Comparison of Productivity of Different Breeds of Meat Goats Under Low-to-Moderate-Input Systems in the United States

Abstract Boer and Kiko goats were imported in the 1990s to enhance the productivity of the US base population of Spanish meat goats. Successful breed introductions require adaptation to the destination environment. Well-planned, low-input management is a good route to meat goat enterprise profitability using proper goat genetics. Reproduction drives profit more than growth and carcass traits. Results of breed evaluation studies on doe reproductive and health traits, the Boer goat influence tended to be negative compared with Kiko and Spanish goat influences. Reduced doe herd reproductive output suggests reduced enterprise profitability. Differences in growth or carcass traits among sire breeds have not consistently favored any particular breed. Boer goat genetics improved visual conformation, which increases market value. Improved visual appraisal has not translated into enhancements for objectively measured carcass traits. Proper breed selection and use in meat goat mating systems are important for enhanced doe herd productivity and profitability in low-input, limited-resource operations. Keywords: Productivity, Breeds, Meat Goat Breeds, Input System

Comparison of Boer, Kiko, and Spanish meat goat does for stayability and cumulative reproductive output in the humid subtropical southeastern United States

Background: Longevity is the amount of time breeding females stay active in a herd by avoiding death or culling because of illness or reproductive failure. This is a trait of economic relevance in commercial small ruminant breeding herds as it affects lifetime reproductive output. The purpose of this study was to determine if breed of meat goat influences breeding doe survival rates and cumulative reproductive performance under semi-intensive management. Results: Boer (n = 132), Kiko (n = 92) and Spanish (n = 79) does were evaluated for longevity trends and cumulative kid production. The herd was managed on humid subtropical pasture. Does had the chance to complete 2 to 6 production years. Survival curves were analyzed for 2 culling methods. The actual culling practice removed does after two failures to wean a kid. An alternative culling protocol removed doe records after the first failure to wean a kid. Kid production traits analyzed across herd life were the total number of kids weaned and cumulative kid weight weaned to the 2-, 3-, and 5-year stayability endpoints. Most (82%) doe exits were illness-related under the actual culling method. Reproductive failure represented 51% of doe exits under the alternative culling protocol. Boer does had greater survival declines (P \u3c 0.01) from 2 to 6 years of herd life compared with Kiko and Spanish under both culling protocols. Boer does had lower stayability rates (P \u3c 0.01) at each year endpoint for both culling protocols. Under the alternative protocol, over 50% of Boer does failed to complete 2 years, whereas over 50% of Kiko and Spanish does successfully completed 4 years. Boer does had lower (P \u3c 0.01) total number of kids weaned and cumulative weight weaned through each stayability endpoint compared with Kiko and Spanish. Conclusion: Boer does had low stayability and cumulative kid production rates compared with Kiko and Spanish does. Poor health was the primary driver of does exiting the herd. Kiko and Spanish does did not differ for longevity and lifetime performance indicators

Evaluation of parasite resistance to commonly used commercial anthelmintics in meat goats on humid subtropical pasture

Anthelmintic-resistant gastrointestinal nematode parasites are a threat to small ruminant industry sustainability. Meat goat does were administered one of four anthelmintics orally (ivermectin (n = 18), moxidectin (n = 18), levamisole hydrochloride (n = 17), or albendazole (n = 19)) or water (n = 18). Fecal samples were collected pretreatment and 12 days post-treatment. Fecal egg counts (FEC) were determined by the modified McMaster technique. The FEC reduction percentages (FECR%) were calculated using three equations. Log transformed FEC means were analyzed by treatment, sire breed of doe, and doe age. Sire breed affected (P \u3c 0.05) pretreatment FEC, but not post-treatment FEC (P = 0.12). Pretreatment FEC did not differ (P = 0.21) by treatment group. Posttreatment FEC varied (P \u3c 0.05) by treatment. Anthelmintic resistance determinations were based on FECR% falling below 90% or 80%, dependent on equation applied. Resistance was detected to all four anthelmintics using each equation. These results suggest the need for alternative methods of internal parasite control in goats

Spontaneous Appearance and Transmission of Polydactyly in Dexter Cattle

A 3-yr-old Dexter cow and her yearling Dexter heifer calf exhibited polydactyly. Neither animal was linebred within 5 generations. This cow-calf pair represented the first reported occurrence of polydactyly in Dexter cattle in the US or abroad. Based upon external examination, the cow was classified as having a spontaneous unilateral case of polydactyly with an extra digit along the medial digit of the right front limb and the heifer was classified as having bilateral polydactyly because both front limbs exhibited an extra digit along the medial digit. Radiographic examination confirmed bilateral status of the heifer and revealed bilateral status of the cow. The front feet of the cow and heifer had extra bone formation consistent with an extra digit along the medial digit. Neither animal suffered from limited mobility to date or required hoof treatments. The cow produced a second calf from a different sire, a bull calf that did not appear polydactylous per external examination and was not examined radiographically. The two polydactylous animals will remain in the breeding herd to produce more study calves unless their fitness becomes compromised. Genetic aspects of the cases are discussed

