The Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test 2011 Report€¦ · THE OKLAHOMA FORAGE-BASED BUCK TEST 2011 REPORT 5 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 Jul Aug Sept Available

The Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test2011 Report

Mary Penick

Goat Projects Manager

Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u re

Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u re, Poteau, Oklahoma

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©2012 Kerr Center for Sustainable A g r i c u l t u reSelections from this report may be used according toaccepted fair use guidelines.Permission needed to re p roduce in full.Contact Maura McDermott at Kerr Center for permission. Please link to this report on www. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m

KERR CENTER GOAT PROJECTS

Livestock Manager: Mary Penick

Ranch Herdsman: Andy Makovy

Livestock Program Assistant: Erin Campbell-Craven

T E C H N I C A L A D V I S O RY COMMITTEE, 2011

Test A g ronomist: Chris Rice, OCES Southeast District A g ro n o m i s t

Test Nutritionist: Brian Freking, Le Flore County Educator

Test Veterinarian: Ann Wells, D.V.M., Kerr Center Director of Educational Pro g r a m s

R E P O RT

Editing and Figures: Wylie Harris

Formatting and Layout: Tracy Clark, A rgus DesignWo r k s

Communications Director: Maura McDermott

For more information contact:

Kerr Center

PO Box 588

Poteau, OK 74953

w w w. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m

m a i l b o x @ k e r rc e n t e r. c o m

918.647.9123 or fax 918.647.8712

Reports for each year of the test, 2007 - 2011, as well as a summaryreport of those five years, are available online at www. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m /s t e w a rdship/goats.html or by calling the Kerr Center.

1THE OKLAHOMA FO R AG E - BASED BUCK TEST 2011 REPORT

PrefaceThe Kerr Center Meat Goat Program began in 2007 with the establishment of the Oklahoma

C o m m e rcial Meat Goat Forage Performance Test. The test was later renamed the Oklahoma ForageBased Buck Test, and is commonly known as the “Buck Te s t . ”

Each year, the Kerr Center teams up with the OSU Cooperative Extension Service to conductthe test. Meat goats are playing an increasingly important role in Oklahoma agriculture, and it'simportant to know which lines perform best on pasture. The buck test helps to answer thatq u e s t i o n .

The rationale behind the Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test is to identify individual bucks, aswell as their sires and dams, that carry genetics expressing strong traits important in commerc i a lmeat goat production on pasture .

The test allows breeders to compare genetics within their herds, to make better managementdecisions as to herd lines that will produce profitable progeny for future herds. This test alsop rovides valuable information for other goat producers, as well as the public.

Goat producers wishing to test their bucks' performance on forage are invited to enter bucks inthe test, which runs from mid-July through late September.

For more information on the Kerr Center program, as well as links to goat re s o u rces, visit theKerr Center website, www. k e r rc e n t e r. c o m / s t e w a rdship/goats.html.

2 THE KERR CENTER FOR SUSTA I NABLE AG R I C U LT U R E

The U.S. meat goat industryhas expanded significantly inrecent years, especially in theSouth, where production was oncel a rgely confined to southwestTexas. Several factors have driventhis growth. A rising demand forgoat and lamb from gro w i n gethnic minority populations isone. Another is the incre a s e dnumber of small farms andranches. Most landholdersentering into farming these dayshave small acreages that do notreadily support cattle pro d u c t i o n .In such cases, small ruminants arean attractive and workable option.

F u r t h e r m o re, many larg e r, establishedfarmers and ranchers are discovering thebenefits of adding meat goats to their cattleoperations. Goats complement cattle onp a s t u re by eating browse and weeds that cattleavoid; meat goats also provide a secondincome stream that is always welcome.

While these have been important factorsin the changing the meat goat industry, themost compelling driver has been the showring. Show goats have become a major sourc eof interest and revenue for many pro d u c e r s ,particularly due to growing demand fro myouth participating in 4-H and FFA c o m p e t i-tions. This emphasis on show ring quality hashad a significant effect on the commercial meatgoat animal, which has been selected more forits physical appearance than for the commer-cial characteristics of foraging ability, footsoundness, and parasite resilience/tolerance.

In 2006, goat producers and agriculturaleducators approached the Kerr Center about

hosting a commercial buck test. The goal ofthe test would be identification of the geneticsre q u i red for forage-based goat pro d u c t i o n .Emphasis would be placed on weight gainusing forage and minimal supplementation,parasite resilience/tolerance, and overallc o m m e rcial viability.

