Richard Browning, Jr., Ph.D.
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Richard Browning, Jr., Ph.D. |
Meat Goat Performance Testing
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Meat goat producers should be interested in herd performance evaluation and genetic improvement. In recent years, there has been increased awareness of the important role of performance testing in meat goat programs. We completed a USDA-funded project in 2011 that was successful in increasing awareness and implementation of such programs in individual herds and among some breeder groups. However, far too many meat goat managers are still reluctant to adequately document performance for economically important production traits in meat goat doe herds. This is especially true among seedstock breeders.
Feb. 2012: This lab has partnered with the Federal Goat and Sheep Research Center in Brazil (EMBRAPA) to offer an exciting new program to encourage seedstock managers and others to get on board with on-farm testing. This is a step beyond our previous effort of tracking within-herd performance and ratio generation. The program database (GENECOC) is managed by its developer (Dr. R. N. Braga Lôbo) and generates across-herd EPD values for genetic evaluation. The TSU research herd is currently enrolled in GENECOC with plans to offer the same access to private herds in the near future.
Producers currently recording and processing data for ratio values are encouraged to continue their efforts, either in-house or with the help of central data processing locations (such as what we were doing on the old project). We will continue to provide assistance whenever requested.
Check back often for updates on our next phase of on-farm performance testing, the GENECOC EPD program.
TSU On-Farm Doe Herd Performance Test Resources
Fact Sheet: On-Farm Performance Testing for Meat Goat Doe Herds (pdf)
TSU On-Farm Performance Test Data Forms (Excel)
Note: Download/save the Excel file to a disk or hard drive before entering data. There are three tabbed worksheets in the file: 1. breeding, 2. kidding, and 3. weaning.
2006 Slide Show: On-Farm Meat Goat Performance Testing: An Industry Deficiency
TSU On-Farm Performance Testing Report (Langston Field Day, 2009)
If you are in the business of raising and selling meat goats, seedstock or commercial, the recording of animal weights should be a common part of your management program. This is important for genetic improvement, readiness of market kids, and the general assessment of management protocols and annual doe herd performance.
Australia Fact Sheet: Use of Scales in Meat Goat Herds
Off-Farm Buck Performance Test Sites
Angelo State University (Texas)
Kentucky Goat Producers Association
Langston University (Oklahoma)
Kerr Center / Oklahoma State University
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
A cautionary note about central station buck performance testing relative to doe herd performance.
Similar relationships have been documented for beef cattle performance. Buck testing alone is insufficient to improve overall herd performance. On-farm doe herd performance testing is essential.
Since Aug. 2009