.6
2.1
1.9
1.8
2.6
1.7
1.9
2.4
Pen
2.4
2.9
1.7
1.6
1.7
1.7
1.5
1.7
1.3

23. Live and carcass weights (kg)
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
Pasture
Pen
End weight
26.0
Hot carcass weight
10.3
Cold carcass weight
9.4
28.8
12.9
12.3

24. Carcass percentages
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Pasture
Pen
KH fat
1.4%
Total fat
2.1%
Bone
42.3%
Lean
54.8%
Yield
19.8%
Dressing
39.4%
2.6%
4.3%
37.2%
57.9%
24.5%
44.4%

25. Body weights (kg)
29.0
27.0
25.0
23.0
21.0
19.0
ADG: 83 vs. 68 g/d
17.0
15.0
2-Jun
Past
ure
14-Jun
28-Jun
12-Jul
26-Jul
9-Aug
22-Aug
6-Sep
17.5
20.5
23.2
23.5
25.4
26.5
26.8
27.5

26. Fecal egg counts, epg
3000
Tx = 11
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2-Jun
14-Jun
28-Jun
12-Jul
26-Jul
9-Aug
22-Aug
6-Sep
Pasture
2149
67
289
727
1424
2311
1777
1708
Pen
2434
37
278
407
272
880
956
823

27. FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
2.8
2.6
2.4
Tx = 11
2.2
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
2-Jun
14-Jun
28-Jun
12-Jul
26-Jul
9-Aug
22-Aug
6-Sep
Pen
2.0
2.1
1.5
1.8
1.4
1.5
1.7
1.5
Pasture
2.1
1.6
1.7
1.6
1.4
2.0
2.7
1.9

28. Live and carcass weights (kg)
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
Pasture
Pen
Live weight
27.3
Hot carcass weight
11.5
Cold carcass weight
10.5
26.5
11.4
10.3

29. Carcass percentages
50.0%
45.0%
40.0%
35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%
Pasture
Pen
KH fat
1.5%
Fat
2.0%
Yield
18.8%
Bone
44.1%
Lean
48.6%
Dressing
42.2%
1.7%
2.4%
18.7%
44.2%
48.3%
42.9%

30. Body weights (kg)
35.0
33.0
31.0
29.0
ADG: 141 vs. 29 g/d
27.0
25.0
23.0
21.0
31-May
13-Jun
27-Jun
11-Jul
25-Jul
8-Aug
22-Aug
5-Sep
Pen
22.0
24.0
26.0
28.8
29.9
33.1
32.7
33.9
Pasture
22.6
23.0
23.4
23.1
24.4
26.0
25.6
25.1

31. Fecal egg counts (EPG)
(pastures were pre-infected by sheep)
1800
Tx = 8
1600
Tx = 12
1400
Tx = 3
1200
1000
800
600
400
Tx = 3
200
Tx = 1
0
31-May
13-Jun
27-Jun
11-Jul
25-Jul
8-Aug
22-Aug
5-Sep
Pen
48
0
14
65
44
31
36
291
Pasture
57
0
1542
1441
687
605
586
1230

32. FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
4.0
Tx = 8
3.5
Tx = 12
3.0
Tx = 3
2.5
Tx = 1
Tx = all
Tx = 3
2.0
1.5
31-May
13-Jun
27-Jun
11-Jul
25-Jul
8-Aug
22-Aug
5-Sep
Pen
2.5
2.2
2.0
1.9
1.7
1.7
1.7
1.9
Pasture
2.1
1.9
3.7
3.3
2.6
2.3
2.2
2.3

33. Live and carcass weights
80.0
70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Pen
Pasture
Start weight
48.3
End weight
74.5
Hot carcass weight
32.4
Cold carcass weight
29.9
49.8
55.2
22.4
20.0

34. Carcass percentages
60.0%
50.0%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
Pen
Pasture
KH fat
1.1%
Total fat
2.3%
Bone
35.1%
Lean
55.5%
Dressing
43.5%
Yield
22.3%
0.3%
0.4%
44.2%
48.5%
40.3%
17.5%

35. Economics of pen-feeding
• Will vary by year and farm.
• Will depend upon feed costs.
• Will depend upon genetic potential of goats.
• Will depend upon market prices.
2011
• Pen-feeding was more
profitable.
2012
• Pasture-rearing was
more profitable.
2013
• Pen-feeding was more
profitable.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

36. When pen feeding is most likely to be
more profitable than pasture-rearing.
• Feedstuffs are competitively priced.
• Pasture costs are high, due to high land values or rental rates.
• Predator risk is high for pastured animals.
• Internal parasite challenge is high for pastured animals.
• Market prices are high and market pays a premium for higher
quality goats.
• Goats have the genetic potential to perform on a moderate to
high plane of nutrition.

37. Tips for pen feeding goats
• Limit feed
• If self-feeding, grind or
pellet feed to prevent
sorting
• Feed plenty of forage
(hay or pasture)
• Feed proper ratio of
calcium to phosphorus/
• Vaccinate for overeating
disease type D
• Feed goats that have
good potential for
growth.

38. Thank you for your attention. Questions?