As a result, the Kerr Center commencedthe first meat goat buck test on July 16, 2007,followed by subsequent tests in followingyears. (See The Oklahoma Commercial Meat GoatForage Performance Test 2007, 2008, 2009, and2010 Reports for information.) The success ofthe early tests led to the regular yearly tests c h e d u l e .

The 2011 test began on July 11 and endedon September 21, for a test period of 74 days.Bucks were checked in on June 30 and alloweda two-week warm up period before the off i c i a lstart weight was taken on July 11.

Ten producers from seven states entere d40 bucks to compete for top average daily gainand parasite resilience. Breeds re p resented inthe test were Kiko and Genemaster.

Introduction


E l i g i b i l i t yEach producer was limited to entering six

bucks. Eligible bucks were born between January1 and March 31, 2011. The live weight at check-inhad to exceed 35 lbs., and weaning had to havebeen completed 30 days prior to the check-indate. A minimum of one deworming and oneCDT vaccination four weeks prior to entry, alongwith trimmed feet, were re q u i red. All breeds andcrossbreeds were allowed to compete.

P r o c e d u r e sAll producers were re q u i red to pro v i d e

documentation of compliance with their re s p e c-tive states' scrapies regulations. Out of statep roducers had to provide their state's off i c i a linterstate health certificates showing compliancewith all Oklahoma livestock shipment regulations.

D r. Ann Wells, the on-site test veterinari-an, gave each animal a thorough health exami-nation upon check-in. Each buck then re c e i v e da de-worming with Levamisole and Valbazen, aCDT booster, and a numbered ear tag for iden-tification. In addition, FA M A C H A scoring andfecal egg counts were done for each buck, andfeet were trimmed and determined to be free offoot scald/ro t .

Forages provided the bulk of the diet,which was supplemented with dried distillersgrains (DDG, 0.5 lbs./head/day) andR u m e n s i n . A mineral and vitamin supplementm a n u f a c t u red specifically for goats by Vi t a m a xwas provided free choice at all times.

Any buck suspected of disease or illnesswould be quarantined on forage pending exam-ination by a veterinarian. If deemed safe, theanimal would be treated and returned to thetest. If it were determined that the individualshould not reenter the trial, it would remain inquarantine until alternative arrangements couldbe made with the pro d u c e r. No animals werequarantined or disqualified during the 2011 test.

Weighing and parasite examinations weredone every 17 days. The parasite exam includedFA M A C H A scoring of the lower eyelid (seebox, p. 9) and sampling for fecal egg counts(FEC). A c c o rding to the protocol, any bucksscoring 4 or 5 on the FA M A C H A scale wouldbe dewormed and disqualified; however, nobucks scored above 3 at any time during the2 0 11 test.

Position within the test was determined by average daily gain (ADG) and fecal eggcount (FEC).

Oklahoma Fo ra g e- Based Buck Test 2011


Although the buck test is not a re s e a rch trial on forages per se, general observations on forageq u a l i t y, quantity, and grazing are possible. Test paddock vegetation consists of bermuda, fescue,lespedeza, warm season native grasses, and forbs.

Soil samples taken in the spring of 2011 indicated that additional fertilizer was not needed ino rder to produce enough forage for the bucks, so fertilizer was not applied to the test paddocks.

Soil calcium was measured at 0.6% in Paddock 2 in July, and 0.7% in Paddock 3 in September,for an average of 0.65%. Soil phosphorus was measured at 0.1% in Paddock 2 in July, and 0.2% inPaddock 3 in September, for an average of 0.15%.

“Legend” Lespedeza was broadcast in the test paddocks at a rate of approximately 20 lbs. per acre .

Supplementation for 2011 consisted of DDG at a rate of 0.50 lbs. per head per day.

Forages and Supplementation

5THE OKLAHOMA FORAGE-BASED BUCK TEST 2011 REPORT

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The combination of forage and supplementation met the bucks' protein, energy, mineral, andvitamin requirements (see “2011 Forage-Based Buck Test: Feed Analysis,” p. 6). The degree to whichforage alone could have met nutritional requirements is shown in Figures 1 - 3.

