The top-10 bucks in this year's Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test have been selected. The primary criteria for determining the top-10 was growth rate (ADG), parasite resistance (fecal egg counts), and parasite resilience (FAMACHA© scores and treatment).
Other factors which were considered included birth type/type of rearing, weight per day of age (WDA), first and second half ADG, rib eye area (REA), USDA grade, and scrotal circumference (SC).
The top-performing buck in this year's test was 539, a commercial Kiko consigned by Jodie & Randy Majancsik from Kentucky. The Majancsiks also had last year's top performing buck with another commercial Kiko. In 2014, the Majancsiks tied Brent Ballenger for top consignor. They were also in contention for this year's top consignor award.
The rest of the top 10 bucks (in no particular order) were 501 (Craig Adams, IL), 505 (Brent Ballenger, KY), 527 (Jarred Dennison, KY), 543 (Steve Maynard & Darla Dishman, TN), 550 (P.J. Murphy, NJ), 551 (Waldo Nelson, MD), 556 & 557 (David Peters, NC), & 584 (John Weber, IL). All consignors with top-10 bucks have had top-performers in previous tests, with the exception of Maynard/Dishman, who are first time consignors.
David Peters has two bucks in the top 10. He is this year's top consignor, an award given to the consignor with the three best bucks in the test. David had the most resistant buck in this year's test. 557 had an averaged fecal egg count of 217 epg and never had an egg count above 500 epg. David had a top-performing buck in last year's test.
The only other buck that met the traditional Gold standards for parasite resistance was 505, consigned by Brent Ballenger. 505's average egg was 432 epg. It never had an egg count above 1000 epg. The average egg count of the top 10 bucks was 630 epg.
The most resilient buck in the test was 550, consigned by P.J. Murphy. Each time he was scored, 550 had a FAMACHA© score of 1. The average FAMACHA© score of the top 10 bucks over the duration of the test was 1.7. None of the goats in the top-10 required deworming.
It is suggested that this year's top 10 bucks be retained for breeding and/or sold (as yearlings) at next year's Bluegrass Performance Invitational or a similar performance-based sale.
Download all summary data from top 10 bucks
Special thanks to Dr. Dahlia O'Brien at Virginia State University for doing fecal egg counts and larva ID for the Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test.
Other factors which were considered included birth type/type of rearing, weight per day of age (WDA), first and second half ADG, rib eye area (REA), USDA grade, and scrotal circumference (SC).
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| You can't tell who the best bucks are by looking. |
The top-performing buck in this year's test was 539, a commercial Kiko consigned by Jodie & Randy Majancsik from Kentucky. The Majancsiks also had last year's top performing buck with another commercial Kiko. In 2014, the Majancsiks tied Brent Ballenger for top consignor. They were also in contention for this year's top consignor award.
The rest of the top 10 bucks (in no particular order) were 501 (Craig Adams, IL), 505 (Brent Ballenger, KY), 527 (Jarred Dennison, KY), 543 (Steve Maynard & Darla Dishman, TN), 550 (P.J. Murphy, NJ), 551 (Waldo Nelson, MD), 556 & 557 (David Peters, NC), & 584 (John Weber, IL). All consignors with top-10 bucks have had top-performers in previous tests, with the exception of Maynard/Dishman, who are first time consignors.
David Peters has two bucks in the top 10. He is this year's top consignor, an award given to the consignor with the three best bucks in the test. David had the most resistant buck in this year's test. 557 had an averaged fecal egg count of 217 epg and never had an egg count above 500 epg. David had a top-performing buck in last year's test.
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The only other buck that met the traditional Gold standards for parasite resistance was 505, consigned by Brent Ballenger. 505's average egg was 432 epg. It never had an egg count above 1000 epg. The average egg count of the top 10 bucks was 630 epg.
The most resilient buck in the test was 550, consigned by P.J. Murphy. Each time he was scored, 550 had a FAMACHA© score of 1. The average FAMACHA© score of the top 10 bucks over the duration of the test was 1.7. None of the goats in the top-10 required deworming.
It is suggested that this year's top 10 bucks be retained for breeding and/or sold (as yearlings) at next year's Bluegrass Performance Invitational or a similar performance-based sale.
Download all summary data from top 10 bucks
Special thanks to Dr. Dahlia O'Brien at Virginia State University for doing fecal egg counts and larva ID for the Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test.
