2008 Oklahoma Meat Goat Forage Buck Performance Test

Field Day Brochure

Download field_day_brochure.pdf

Please download the Field Day Brochure and plan to attend the 1st Annual Buck Forage Test Field Day & Sale.

Update

The goats are doing well. The temperatures and weather have moderated and this has helped to improve the goats intake. We will be taking weights and FAMACHA scores on October 8th before the final weight on October 26th.

The goats that had been ill at the beginning of the test are improving greatly. They will not be ranked at the top but they have improved as far as putting on weight, competing for feed, and general health. Andy and I are both very happy to see this.

I am attaching a  write up by Brian Freking- OSU LeFlore County Educator, on the nutrition and forage availablity of the test. Brian has been taking forage samples and monotoring the change in pastures as well as the nutritional requirements of the goats.

I feel many of you will find this very informative.   

Download goat_intake_2007.doc

I will also be loading the Field Day & Sale Brochure.

Talk with you soon,

Mary

Pictures from Sept 11, 2007

 

 

Adobe Copy of 56 Day Weights

Sorry I did not get this up yesterday. We were trying to finalize the plans for the field day and time got away from me. I have also made a graph that will help to see the breakout of bucks. Also I have out the breed out next to the weights so that you can see the comparison by breed.

MaryDownload copy_of_posting_weights.pdf

Download posting_weights.xls

56 Day Weights & Average Daily Gains

I am posting the results of today's weigh in. I am not able to post it in Adobe right now but I will as soon as I get to the office in the morning.  Also I plan on making the list with the breed of buck next to the ranking. I know that this is something many are wondering about.

We have seen some incredible weight gains within the last 3 weeks. I hope this continues and we continue to learn everyday. We are still feeding 1/2lb of soybean meal with rumensin per head per day. This of course is not done in a controlled pen, where everyone gets their own feeder. They are having to compete for the feed, but this is what we want to see. What bucks are rising to the occasion and competing.

We still have some pneumonia in the herd but are hopeful that we have caught it in time for the other bucks and will be able to stave off any more deaths. This (death in the buck herd) has been very hard on Andy and myself but I know that this has been even harder on the owners of the bucks. We both want to say thank you to every single owner who has entrusted us with their best animals and we will promise to stay as vigilent as we possibly can be. I also want to say a special thank you to those owners that I have had to make the hardest phone calls. You have all been very reassuring and accepting. Thank you again.

I will also be posting more photos for everyone to see tomorrow.

Talk with you soon,

Mary

Weights & Pneumonia

Hi everyone,

I have been getting a few emails and phone calls about the next dates for buck weights. We will be taking weights on Monday, September 10-the 56 day weight and again on October 8 before the final weight on the 26. Time is just flying by. I can't beileve we are already through half of the test.

Things were going very well there for a couple of weeks and then yesterday afternoon when we went out to check after the rains, we discovered a buck dead under the canopy. I have already notified the owners so if I haven't called you it wasn't yours. Andy and I quickly took it to our on-site Vet, Dr. Leon Mitchell after consulting with Dr. Sparks by phone, to have a necropsy done. He confirmed it to be Pneumonia Pasteurella. We know the buck was alive at 9:30 that morning (and was active) and dead by 2:30pm. Dr. Mitchell felt this was a very fast moving pneumonia and we are closely watching all of the other bucks. We are looking for signs of discharge from the eyes and nose, wheezing and heavier breathing than normal. After we identify the animal, we are taking temperatures and determining if the temp is elevated. If it is, we are immediatley starting a 5 day course of Excenel and Banamine.

As far as learning about goats, I can tell you one thing. The second you begin to relax and think you know it all......boom....here comes another blow. It has been quite amazing. It takes very special people to go through everything with goats, but the goats sure do make it worth it. Everyday I laugh at something new they do, or an expression they make, or how there tails wag to greet you. I love cattle but they are beginning to run a close second to goats.

Well we will keep you updated and hopefully I don't have to make anymore tough phone calls.

Mary