FIGURE 1. AVAILABLE FORAGE

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FIGURE 2. CRUDE PROTEIN

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FIGURE 3. TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS (TDN)


As a nutritionist, I always want to see if the bucks' actual weight gains reflect what forage theyhave available.

The average start weight for all goats was 57.6 lbs. We fed 0.5 lb. of custom mix per head perd a y, and since we fed primarily DDG, we should expect a positive associative effect on forageconsumption. (How much is a good question.)

2011 Forage-Based Buck Test: Feed AnalysisP redicted Gain vs. Actual Gains

STEP 1.The NRC re q u i re m e nts for a 66-lb. m e at goatgaining 0.33 lb. per day are :

Dry mat ter int a ke (DMI) = 3.65% of bodywe i g ht (BW) , or 2.4 lbs.

Total Digestible Nu t ri e nts (TDN) = 1.34 lb. / d ay

Crude Pro tein (CP) = 0.31 lb. / d ay

STEP 2.Ca l c u l ate CP and TDN for each feed ingre d i e nt

S u p p l e m e nt Int a ke

0.5 lbs. x 0.90 DM % = 0.45 lb. DM supplied

0.5 lbs. x 0.25 CP % = 0.11 lb. CP supplied

0.5 lbs. x 0.78 TDN% = 0.35 lb. TDN supplied

STEP 3. Fo ra g e6 6 - l b. g o at x 3.65% of BW = 2.41 lbs. D M2.4 - 0.45 lb. s u p p l e m e nt = 1.95 lbs fo ra g e

STEP 4.1.95 lbs. x 0.57 TDN% = 1.111.95 lbs x 0.096 CP% = 0.19

STEP 5. Crude Pro tein To t a lD D G 0 . 1 1+ Fo ra g e 0 . 1 9

S u p p l i e d 0 . 3 0

Step 6. TDN To t a lD D G 0 . 3 5+ Fo ra g e 1 . 1 1

S u p p l i e d 1 . 4 6

Thus, forage and supplements during thebuck test came close to meeting the bucks'requirements. This conclusion does depend toa degree on the published source of nutritionaldata consulted.. Actual gains are very close tothe math. Based on actual gains, I would useNRC re q u i rements to determine whether mostgoats are fed at a level to at least meet re q u i re-ments with the kind of performance observedduring the test.

- Brian Fre k i n g


WeatherWeather has a strong influence on the health of the bucks and on parasite gro w t h .

Warm, wet conditions are the perfect breeding ground for parasites and bacteria. A sshown in Figure 4, rainfall throughout the test was below average. A total of 4.83 inchesof rain fell during the test - the lowest precipitation yet re c o rded, by a substantial marg i n .Te m p e r a t u res (Figure 5) were also well above average.

FIGURE 4. MONTHLY RAINFALL

FIGURE 5. MONTHLY HIGH TEMPERATURES

8 THE KERR CENTER FOR SUS TAINABLE AGRICULTURE

One of the main goals of the buck test is toexamine parasite resistance and tolerance,particularly the role that genetics might play inresistance to Haemonchus contortus (barber poleworm). The barber pole worm is a blood-suckingparasite that pierces the lining of the abomasum,causing blood plasma and protein loss(Schoenian, 2006; see box p.9). Commonsymptoms are anemia and swelling of thefluids under the jaw (bottle jaw). If barber poleworm is left untreated, death frequently occurs.

Anthelmintics or dewormers arecommonly used to control barber pole worm,but it has shown a great propensity to developdrug resistance - due, most likely, to overuse ofthese materials.

During the test, FAMACHA scoring andfecal egg counts (FECs) were used to estimate

parasite load. The FAMACHA scoring toolassesses the level of anemia the goat is sufferingdue to the barber pole worm. If an individualscored low (1-3), it was not wormed. If ananimal received a score of 4 or 5, it would bewormed. This did not occur during the 2011test (Figure 6).

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FIGURE 6. FAMACHA SCORES

Fecal egg counts were analyzed at every examination to help determine levels ofinfection. This also allowed assessment of paddock contamination from the sheddingof worm eggs. A McMaster counting slide was used for counting “Strongyle-type”eggs (Haemonchus, Ostertagia, and Trichostrongylus).

Internal Parasites


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FIGURE 7. FECAL EGG COUNTSObserved levels of parasiteloading during the 2011 test fellbelow all previous tests.