Effects of creep feeding and its interactions with other factors on the performance of meat goat kids and dams when managed on pasture

Creep feeding and its possible interactions with other influential factors (genetics, litter type, and sex) for weaning traits were studied in meat goat kids and their dams. Kids across 3 yr were creep fed (254 kids; 5 pens) or not creep fed (255 kids; 5 pens) from 30 to 90 d of age. Creep-fed kids had higher (P ≤ 0.05) preweaning average daily weight gain and weaning weights (113.1 ± 13.0 g/d; 15.0 ± 0.8 kg) than kids not creep fed (99.8 ± 13.1 g/d; 14.0 ± 0.8 kg). However, financial returns were not higher (P \u3e 0.05) for creep-fed kids compared with kids not creep fed. There was no difference (P \u3e 0.05) in kid conformation score or survival rates between the treatment groups. The only important interaction among kid traits was treatment × litter type (P \u3c 0.05) for FAMACHA scores. Within noncreep pens, single kids had lower (better; P \u3c 0.05) FAMACHA scores (2.9 ± 0.3) than twin kids (3.9 ± 0.3). There was no litter-type effect on FAMACHA scores for kids within the creep feed pens. Dams of the creep-fed (n = 175) and noncreep (n = 178) kids were also evaluated. Treatment did not affect (P \u3e 0.05) litter weights, dam weight change, gross revenue for weaned litters, or fecal egg counts. Treatment interacted with litter type (P \u3c 0.05) to effect packed cell volume (PCV). In the noncreep group, dams raising singles had higher (better; P \u3c 0.05) PCV (18.7 ± 1.3%) than dams rearing twin kids (15.7 ± 1.3%). The litter-type effect on dam PCV was not evident (P \u3e 0.05) in the creep-fed group. Creep feeding improved some kid growth traits but did not improve dam traits or financial returns. Interactions of creep treatment with other factors were minimal for doe-kid traits

Ariel - Volume 4 Number 3

Editors David A. Jacoby Eugenia Miller Tom Williams Associate Editors Paul Bialas Terry Burt Michael Leo Gail Tenikat Editor Emeritus and Business Manager Richard J. Bonnano Movie Editor Robert Breckenridge Staff Richard Blutstein Mary F. Buechler Steve Glinks Len Grasman Alice M. Johnson J.D. Kanofsky Tom Lehman Dave Mayer Bernie Odd

Relative growth of carcass tissues of goat kids from five breed Types finished on pasture or feedlot

he aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cross breeding, finishing system, and gender on the relative growth of carcass tissues of dairy kids. Seventy eight kids (39 male and 39 female) from five breed types were used: Alpine; ½ Boer + ½ Alpine (½ BA); ½ Nubian + ½ Alpine (½ ANA); ¾ Boer + ¼ Alpine (¾ BA); and ½ Nubian + ¼ Boer + ¼ Alpine (TC). Kids were distributed into two finishing systems: in pasture with doe (FS1) and weaned in feedlot (FS2). Kids were slaughtered at a mean age of 128.4 ± 7.9 days and mean live weight of 22.07 kg. The mean weight of half carcasses was 5.09 kg. To determine allometric growth, we used the exponential equation Y= aXb. In the half carcass, muscle tissue showed comparatively early growth in group ½ BA, whereas fat tissue of animals in FS1 had relatively late growth. Females exhibited early growth of muscle tissue, while in males this tissue was intermediate. The ½ BA first-cross improved carcass characteristics by enhancing the growth of muscle tissue

Genome-wide association study identifies a variant in HDAC9 associated with large vessel ischemic stroke

Genetic factors have been implicated in stroke risk but few replicated associations have been reported. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in ischemic stroke and its subtypes in 3,548 cases and 5,972 controls, all of European ancestry. Replication of potential signals was performed in 5,859 cases and 6,281 controls. We replicated reported associations between variants close to PITX2 and ZFHX3 with cardioembolic stroke, and a 9p21 locus with large vessel stroke. We identified a novel association for a SNP within the histone deacetylase 9(HDAC9) gene on chromosome 7p21.1 which was associated with large vessel stroke including additional replication in a further 735 cases and 28583 controls (rs11984041, combined P = 1.87×10−11, OR=1.42 (95% CI) 1.28-1.57). All four loci exhibit evidence for heterogeneity of effect across the stroke subtypes, with some, and possibly all, affecting risk for only one subtype. This suggests differing genetic architectures for different stroke subtypes