Health, Performance, and Carcass Characteristics of Pen-Fed vs. Pasture-Raised Meat Goats
1. HEALTH, PERFORMANCE, AND CARCASS
CHARACTERISTICS OF PEN-FED VS.
PASTURE-RAISED MEAT GOATS
Susan Schoenian1, Jeff Semler1, David Gordon1,
Mary Beth Bennett2, and Dahlia O’Brien3
1University of Maryland, 2West Virginia University, 3Virginia State University
2. Introduction
• The goat industry is growing
worldwide.
• Though it has stagnated in recent
years, the U.S. goat industry has
increased substantially in the past
several decades.
• The demand for goat products is
increasing due to changing
demographics and immigration
patterns.
• There are many challenges to raising
goats profitably, including fattening
(finishing) goats for market.
3. There are substantial price differences between
Selection 1, 2, and 3 slaughter kids.
75
95
115
135
155
175
195
215
235
255
1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec
Prices for 32-kg kids $/head
2014 New Holland Sales Stables
Selection 1 Selection 2 Selection 3
7. 2013
• 30 intact male Kiko goats
(avg. 22.3 ± 2.7) were
obtained from a farm in
Kansas.
• They were randomly
allocated to two treatment
groups.
2014
• 30 intact male Kiko
bucklings (avg. 21.2 ± 3.1
kg) were obtained from a
farm in New Jersey
• They were randomly
allocated to two treatment
groups.
8. PEN goats were housed in a
4.9 m2 zero-grazing pen.
PASTURE goats grazed
alongside bucks in the annual
Western Maryland Pasture-based
Meat Goat Performance Test.
10. Pasture-fed
Cool season grasses
• Orchardgrass
• MaxQ™ tall fescue
Warm season forages
• Forage sorghum
• Dwarf pearl millet
• Sun Hemp
• Cowpeas
11. Date Forage CP DOM DOM:CP
6-19 Cool 16.7 46.9 2.8
6-29 Cool 19.0 50.0 2.6
7-3 Cool 21.2 50.1 2.4
8-7 Warm 21.5 47.4 2.2
8-14 Warm 21.8 44.0 2.0
8-20 Warm 18.4 38.3 2.1
Source: Grazingland Animal Nutrition Lab
During the second half of the study
(d 42), the bucks were supplemented
with pelleted soybean hulls at a rate
of 341 g per head per day or about
1.5% of body weight.
12. Stomach worms
• Upon arrival, bucks were
dewormed with drugs from all
three anthelmintic classes.
Albendazole
Valbazen @ 3 ml/23 kg
+
Moxidectin
Cydectin® 0.1% oral drench
@ 2 ml/5 kg
+
Levamisole
Prohibit® soluble drench
(concentrated drench solution)
@ 3 ml per 23 kg.
Coccidia
• Upon arrival, goats were
treated for coccidiosis for five
days in their water
Sulfadimethoxine (Di-Methox)
Internal parasite protocol
24. Conclusion
• Pen-feeding improved the health and performance of
meat goat bucklings.
• Pen-fed goats produced heavier carcasses with a
higher percentage of lean than pasture-raised goats.
• Pen-feeding added $65-$70 per head in value and
was more profitable than pasture-raising in this 2-
year study.