the oklahoma forage-based buck test 2012...

The Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test2012 Report

Erin Campbell-Craven

Goat Projects Manager

Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u re

Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u re, Poteau, Oklahoma

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©Copyright 2012 Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u reSelections from this report may be used according toaccepted fair use guidelines.Permission needed to re p roduce in full.Contact Maura McDermott at Kerr Center for permission. Please link to this report on www. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m

KERR CENTER GOAT PROJECTS

Erin Campbell-CravenRanch Herdsman and Technician: Andy MakovyLivestock Interns: Carrie Shirley, Rock Gremillion

T E C H N I C A L A D V I S O RY COMMITTEE, 2011

Test A g ronomist: Chris Rice, OCES Southeast District A g ro n o m i s t

Test Nutritionist: Brian Freking, Le Flore County Educator

Test Veterinarian: Ann Wells, D.V.M., Kerr Center Director of Educational Pro g r a m s

R E P O RT

Editing and Figures: Wylie Harris

Formatting and Layout: Tracy Clark, A rgus DesignWo r k s

Communications Director: Maura McDermott

For more information contact:

Kerr Center

PO Box 588

Poteau, OK 74953

w w w. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m

m a i l b o x @ k e r rc e n t e r. c o m

918.647.9123 or fax 918.647.8712

This report is available online at w w w. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m / s t e w a rd s h i p / o k - r a m - a n d - b u c k - t e s t . h t m l

1THE OKLAHOMA FO R AG E - BASED BUCK TEST 2012 REPORT

PrefaceThe Kerr Center Meat Goat Program began in 2007 with the establishment of the

Oklahoma Commercial Meat Goat Forage Performance Test. The test was later re n a m e dthe Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test, and is commonly known as the “Buck Te s t . ”

Personnel from the Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u re and from the OklahomaState University Cooperative Extensive Service cooperate to conduct the test each summer.

The rationale behind the Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test is to identify individualbucks, as well as their sires and dams, that carry genetics expressing strong traits importantin commercial meat goat production on pasture .

The test allows breeders to compare genetics within their herds, making bettermanagement decisions when selecting herd lines that will produce profitable progeny for future herds. This test also provides valuable information to other goat producers not participating in the test, as well as to the public.

Goat producers wishing to test their bucks' performance on forage are invited toenter their bucks in the test, which runs from early July through late September.

For more information on the Kerr Center program, as well as links to goatre s o u rces, visit the Kerr Center website, www. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m / s t e w a rdship/goats.html.

2 THE KERR CENTER FOR SUSTA I NABLE AG R I C U LT U R E

The U.S. meat goat industry has expandedsignificantly in recent years, especially in theSouth, from a production area once larg e l yconfined to southwest Texas. This growth hasbeen driven in part by a rising demand for goatand lamb meat by growing ethnic minoritypopulations. The number of small farms andranches has also been increasing steadily. Mostlandholders now entering into farming possessonly small acreages that do not readily supportcattle production. In such cases, small ru m i-nants are an attractive and workable option.

Many larg e r, established farmers andranchers are also discovering the benefits ofadding meat goats to their cattle operations.Goats complement cattle on pasture by eatingb rowse and weeds that cattle avoid; meatgoats also provide a second income stre a mthat is always welcome.

H o w e v e r, the most compelling driver inmeat goat production in recent history has beenthe show ring. Show goats have become a majors o u rce of interest and revenue for many pro d u c e r s ,particularly due to growing demand from youthparticipating in 4-H and FFA competitions. Thisemphasis on show ring quality has had a signifi-cant effect on the commercial meat goat animal,which has been selected more for its physicalappearance than for commercially beneficialcharacteristics like foraging ability, footsoundness, and parasite resilience/tolerance.

In 2006, goat producers and agriculturaleducators approached the Kerr Center abouthosting a commercial buck test. The goal of thetest would be identification of the geneticsbeneficial for successful forage-based goatp roduction. Emphasis would be placed onmaximizing weight gain on forage withminimal supplementation, parasite resilience/tolerance, and overall commercial viability.

As a result, the Kerr Center commenced itsfirst meat goat buck test on July 16, 2007, whichwas followed by subsequent tests in the follow-ing years. (See The Oklahoma Commercial MeatGoat Forage Performance Test 2007, 2008, 2009,2010, and 2011 Reports for information.) Thesuccess of the early tests led to the currentregular yearly test schedule.

The 2012 test began on July 2 and ended onSeptember 20, for a total test period of 80 days.Bucks were checked in on June 21 and allowed aten-day warm-up period before the official startweight of the test was taken on July 2. The buckswere rotated through a series of 6 paddocksduring the test, with several of the paddocksbeing grazed more than once, depending on theforage availability in the paddocks. Two live-stock guardian dogs were placed with thebucks to provide protection from predators.

Fourteen producers from seven states(Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri,Kansas, Illinois, and Mississippi) entered 57bucks to compete for top average daily gainand lowest fecal egg counts. The meat goatb reed re p resented overwhelmingly in the testwas the Kiko, but there were also several Kikoc rosses in the test, including Kiko/Boer cro s s e sand Kiko/Savanna cro s s e s .

Introduction


E l i g i b i l i t yEligible bucks were born between January 1

and March 31, 2011. The live weight at check-inhad to exceed 35 lbs., and weaning had to havebeen completed 30 days prior to the check-indate. A minimum of one deworming and oneCDT vaccination four weeks prior to entry, alongwith trimmed feet, were re q u i red. All breeds andcrossbreeds were allowed to compete.

