Final work day

Friday, September 29, 8 a.m. -- The goats were worked today for the final time by Jeanne Dietz-Band, Mary Beth Bennett, Jeff Semler, David Gordon, Pam Thomas, and Susan Schoenian. Final weights were taken. FAMACHA© and body condition scores were determined. Goats scoring 3, 4, or 5 on the FAMACHA© eye anemia chart were dewormed with Cydectin®.

For the previous 17 days (9/12-9/29), the goats gained only 0.74 lbs. (0.34 kg) each or 0.044 lbs. (20 g) per day. ADG ranged from a loss of 0.471 lbs. (-214 g) per day (- 8 lbs. for a severley parasitized goat) to a gain of 0.353 lbs. (160 g) per day (+6 lbs.) for two bucks: a Boer consigned by Kim Vincent (DE) and a Kiko consigned by Terry Hankins (MS).

The poor performance over the past 17 days is attributed to rutting behavior of the bucks and continued parasite problems among some of the bucks. Forage remains ample.

For the 100-day duration of the test, ADG is 0.124 lbs. (56 g) per day for the 57 goats finishing the test. ADG ranged from a loss of 0.09 lbs. (-41 g) per day to a gain of 0.240 lbs. (109 g) per day. Two Kiko bucks are tied for having the highest rate-of-gain on test. They were consigned by John Smith (VA) and Terry Hankins.

Expressing performance in another way, the average goat gained 12.4 lbs. (5.6 kg) while on test. The poorest performing goat lost 9 lbs. (-4.1 kg) while the best performing goats gained 24 lbs. (11 kg).

When the goats started the test on June 20, body weights ranged from 33 to 88 lbs. (15 to 40 kg). The average starting weight was 49.3 lbs. (22.4 kg). At the end of the test today, body weights ranged from 46 to 92 lbs. (21 to 42 kg) and averaged 62.3 lbs. (28.3 kg).

Fourteen goats were dewormed today. FAMACHA© scores ranged from 1 to 5 and averaged 2.07. Scores improved from 2.57 on September 12. While on test, the 57 goats required 1.1 anthelmintic treatments each. Twenty-six goats (or 46%) did not require deworming while on test. Ten goats required 3 or more treatments. All of the goats were dosed with Cydectin and Levamisol on June 6.

No fecal samples were collected today. We are still waiting for the results of the September 12 fecal collection.

In last year's test, ADG averaged 0.253 lbs. (115 g) for 47 goats. Due to the extended drought conditions, internal parasites were not a problem. In the 2006 test, 31 goats gained an average of 0.190 lbs. (86 g) per day and required an average of 1.6 anthelmintic treatments each.

For the sale and final report, the goats will be ranked (or grouped) by a combination of ADG, parasite resistance (fecal egg counts), and parasite resilience (FAMACHA© scores and number of anthelmintic treatments). The top-rated goats must excel in all three performance traits.

Download September 29 report