Day 56 - robust gains!

Friday, August 15, 6:40 a.m. -- the goats were worked today by Jeff Semler, Jeanne Dietz-Band, Mary Beth Bennett, Susan Schoenian, and Pam Thomas.

Average daily gains for the previous two weeks were robust, ranging from -0.071 to 0.714 lbs. (32 to 325 g) per day for individual goats and averaging 0.393 lbs. (179 g) for the 59 goats on test. Only one goat lost weight. Two goats posted weight gains of 0.714 lbs. (325 g) per day: a 50% Kiko buck consigned by Dave Sparks (OK) and a Kiko buck consigned by Dick Rutherford (IL).

For the first 56 days of the test, ADG has ranged from -0.073 to 0.418 lbs. (33 to 190 g) per day for individual goats and is averaging 0.216 lbs. (98 g) for the 59 goats on test. Sparks's buck (pictured above) is the top gainer so far.

Two goats are tied for having the second highest rate-of-gain: a Boer cross buck consigned by Benjamin Mourad and Timothy Rodman (MD) and a Kiko buck consigned by Kendell Barnes (KY). Both of these bucks have gained 0.382 lbs. per day since June 20.

None of the top-gaining bucks has required deworming. Today, FAMACHA© scores ranged from 1 to 5 and averaged 2.39, compared to 2.16 on August 1 and 1.75 on July 18. Poorer FAMACHA scores are to be expected as the goats are grazing shorter, cool season grasses. Nine goats were dewormed with moxidectin (1 ml/110 lbs. Cydectin 1% injectable).

The Southern Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control (http://www.wormx.org/) recommends that the cattle injectable formulation of moxidectin (recently approved by FDA) be used in goats because moxidectin has a superior pharmacokinetic profile in goats when administered by subcutaneous injection as compared to when administered orally. This is the one exception with goats where a dewormer should be administered orally and where the regular label dose (not 2 times the dose) should be used.

The goats are currently grazing two acres of fescue, orchardgrass, and birdsfoot trefoil. They are enjoying mild temperatures and shorter days.

A group of Russian agricultural professionals visited the test site today. They asked many questions about the goats and the performance test.

Download August 15 report