P r o c e d u r e sAll producers were re q u i red to pro v i d e

documentation of compliance with theirrespective states' scrapies regulations. Out-of-state producers had to provide theirstate's official interstate health certificatesshowing compliance with all Oklahoma livestock shipment regulations.

Each animal was given a thorough healthexamination upon check-in. Each buck thenreceived a de-worming with Levamisole (forHaemonchus contortus, the barber pole worm)and Valbazen (for tapeworms), a CDT booster,and a collar with a numbered tag for identificationduring the test. In addition, FA M A C H Ascoring and fecal egg counts were done for eachbuck. The data obtained by taking weights and

doing fecal egg counts upon check-in was notused in determination of the winners of the testor in test data analysis. Fecal egg counts weredone at check-in to ensure that there was a 90%reduction in fecal egg count in the bucks afterworming, demonstrating the effectiveness ofthe wormers used at the start of the test. Theseinitial fecal egg counts were also provided tothe producers so that producers who do notroutinely perform fecal egg counts on theirbucks could be informed of the fecal egg countsof bucks coming directly from their operations.Weights were taken upon check-in to ensurethat each buck met the minimum weightre q u i red for entrance into the test.

Having an accurate weight at the time ofworming was also vital in determining theamount of wormer needed to effectively wormeach buck. When administering Levamisole, inp a r t i c u l a r, it is necessary to have an accurateweight on the animal being treated. A t o o - l o wdose of Levamisole will not effectively deworman animal, leaving a number of worms stillalive in the digestive system that are somewhatimmune to a low dosage of wormer. Theseworms will continue to re p roduce and aff e c tthe animal negatively, reducing performanceand causing disease or even death. A t o o - h i g h

Oklahoma Fo ra g e- Based Buck Test 2012


dose of Levamisole can easily cause illness andeven death due to respiratory failure .

An appropriate dose of Valbazen wasgiven to each buck at check-in to treat for tape-worms. Tapeworms very rarely cause majorhealth problems or death in goats, but they canimpact performance and negatively impactg rowth rates in growing yearlings.

Forages provided the bulk of the diet,which was supplemented with dried distillersgrains (DDG, 0.5 lbs./head/day). A m i n e r a land vitamin supplement manufactured specifi-cally for goats by Vitamax was provided fre echoice at all times.

Any buck suspected of disease or illnesswould be quarantined on forage pendingexamination by a veterinarian. If deemed safe,the animal would be treated and returned to

the test. If it were determined that the individ-ual should not reenter the trial, it would re m a i nin quarantine until alternative arrangementscould be made with the pro d u c e r. No animalsw e re quarantined or disqualified during the2012 test.

Weighing and parasite examinations weredone approximately every 17 days. Theparasite exam included FA M A C H A scoring ofthe lower eyelid (see box, p. 15) and samplingfor fecal egg counts (FEC). A c c o rding to thep rotocol, any bucks scoring 4 or 5 on theFA M A C H A scale would be dewormed anddisqualified; however, no bucks scored above 3at any time during the 2012 test.

Position within the test was determined by average daily gain (ADG) and fecal eggcount (FEC).

Forages and SupplementationAlthough the buck test is not a re s e a rch trial on forages per se, it is possible to make general

observations during the test on forage quality, forage availability, and the bucks' grazing behavior.Test paddock vegetation consists of bermuda, fescue, lespedeza, warm season native grasses, forbs,and small amounts of brush, primarily small honey locust tre e s .

Plans were made in early 2012 to seed the buck test pastures with Legend lespedeza, as had beendone prior to the previous year's buck test, to improve upon the already existing lespedeza standp resent from previous seeding. However, it was near impossible to find Legend lespedeza seed due tothe previous year's drought, as producers of the seed had seen such a decrease in seed output duringthe summer of 2011 and were forced to retain the majority of that seed for use on further pro d u c t i o n .Instead, sorghum-sudan was broadcast in the buck test pastures at the beginning of May, but the lackof adequate rainfall after the middle of April resulted in little to no germination of that seed.

In past years of the test, bucks have been rotated through five test paddocks, with the orderand timing of rotation being determined by forage availability within each paddock - bucks arerotated into each new paddock when forage availability in the current inhabited paddock fallsbelow the level that is required for desired rates of weight gain. During the 2012 buck test, buckswere also rotated through a sixth brushy “browse” paddock adjacent to the numbered buck testpaddocks when the forage availability fell too low in the numbered test paddocks for continuedgrazing. The relocation of the bucks to the browse paddock allowed the bucks to browse on qualityforage in that pasture while allowing the other paddocks time for regrowth so that they could begrazed again before the end of the test period.


The decision was made to attempt tograze the 57 bucks in the extra browse pastureat the beginning of August. In previous yearsof the test, the bucks had only been grazedt h rough the buck test paddocks because each ofthose paddocks is enclosed by pre d a t o r- p ro o felectrified woven wire fence. It was unknownwhether the bucks would be adequatelycontained by the temporary polywire fence thatwould be re q u i red to enclose the bro w s ep a s t u re, which was usually grazed with cattleand was normally only surrounded by a singlehigh-tensile wire.

L u c k i l y, the bucks respected the five poly-w i res that made up the temporary fences u r rounding the browse pasture, and there wereno problems with buck escape or pre d a t i o n .