Fecal egg counts continuedto be below average for all bucks.The highest final FEC was 850,and no buck scored over 1,300eggs per gram of feces at anypoint after check-in. The lowestaverage FEC was a four-way tie,with an average fecal countthroughout the test of zero.

Hot, dry weather conditionsprevailed, and there was limitedgrowth of forage cover to shadeparasites. No instances of loss,illness, or deworming/disqualifi-cation occurred during the entire74-day run of the test.

The FAMACHA system was developed inSouth Africa in response to the emergence ofdrug resistant worms. The system utilizes ananemia guide to evaluate the eyelid color of asheep/goat to determine the severity of parasiteinfection (as evidenced by anemia) and the needfor deworming.

A bright red color indicates that the animalhas few or no worms or that the animal has thecapacity to tolerate its worm load. An almostwhite eyelid color is a warning sign of very badanemia; the worms present in the animals gut arein such numbers they are draining the animal ofblood. If left untreated, the animal will soon die.

The FAMACHA chart contains five eyescores (1-5), which have been correlated withpacked cell volumes (percentage of blood made

up of red blood cells, also called hematocrit).Animals in categories 1 or 2 (red or red-pink)do not require treatment whereas animals incategories 4 and 5 (pink-white and white) do.

Animals in category 3 may or may notrequire treatment depending upon other factors.Mature animals in category 3 (pink color)probably do not require treatment, whereaslambs or kids should be treated. The frequencyof examination depends upon the season andweather pattern, with more frequent examinationusually necessary in July, August, andSeptember, the peak worm season.

- Susan Schoenian, “Sheep 201. A Beginner'sGuide to Raising Sheep.”www.sheep101.info/201/index.html

I N B R I E F :

The FAMACHA Test


HealthThe health of the bucks in the

2 0 11 test was exceptionally good.Only fourss cases of sore mouthw e re treated, all at the beginning ofthe test. No case re q u i red more thanone treatment.

None of the common ailmentse n c o u n t e red in previous tests wereobserved in 2011. No bucks weret reated for pneumonia, foot scald, orinternal parasites.

Halfway through the test, thebucks were treated for external para-sites - namely, horn flies and midges.Treatment consisted of two ounces ofp u re cedar oil mixed in 48 ounces ofregular vegetable oil, applied asneeded using a pump sprayer alongthe back and around the horns.

Average Daily GainWeights were taken five times,

on July 9, July 26, August 17,September 2, and September 20-21.The last weight was an average ofSeptember 20 and 21 to account forfill (the feed and water in the digestivetract of an animal consumed beforeweighing).

The highest average ADG wasa three-way tie, with an averaget h roughout the test of 0.36 lbs. perd a y. Overall, bucks averaged anADG of 0.23 lbs. per day, and thelowest ADG was 0.07 lbs./day.


Loin Eye Area The loin eye is one of the highest-priced

cuts from a meat animal. The larger the areaof this cut, the higher the percentage of retailproduct from the animal will be. LEA is also amoderately heritable trait (roughly 50% heritable).

Ultrasound measurement of LEA thusallows meat goat producers to measure a heritable and commercially valuable carcasstrait without taking the animal to slaughter. This information, along with performancemeasures, can inform breeding decisions toproduce better commercial meat goat lines.

Average loin eye area in the 2011 test was 21.6 cm2.

Source: Cole, K.V. 2005. Improving CarcassMerit with Ultrasound Scanning. Maryland Sheepand Goat Producer 4(4): 3-5.

Scrotal CircumferenceScrotal circumference (SC) is an indicator

of the buck's ability to produce sperm and isrelated to the age at which the buck itself, aswell as his daughters and sons, attain puberty.

SC is measured at the widest part of the scrotumin millimeters or centimeters. A mature buckshould have a scrotal circumference of 25 cm orgreater, depending upon breed size. If it is less,the buck is considered a questionable breeder.Additionally, the testicles should have tone,about the consistency of a flexed biceps muscle.

Average scrotal circumference in the 2011test was 24.8 cm.

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FIGURE 8. WEIGHT GAIN


R e s u l t sResults for the test are listed in Table 1 on

page 13. Information in the table includes theconsigner's last name, test identificationnumber for the buck, total start weight andtotal end weight in pounds, average daily gain((end weight - start weight) ÷ 74 days on test),total and average fecal egg count, average loineye area (LEA), and scrotal circ u m f e rence (SC).