The decision to move the bucks to thebrowse pasture was prompted by a noticeabledrop in forage availability in the buck testpaddocks. The drop in nutritional quality beganto slightly affect some of the bucks negatively atthe beginning of August. On August 1, diarrh e awas observed in three of the bucks, fore t e l l i n gthe onset of heat stress. Heat stress can have ane x t remely negative impact on animal perform-ance in a short amount of time - heat stress willlead to decreased feed intake and decre a s e di m m u n i t y, making an animal more susceptibleto opportunistic infections like pneumonia and

to parasitic infestation. Low-quality forage,combined with sudden i n c reases in temperature ,is a major contributing factor to heat stress inp roduction animals. At this point, it was decided that, in order top reserve the health of the bucks, keep parasiteg rowth to a minimum, and keep the bucksgaining, an immediate increase in nutritionalquality was necessary. The bucks were movedto the browse paddock as soon as temporaryfence around the area could be completed.

The bucks were also supplemented with am i x t u re of alfalfa and timothy hay (with ap rotein level of about 20%) at the rate of 0.50 to0.70 lbs. per head per day from August 1 to theend of the test. After beginning this supple-mentation and moving the bucks to the higher-quality brush pasture, no more symptoms ofheat stress were observed and there was nonoticeable drop in feed intake or increase inparasite load. In fact, fecal egg counts dro p p e dslightly during this period, likely due to acombination of factors including incre a s e dnutrition and more upward browsing activitythat limited grazing close to the ground. Thelarvae of the barber pole worm only reside inthe lowest two to three inches of forage, so asanimals browse on brush that is one to two feetin height, they will pick up fewer parasitesthan if they are grazing extremely short forage.

The use of the browse pasture pro v e dessential in meeting the nutritional needs of thebucks during the hottest part of the test.During this period the majority of the forageconsumed consisted of ragweed and smallhoney locust trees, two of the only species inthe test pastures that are heat-resistant enoughto continue to grow and produce during ad rought. Both of these species contain pro t e i nlevels above 20%, although the protein levels inragweed drop as it matures and becomes lesspalatable. Goats prefer to eat ragweed in itsvegetative state, and it is most palatable and atits highest nutritional quality immediately after

D AT E TEST PA D D O C K

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6 THE KERR CENTER FOR SUS TAINABLE AGRICULTURE

flowering. The leaves of young honey locust trees are highly palatable year-round.

During the last week of the test when there was not enough quality forage left to meet thebucks' nutritional needs, they were fed two 4' x 5' round bales of ryegrass/clover hay with a proteinlevel of 12-14%.

Soil calcium was measured at an average of 0.65% in the test pastures, while soil phosphoruswas measured at average of 0.15%. The calcium to phosphorus ratio in this instance was close to 4:1,while the desired calcium to phosphorus ratio in forage for maximum animal production is 2:1. Themineral supplement provided to the bucks during the test helped to increase the phosphorus levelspresent in the bucks' diet to bring this ratio closer to the intended target.

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Feed Supplementation for 2012 consisted of DDG with a protein level of about 20% at a rate of 0.50

lbs. per head per day. This supplementation served to raise the overall protein levels in the bucks'diets to the necessary 11% needed to meet the desired weight gains in the bucks. The pasture foragewhich comprised the majority of the bucks' diet generally only possessed protein levels of 8-10%.

The combination of forage and supplementation met the bucks' protein, energy, mineral, andvitamin requirements (see “2012 Forage-Based Buck Test: Feed Analysis,” p. 8). The degree towhich forage alone could have met nutritional requirements is shown in Figures 1 - 3.

FIGURE 1. AVAILABLE FORAGE

7THE OKLAHOMA FORAGE-BASED BUCK TEST 2012 REPORT

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FIGURE 2. CRUDE PROTEIN

FIGURE 3. TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS (TDN)


Forage samples from the paddocks that the bucks have been grazing have been collected and asa nutritionist I always want to see if the actual weight gains reflect what forage they have available.To answer this question we need to assume or collect information on many pieces to the puzzle andutilize any information we have to solve the total puzzle.

Start with the weight of the animal. The average weight for all goats was 72 lbs. There f o re , i fwe calculate for the average we obviously over- and underestimate dry matter intake for some of theseindividual goats based on their weight, but at least we are in the ball park. The University of Marylandhas a nice spreadsheet to help calculate nutrient re q u i re m e n t s .

This year we are feeding 0.5 lbs. of custom mix per head per day, and since we are feedingDDG primarily, we should expect a positive associative effect on forage consumption. (How much isstill a good question.)

Did we meet the requirements? Yes, if we knew exactly what they were eating in forage we would have a confidence level that

was very high. Actual gains are very close to the math. This year our limiting factor was availableforage due to drought conditions; there f o re we wisely supplemented with alfalfa/clover hay for ashort period of time at a rate of 1.5 lb. per head per day to achieve the desired gains.

- Brian Fre k i n g

STEP 1.The NRC re q u i re m e nts for a 72-lb. m e at goatgaining 0.33 lb. per day are :

Dry mat ter int a ke (DMI) = 3.11% of bodywe i g ht (BW) , or 2.24 lbs. / d ayTotal digestible nutri e nts (TDN) = 1.34 lb. / d ayCrude pro tein (CP) = 0.31 lb. / d ay

STEP 2.Ca l c u l ate CP and TDN for each feed ingre d i e nt

S u p p l e m e nt Int a ke

0.5 lbs. x 0.90 DM % = 0.45 lb. DM supplied

0.5 lbs. x 0.25 CP % = 0.11 lb. CP supplied

0.5 lbs. x 0.78 TDN% = 0.35 lb. TDN supplied

STEP 3. Fo ra g e

7 2 - l b. g o at x 3.11% of BW = 2.24 lbs. D M2.24 - 0.45 lbs Supplement = 1.79 lbs. of fo ra g e

STEP 4.1.95 lbs. x 0.57 TDN% = 1.111.95 lbs x 0.096 CP% = 0.19

STEP 5. Crude Pro tein To t a lD D G 0 . 1 1+ Fo ra g e 0 . 1 9 7

S u p p l i e d 0 . 3 1

STEP 6. TDN To t a lD D G 1 . 3 7+ Fo ra g e 0 . 3 5

S u p p l i e d 1 . 0 2

2012 Forage-Based Buck Test: Feed AnalysisP redicted Gain vs. Actual Gains


Weather has a strong influence on thehealth of the bucks and on parasite growth.Warm, wet conditions are the perfect breedingground for parasites and bacteria.

A total of 6.85 inches of rain fell duringthe test. The amount of rainfall during the testwas not far below average for the time of year,but even this slightly-below-average rainfall,coming as it did after two previous years ofbelow-average rainfall, greatly contributed todecreased forage availability during the test.Temperatures (Figure 5) were also only slightlyabove average, but again, the 2012 test cameupon the heels of one of the hottest years inOklahoma on record, so even slightly-above-average temperatures contributed to theamount of heat stress placed on the testpastures and on the bucks in the test.

Weather has a strong influence on thehealth of the bucks, and especially on parasitegrowth. Warm, wet conditions are the perfectbreeding ground for parasites and bacteria,while hot and dry or cold and dry conditionsserve to greatly retard the life cycle of the barberpole worm, lengthening the time the worm willrequire to build up to a level in its host whichwill be detrimental to the host's health.

To successfully reproduce, the barber poleworm must complete a life cycle that includesspending part of its life inside a suitable hostand part of its life on pasture. Mature adultworms living inside the host's digestive systemlay eggs which pass out of the host's system inthe host's feces, where they hatch and release.In order for those larvae to leave the fecalpellet, a certain amount of moisture is requiredto break up the feces: this is generally estimatedto be a minimum rainfall of 2 inches/month.Once the worm reaches the larval stage it willmove out of the feces into surrounding foragewhere it will potentially be picked up by a hostanimal when the forage is consumed, in whosedigestive system the worm will mature into anegg-laying adult.

When rainfall is low and conditions are dry,the barber pole worm eggs within a fecal pelletwill remain in suspended animation, sometimesfor months at a time, without developing intothe larval form which can be ingested by theworm's host. As the worm's life cycle can be asshort as 7-10 days in warm, wet conditions, thissuspended animation will have a large positiveeffect on lengthening the worm's life cycle andkeeping parasite build-up in the worm's host to aminimum. Especially hot weather (above 95degrees) will usually be lethal to worm larvaeexposed to sunlight. Cold weather will generally

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FIGURE 4.MONTHLYRAINFALL


have less of a negative impact on the larvae's'survivability, but hard freezes can kill off barberpole worms in the larval stage.

Hot and dry weather conditions are there-fore ideal when it comes to internal parasitecontrol in goats, but these conditions also limitforage growth and consumption.

Internal ParasitesOne of the main goals of the Oklahoma

Forage-Based Buck Test is to examine parasiteresistance and tolerance, in particular the rolethat genetics might play in goat resistance toHaemonchus contortus (barber pole worm). Ithas been established that post-weaning weightgain in yearlings and carcass quality are highlyheritable in goats compared to traits associatedwith fertility levels, which have low heritability.However, not enough research has been doneto determine which genetic traits have thehighest influence on high yearling weight gainand superior carcass quality. A positive correlationbetween low fecal egg counts and high weightgain in yearling bucks in the buck test couldhelp to further the hypothesis that an inherited

high resistance to internal parasites, primarilythe barber pole worm, plays a strong role inpromoting high rates of gain and superiorcarcass quality.

The barber pole worm is a blood-suckingparasite that pierces the lining of the abomasum,causing blood plasma and protein loss(Schoenian, 2006; see box next page). Commonsymptoms are anemia, diarrhea, loss of appetite,depression, and swelling of the fluids under thejaw (bottle jaw). If barber pole worm is leftuntreated, death frequently occurs, usually as aresult of anemia or an opportunistic infectionwhich takes advantage of the animal's weakenedcondition. Even if the parasite level in an animalis not high enough to be fatal, the animal willexperience decreased production as the animaldirects the majority of nutrient intake towardcombating the parasitic infestation and nottoward putting on weight or building musclethat is vital in the production of a good carcass.

Anthelmintics or dewormers arecommonly used to control barber pole worm,but the parasite has shown a great propensity todevelop drug resistance - due, most likely, tooveruse of these materials. There is a history inmeat goat production of improperly using or

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FIGURE 5. MONTHLY HIGH TEMPERATURES


The FAMACHA system was developedin South Africa in response to the emergenceof drug resistant worms. The system utilizesan anemia guide to evaluate the eyelid colorof a sheep/goat to determine the severity ofparasite infection (as evidenced by anemia)and the need for deworming.