Changes Made for the 2011 Te s t- In 2011, the test was shortened from 102

to 74 days. This was due to the observationthat, when the test continued into October,bucks began to enter rut, and some bucks whohad displayed strong weight gains up to thatpoint dropped back. Since the goal of the testis to identify the bucks that best gain weighton pasture, without penalizing aggre s s i v eb reeding behavior, the decision was made toshorten the test period and avoid the onset ofrut as a confounding factor.

- Scrotal circ u m f e rence was measured forthe first time in the 2011 test. SC is an indicatorof the buck's ability to produce sperm and isrelated to the age at which the buck itself, aswell as his daughters and sons, attain puberty.


TABLE 1. 2011 COMMERCIAL MEAT GOAT FORAGE PERFORMANCE TEST RESULTS


Grand Champion - ADG ( t h re e - way tie)Bre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.36 lb.Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

Bre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.36 lb.Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

Bre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.36 lb.Ow n e r: Ma ry Kay Si n c l a i rKi kogal Ra n c h , Co f fe e n , Il l i n o i s

R e s e rve Grand Champion -ADGBre e d : Ki koA D G : 0.35 lb.Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

Grand Champion - FEC( fo u r - way tie)Bre e d : Ki koEnding FEC: 0Ow n e r: Jill Zi n kZink Be rry Fa rm , Mo rg a ntow n ,I n d i a n a

Bre e d : Ki koEnding FEC: 0Ow n e r: Jean Gu l l i o nMJ Iro n water Ac re s, Moody,Mi s s o u ri

Bre e d : Ge n e m a s te rEnding FEC: 0Ow n e r: Ra n dy Pe n nPenn Ac re s,Ri ve rto n , Ka n s a s

Bre e d : Ki koEnding FEC: 0Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko sKi n ca i d, Ka n s a s

R e s e rve Grand Champion - FEC (two - way tie)

Bre e d : Ki koEnding FEC: 1 2 . 5Ow n e r: Linda Sp a rk sGo at Hill Ki ko s,Po ru m , Okl a h o m a

Bre e d : Ki koEnding FEC: 1 2 . 5Ow n e r: Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a s

Top He rdsman - ADG

Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko s, Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a sA D G : 0.36 lb.

R e s e rve Top He rdsman - ADG (two - way tie)Linda Sp a rk sGo at Hill Ki ko s, Po ru m ,Okl a h o m aA D G : 0.28 lb.

Jean Gu l l i o nMJ Iro n water Ac re s, Moody,Mi s s o u riA D G : 0.28 lb.

Top He rdsman - FEC( two - way tie)Ra n dy Pe n n , Penn Ac re s,Ri ve rto n , Ka n s a sEnding FEC: 2 0 . 8

Wes Pi n n e oB Bar W Ki ko s,Ki n ca i d, Ka n s a sEnding FEC: 2 0 . 8

R e s e rve Top He rdsman - FECShane He s te rm a nDeep South Ki ko s,Broo kl y n , Mi s s i s s i p p iEnding FEC: 5 0

2011 Meat Goat Forage Buck Test ResultsForty goat bucks from ten farms in seven diff e rent states competed in the 2011 test.

Overall, the bucks gained an average of 0.23 pounds per day of the test.


Appendix A: Rules, Regulations and Protocol

2 0 11 Oklahoma Commercial Meat Goat Forage Performance Te s tKerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Inc.

in partnership with Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

O b j e c t i v e :To identify individual bucks as well as their sires and dams that carry genetics expre s s i n g

economically important traits in commercial meat goat production. A d d i t i o n a l l y, this test willallow breeders to compare genetics within their herd to make better management decisions as toh e rd lines that will produce profitable progeny for future herds. This test will also provide valuableinformation for all goat producers and the public.