A bright red color indicates that theanimal has few or no worms or that the animalhas the capacity to tolerate its worm load. Analmost white eyelid color is a warning sign ofvery bad anemia; the worms present in theanimals gut are in such numbers they aredraining the animal of blood. If left untreated,the animal will soon die.

The FAMACHA chart contains five eyescores (1-5), which have been correlated withpacked cell volumes (percentage of blood madeup of red blood cells, also called hematocrit).

Animals in categories 1 or 2 (red or red-pink)do not require treatment whereas animals incategories 4 and 5 (pink-white and white) do.

Animals in category 3 may or may notrequire treatment depending upon otherfactors. Mature animals in category 3 (pinkcolor) probably do not require treatment,whereas lambs or kids should be treated.The frequency of examination depends uponthe season and weather pattern, with morefrequent examination usually necessary in July,August, and September, the peak worm season.

- Susan Schoenian, “Sheep 201. A Beginner'sGuide to Raising Sheep.”www.sheep101.info/201/index.html

I N B R I E F :

The FAMACHA Test

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FIGURE 6.FAMACHA SCORES


overusing chemical dewormers. Because highlevels of barber pole worm infestation haveproven to be so deadly to goats, producers oftentake the precaution of worming the majority ofproduction animals regardless of each animal'snatural resistance toward the parasite. In thesesystems, a whole herd may be treated with achemical dewormer when only a portion of theherd actually possesses a level of parasite infes-tation high enough to be detrimental to the indi-vidual animal's health. Over time, these prac-tices have contributed to the establishment of aparasite species which is largely resistant tomost chemical dewormers. In a manner similarto the development of antibiotic-resistantstrains of bacteria, the overuse of chemicaldewormers has bred a class of treatment-resist-ant parasites by ensuring that the majority ofbarber pole worms left alive to reproduce arethose that are resistant to treatment.

The practice of treating all productionanimals without regard to an individualanimal's level of resistance to parasites will alsolimit the ability of a producer to select breedingstock that carries a higher level of parasite resist-ance. If a herd is routinely treated with chemicaldewormers as a whole, a producer will not beable to identify the animals that do not routinelyrequire treatment in order to build a more

parasite-resistant herd and limit the overall needto chemically deworm the majority of animals inthe herd. (Note: the term “parasite-resistant” inreference to a herd or individual animal refersto comparative levels of resistance betweenanimals, as animals and herds are either moreor less resistant to parasites. No animal or herdis completely resistant to the effects parasites.)

A desire to identify animals requiringdeworming and avoid the unnecessary treat-ment of animals with higher levels of parasiteresistance led to the development of theFAMACHA system of eye scoring.

Fecal egg counts were analyzed at everyexamination to determine the exact level ofparasitic infection in each buck. While theFAMACHA system is an excellent tool to helpidentify animals in need of deworming and isgenerally a good indicator of parasite load,fecal egg counts can be necessary to quantifythe exact levels of infestation. For example, incases when an animal has a FAMACHA scoreof 3, a fecal egg count may be done to verifywhether the animal indeed has a high enoughparasite load to necessitate treatment with achemical dewormer. In these cases the animal'soverall condition should be taken into consider-ation when deciding whether intervention is

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FIGURE 7.FECAL EGG COUNTS


necessary: if the animal appears in poor healthand is experiencing decreased production, itmay be necessary to deworm even if the fecalegg count is not high enough to normallydictate treatment. In this case, the animal maypossess a low resistance to parasites and canquickly succumb to the effects of barber poleworm infestation even at low parasite loads.

C o n v e r s e l y, there may be circ u m s t a n c e swhen an animal exhibits a FA M A C H A s c o re of1 or 2 while actually maintaining a highparasite load which is not affecting the animalnegatively because it also possesses a highresistance to the negative impacts of parasiteinfestation. Although it may not be necessaryto treat this individual animal in order top reserve its own health and level of pro d u c t i o n ,it may be necessary to treat that animal with achemical dewormer to prevent the parasites inits system from continuing to produce eggswhich will eventually infest other, less-re s i s t a n tanimals - that is, an individual animal mayneed to be treated to help maintain the overallhealth of the herd .

All fecal egg counts during the buck testw e re performed using a modified version of theMcMaster technique to separate parasite eggsf rom fecal pellets through use of a floatationsolution. Parasite eggs were then counted byusing a McMaster fecal egg counting slide withan imprinted grid. For purposes of determiningeach fecal egg count, only barber pole worms(Haemonchus contortus) were counted, althoughthe presence of tapeworms or coccidia eggs wasalso noted.

After an egg count was determined foreach fecal sample, that number was multipliedby 50 to determine the number of eggs pre s e n tper gram of feces - this number was re c o rd e das the fecal egg count (FEC) for the animal atthe time that fecal sample was taken. Somedeworming protocols indicate the necessity fort reatment when an animal's fecal egg count is

over 1,000-2,000 eggs/gram. This may benecessary in goats which have such low levelsof parasite resistance that they cannot continueto be productive animals with this level ofparasite load. However, as one of the goals ofthe Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test is todocument parasite resistance in yearling animals,it would be counter-intuitive to deworm at sucha low level of infestation. The baseline fecal eggcount that would necessitate deworming duringthe buck test is therefore generally 4,000-5,000eggs/gram, although each buck would beviewed on a case-by-case basis, with bucksshowing obvious signs of suffering from parasiteinfestation not necessarily needing to reach the4,000 eggs/gram mark before being treated.