D a t e s :Check-in: June 30, 2011 (Monday) 1pm-5pm

Warm-up: July 1, 2011- July 10, 2011

Test Period: July 11, 2011- September 21, 2011

Field Day & Aw a rds: September 24, 2011

Entry Requirements:

a ) A p roducer group will consist of 1 or morebucks (maximum of 6) that were born betweenJanuary 1, 2011 and March 31, 2011. All bre e d sand cro s s b reds are accepted.

b ) To be considered for the Herdsman Aw a rdyou must have a group of 3 or more bucks.

c ) P roducers must provide Birth Date andWeaning Date to verify.

d ) Bucks must weigh a minimum of 35lbs atcheck-in.

e ) Bucks must be weaned 30 days prior toe n t r y, had a minimum of 1 de-worming and 1CDT vaccination 4 weeks prior to entry, andhave their feet trimmed. No exceptions.

f ) Bucks must be tagged with a scrapie tag

f rom their state of origin. No exceptions.

g ) All out of state bucks must be accompaniedby an official inter-state health certificate andin compliance with all Oklahoma shipmentre q u i rements. For information: OklahomaDepartment of A g r i c u l t u re, Food & Fore s t r y,and (405) 522-6142.

h ) Entry fee of $120 per buck will be re q u i re dto secure a position within the test. The entryfee will cover feed supplementation, medica-tion, wormer, routine veterinarian services andother test costs.

i ) P roducers will be responsible for all vetfees incurred in the case of treatment forserious injury, disease or necropsy (in the caseof death).


Test Protocol:a ) Bucks will be given a thorough examinationby a veterinarian at check-in. Goats showingsigns of sore mouth, CL, foot rot or othercommunicable disease will not be allowed toenter the test.

b ) Bucks will receive a CDT vaccine, worming,fecal test, FA M A C H A s c o re and an ear tag withtest ID at the time of check-in.

c ) Bucks will be wormed with two or thre ed i ff e rent classes of wormer at the time ofcheck-in. A second fecal egg count will beconducted 10 days after check-in.

d ) Bucks that do not show a 90% reduction intheir egg count after the initial worming willnot be allowed to enter the test.

e ) Bucks that display symptoms of disease orillness during the test will be held in quaran-tine (on forage) until it is determined by theTest Manager or the Test Veterinarian that theymay re-enter the general population or mustleave the test.

f ) Low performing bucks may need to beremoved from the test. This decision will bemade by the Test Manager in consultation withthe pro d u c e r.

g ) Every effort will be made to accommodatethe producer if a buck must leave the test.

h ) In the case of death, a full necropsy will beperformed by the On-Site Veterinarian at theexpense of the owner.

i ) S u fficient forage will be provided for thebucks to perform up to their genetic potential.A feed supplement containing pro t e i n ,vitamins, minerals and other additive ingre d i-ents will be provided as needed to maximizethe utilization of forage.

j ) Bucks that score a 4 or 5 on the FA M A C H Ascale during the test will be de-wormed andd i s q u a l i f i e d .

k ) All decisions made by the Test Manager,Test Veterinarian and On-Site Veterinarian willbe final.

l ) Weights, FA M A C H A S c o res and fecal eggcounts will be taken every 17 days with theresults posted within 3 days onw w w. k e r rc e n t e r.com.

m ) Ultra sounding for loin eye area will bep rovided by Reproductive Enterprises Inc.

R e s u l t s :a ) Buck ranking within the test will be classifiedby Average Daily Gain and Fecal Egg Count.

b ) To compete for Grand ChampionH e rdsman, each producer must enter 3 or morebucks. This award will be determined by theaverage of the top 3 bucks for each producer inAverage Daily Gain and Fecal Egg Count.

Educational Informationa ) A summary sheet containing all datacollected for the bucks will be supplied to eachp ro d u c e r. A test summary with forage, weatherand other important information will also bedistributed.

b ) A Field Day will be held at the test site onSeptember 24, 2011 to view the bucks, tour theforage test and discuss performance on foragefor the meat goat industry.

c ) All test data and results will be made public.


Technical Advisory CommitteeTest A g ronomist- Chris Rice, OCES Southeast District A g ro n o m i s t

Test Nutritionist- Brian Freking, Le Flore County Extension Educator

Test StaffTest Veterinarian- Ann Wells, D.V.M., Kerr Center Director of Educational Pro g r a m s

Test Manager- Mary Penick, Kerr Center Livestock Manager

Test Herdsman- Andy Makovy, Kerr Center Livestock Herd s m a n

Test Assistant- Erin Campbell-Craven, Kerr Center Program A s s i s t a n t

Documents

The Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Test 2011 Report€¦ · THE OKLAHOMA FORAGE-BASED BUCK TEST 2011 REPORT 5 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 10000 Jul Aug Sept Available