Parasite loads remained consistently lowt h rough the duration of the 2012 buck test. Theaverage final FEC was 628.9 eggs/gram, and theaverage FEC for the entirety of the test was 386.3eggs/gram, far below the minimum number ofeggs/gram that may indicate necessary treatment.

Hot, dry weather conditions prevailed, andt h e re was limited growth of forage cover to shadeparasites from the direct sunlight that is fatal tobarber pole worm larvae. No instances of loss,major illness, or deworming/disqualificationo c c u r red during the entire 80-day run of the test.


HealthThe health of the bucks in the 2012 test

was exceptionally good. Only four cases ofsore mouth were treated, all at the beginning ofthe test, and only one buck required a secondtreatment. Sore mouth is a highly contagiousviral disease transmitted through saliva. It ismost often seen in yearlings post-weaning,especially in groups of newly-introduced goatsfrom different farms or ranches. Painful soresaround the mouth can, if left untreated, dramati-cally reduce feed intake. Each case during the2012 buck test was caught early enough that thesore mouth was able to be treated before it couldnegatively impact animal performance.

All of the bucks were also treated forcoccidia after high numbers of coccidia eggswere noted in the fecal egg counts performedin early July. Coccidia outbreaks are common ingoat yearlings post-weaning, especially thosewho have experienced the stress of a relocationlike that experienced by the bucks at the begin-ning of the buck test. The main symptoms of agoat suffering the effects of coccidiosis arediarrhea, lack of appetite, and dehydration thatcan lead quickly to greatly decreased perform-

ance and death. Coccidia in the bucks wastreated with Corid® in the bucks' water tank ata dosage of eight ounces per 50 gallons for fiveconsecutive days.

None of the common ailments encounteredin previous tests were observed in 2012. Nobucks were treated for pneumonia, foot scald,or internal parasites.

Two weeks before the conclusion of thetest, the bucks were treated for external para-sites - namely blood-sucking midges. Theseexternal parasites generally appear in largenumbers along the backs and around the hornsof the bucks immediately after a rain. Becausethere were few substantial rains during the2012 buck test, the midges only appeared inlarge enough numbers as to require treatmentonce. Midges are not life-threatening to goats,but they can be highly irritating and lead todecreases in production. In some cases, theconstant biting of the midges in a concentratedarea can lead to developing sores, generallyalong the spine of the animal where the midgescan remain out of the animal's reach. Externalparasite control consisted of four ounces of purecedar oil mixed in 48 ounces of regularvegetable oil, applied as needed using a pump

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FIGURE 8.WEIGHT GAIN


sprayer along the back and around the horns.This treatment will remain effective for 2-3weeks before reapplication is necessary, and hasthe added benefit of being non-toxic to thebucks in case of accidental ingestion.

Average Daily GainWeights were taken five times, on July 2,

July 19, August 7, August 24, and September19-20. The last weight used in determination o fthe average daily gain for each buck t h ro u g h o u tthe test was an average of the weights taken onSeptember 19 and 20 to account for fill (the feedand water consumed p re-weighing that is stillp resent in the digestive tract of an animal atweighing).

The highest average ADG for an individualbuck was a three-way tie, with an average thro u g h-out the test of 0.33 lbs. per day. Overall, bucksaveraged an ADG of 0.21 lbs. This ADG is on trackwith the 2010 and 2011 tests, when average dailygains were 0.22 and 0.23 lbs. per day, re s p e c t i v e l y.

Loin Eye Area The loin eye is one of the highest-priced

cuts from a meat goat, equivalent to the rib eyein cattle. A l a rger loin eye area (LEA) is also anindicator that an animal will have a higherp e rcentage of yield at slaughter and an indicatorof superior carcass quality.

Ultrasonic measurement of LEA a l l o w smeat goat producers to measure a heritable andc o m m e rcially valuable carcass trait withouttaking the animal to slaughter. This information,along with performance measures, can informb reeding decisions that will produce betterc o m m e rcial meat goat lines.

Average loin eye area in the 2012 test was6.53 cm2.

S o u rce: Cole, K.V. 2005. Improving Carcass Merit withUltrasound Scanning. Maryland Sheep and GoatP roducer 4(4): 3-5.

S c rotal Circ u m f e re n c eThe scrotal circ u m f e rence (SC) of a buck is a

d i rect indicator of that buck's semen pro d u c t i o nc a p a c i t y, and there f o re his ability to cover anumber of does in a timely manner. Theo ffspring (both bucks and does) from a buckwith a larger scrotal circ u m f e rence will alsoreach puberty quicker than will the offspring of a buck with a smaller scrotal circ u m f e re n c e .SC is measured at the widest part of the scro t u min millimeters or centimeters. There is noc u r rently no age- or breed-based standard fors c rotal circ u m f e rence in meat goats, as there isin cattle and sheep. It is hoped that the scro t a lc i rc u m f e rence measurements taken at theconclusion of the Oklahoma Forage-Based BuckTest can provide information that can be usedto create a scrotal circ u m f e rence standard foruse in selecting breeding bucks. It is generallyaccepted that a mature buck should have as c rotal circ u m f e rence of around 25 cm org reater to be considered an acceptable herd sire .A d d i t i o n a l l y, the testicles should have tone,about the consistency of a flexed biceps muscle.

Average scrotal circ u m f e rence in the 2012test was 24.5 cm.

R e s u l t sResults for the test are listed in Table 1 on

page 18. Information in the table includes thefollowing information for each buck entered inthe 2012 buck test: consigner's last name, testidentification number for the buck, the startweight and end weight in pounds, averagedaily gain ((end weight - start weight) ÷ 80 dayson test), final fecal egg count at the conclusionof the test and average fecal egg count thro u g h-out the test, loin eye area (LEA) in c m2, ands c rotal circ u m f e rence (SC) in cm.


In all previous years of the test, eachbuck was given an ear tag upon check-inwith a number denoting that buck's test IDn u m b e r. For the 2012 buck test, an attemptwas made to instead fit each buck with aremovable collar which was marked withthat buck's test ID number. There werebenefits as well as detriments to this IDsystem. The collars negated the necessityof marking each individual buck in the testwith a permanent ear tag which had thepossibility of becoming infected during thetest. The test ID numbers on the collarsw e re much easier to read from a distancethan an ear tag, making it easier to identifybucks during the test which may needindividual medical attention, as well aswhile working the bucks, when it is vitalthat each buck be clearly identified toe n s u re the accuracy of collected data.

H o w e v e r, the collars did have to adjustedseveral times during the test to keep themf rom becoming too tight on the gro w i n gbucks. During the first half of the test,almost all of the collars stayed on thebucks, with only three of the bucks losingtheir collars before the middle of A u g u s t .When the bucks were rotated through theb rowse pasture, more than a third of themlost their collars over a period of a coupleof weeks, and by September 12, when allthe remaining collars were removed, halfof the bucks had lost their collars. It seems,t h e re f o re, that it would be worthwhile touse the collars in a future test, as long asthe bucks were not placed on brush atsome point during the test, and the collarsw e re left loose enough that they would notbecome too tight during the test andre q u i re readjustment or re m o v a l .

Changes Made for the 2012 Test


2012 Meat Goat Forage Buck Test WinnersFifty-seven bucks owned by fourteen producers in seven different states competed in the 2012 test.

Overall, the bucks gained an average of 0.21 pounds per day of the test.

Grand Champion - ADG ( t h re e - way tie)Bre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.33 lb.Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e o,B Bar W Ki ko s,Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

Bre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.33 lb.Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e o, B Bar WKi ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

Bre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.33 lb.Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e o, B Bar WKi ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

R e s e rve Grand Champion -A D GBre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.32 lb.Ow n e r: Ma ry Kay Sinclair andMa ry Howa rd, Ki kogal Ra n c h ,Co f fe e n , Il l i n o i s

Grand Champion - FECBre e d : Ki koAve rage FEC: 3 7 . 5Ow n e r: Te rry Hanki n s,Sa ra h , Mi s s i s s i p p i

R e s e rve Grand Champion - FEC (two - way tie)Bre e d : Ki koAve rage FEC: 5 0Ow n e r: Ma ry Kay Sinclair andMa ry Howa rd, Ki kogal Ra n c h ,Co f fe e n , Il l i n o i s

Bre e d : Ki koAve rage FEC: 5 0Ow n e r: Dick and Sa l l yRu t h e rfo rd, Bear Creek Ki ko s,Ca rl i nv i l l e, Il l i n o i s

Top He rdsman - ADGWes Pi n n e o, B Bar W Ki ko s,Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a sA D G : 0.33 lb.

R e s e rve Top He rdsman - ADGMa ry Kay Sinclair and Ma ryHowa rd, Ki kogal Ra n c h ,Co f fe e n , Il l i n o i sA D G : 0.28 lb.

Top He rdsman - FECMa ry Kay Sinclair and Ma ryHowa rd, Ki kogal Ra n c h ,Co f fe e n , Il l i n o i sAve rage FEC: 7 6 . 6 7

R e s e rve Top He rdsman - FECTe rry Hanki n s,Sa ra h , Mi s s i s s i p p iEnding FEC: 9 9 . 1 7

Wes Pinneo (ri g ht) re ce i ves his awa rds from Erin Ca m p be l l -Craven (left ) .

Ma ry Kay Sinclair (ce nter) and Ma ry Howa rd (left) re ce i ve theirawa rds from Erin Ca m p be l l - Craven (ri g ht ) .


TABLE 1. 2012 COMMERCIAL MEAT GOAT FORAGE PERFORMANCE TEST RESULTS


Appendix A: Rules, Regulations and Protocol

2012 Oklahoma Commercial Meat Goat Forage Performance Te s tKerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Inc. in partnership with

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

O b j e c t i v e :To identify individual bucks as well as their sires and dams that carry genetics expre s s i n g

economically important traits in commercial meat goat production. A d d i t i o n a l l y, this test will allowb reeders to compare genetics within their herd to make better management decisions as to herd linesthat will produce profitable progeny for future herds. This test will also provide valuable informationfor all goat producers and the public.

D a t e s :Nominations due: Friday, June 15, 2012

Check-in: Thursday, June 21, 2012 1pm-5pmWarm-up: June 22, 2012 - July 1, 2012

Test Period: July 2, 2012- September 20, 2012 Meat Goat Field Day & Buck Test Aw a rds: September 22, 2012

Entry Requirements:a) A prod u cer group will consist of 1 or more bucks that

we re bo rn be tween January 1, 2012 and Ma rch 31,2 0 1 2 . All breeds and cro s s b reds are acce p te d.

b) To be co n s i d e red for the He rdsman Awa rd you musth ave a group of 3 or more bucks.

c) Prod u cers must provide Bi rth Date and Weaning Dateto ve ri f y.

d) Bucks must weigh a minimum of 35lbs at check-in.

e) Bucks must be weaned 30 days prior to ent ry, had aminimum of 1 de-wo rming and 1 CDT va c c i n ation 4 weeks prior to ent ry, and have their feet tri m m e d.No exce p t i o n s.

f ) Bucks must be tagged with a scrapie tag from theirs t ate of ori g i n . No exce p t i o n s.

g) All out of state bucks must be accompanied by anofficial inte r - s t ate health ce rt i f i cate and in co m p l i a n cewith all Oklahoma shipment re q u i re m e nt s.

For info rm at i o n : Oklahoma De p a rt m e nt ofAg ri c u l t u re, Food & Fo re s t ry, and (405) 522-6142.

h) E nt ry fee of $120 per buck will be re q u i red to securea position within the te s t . The ent ry fee will cove rfeed supplement at i o n , m e d i cat i o n , wo rm e r, ro u t i n eve te ri n a rian serv i ces and other test co s t s.

i ) Prod u cers will be re s ponsible for all vet fees incurre din the case of tre at m e nt for serious injury, disease orn e c ropsy (in the case of deat h ) .

Test Protocol:a) Bucks will be given a thorough ex a m i n ation by a

ve te ri n a rian at check-in. Go ats showing signs of sorem o u t h , C L , foot rot or other co m m u n i cable diseasewill not be allowed to enter the te s t .

b) Bucks will re ce i ve a CDT va c c i n e, wo rm i n g, fe cal te s t,FA M ACHA sco re and a test ID at the time of check-in.

c) Bucks will be wo rmed with two or three diffe re nt


classes of wormer at the time of check-in. A secondfe cal egg co u nt will be co n d u cted 10 days after check-in.

d) Bucks that do not show a 90% re d u ction in their eggco u nt after the initial wo rming will not be allowed toe nter the te s t .

e) Bucks that display symptoms of disease or illnessd u ring the test will be held in quara ntine (on fo ra g e )u ntil it is dete rmined by the Test Manager or the Te s tVe te ri n a rian that they may re - e nter the genera lpo p u l ation or must leave the te s t .

f ) Low pe rfo rming bucks may need to be re m oved f rom the te s t . This decision will be made by the Test Manager in co n s u l t ation with the prod u ce r.

g) Eve ry effo rt will be made to acco m m od ate thep rod u cer if a buck must leave the te s t .

h ) In the case of deat h , a full necropsy will be pe rfo rm e dby the On-Si te Ve te ri n a rian at the ex pense of the ow n e r.

i) S u f f i c i e nt fo rage will be provided for the bucks toperform up to their genetic potential. A feed supple-ment containing protein, vitamins, minerals andother additive ingredients will be provided as neededto maximize the utilization of forage.

j) Bucks that sco re a 4 or 5 on the FA M ACHA sca l ed u ring the test will be de-wo rmed and disqualified.

k) All decisions made by the Test Ma n a g e r, Te s tVe te ri n a rian and On-Si te Ve te ri n a rian will be final.

l) We i g ht s, FA M ACHA Sco res and fe cal egg co u nts willbe taken eve ry 17 days with the results po s ted within3 days on the Oklahoma Fo ra g e - Based Buck Te s tFa ce book page. U l t ra sounding for loin eye area willbe provided by Re p rod u ct i ve Ente rp rises Inc.

R e s u l t s :a) Buck ra n king within the test will be classified by

Ave rage Daily Gain and Fe cal Egg Co u nt .

b) To co m pe te for Grand Champion He rd s m a n , e a c hp rod u cer must enter 3 or more bucks.This awa rd will be dete rmined by the ave rage of the top 3 bucksfor each prod u cer in Ave rage Daily Gain and Fe ca lEgg Co u nt .

Educational Informationa) A summary sheet co ntaining all data co l l e cted for

the bucks will be supplied to each prod u ce r. A te s ts u m m a ry with an ove rview of fo rage and we at h e rd u ring the te s t, along with other impo rt a nt info rm at i o n ,will also be distri b u te d.

b) A Field Day will be held at the test site in Se p te m be rto view the bucks, tour the fo rage test and discusspe rfo rm a n ce on fo rage for the meat goat industry.

c) All test data and results will be made public.

Technical Advisory CommitteeTest Nu t ritionist- Brian Fre ki n g,Le Fl o re Co u nty Extension Ed u cato r

Test StaffTest Ve te ri n a rian- Ann We l l s, D. V. M . ,K e rr Ce nter Prog ram Di re cto r

Test Manager- Erin Ca m p be l l - Crave n ,K e rr Ce nter Prog ram As s i s t a nt

Test He rdsman- An dy Ma kovy,K e rr Ce nter Live s tock He rd s m a n

Test As s i s t a nt s- Ca rrie Sh i rl ey and Rock Gre m i l l i o n ,K e rr Ce nter Inte rn s

the oklahoma forage-based buck test 2012...

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