Meat Goat Testing Program The program is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with Penn State’s Department of Dairy and Animal Science, the Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Grower’s Association, and state breed associations. The objectives of the program are to: • Provide a genetically sound testing program that would allow both large and small goat producers to participate. • Promote performance testing of goats in Pennsylvania and acquaint producers with its overall value. • Provide a common test for evaluating rate of gain, structural soundness, muscularity, condition, and estimated carcass merit. • Provide an opportunity for purebred breeders and commercial producers to purchase performance-tested bucks, which have been evaluated in part under similar, unbiased, environmental conditions. The testing facility houses up to 200 Bucks in 5 pens for a 70-day feeding period. Rations are self fed after a warm-up period and contain approximately 1000 lbs. Oats, 500 lbs Corn, 250 lbs. Linseed meal, 190 lbs. Soybean meal, 50 lbs. Wheat middlings, and 26 lbs. Minerals and vitamins.
Care and Management of Pennsylvania Buck Testing Participating bucks complete an official 70-day performance test at the Livestock Evaluation Center on July 4. Prior to the start of the tests, buck are allowed a 14-day adjustment period. During this 2-week period, bucks are dewormed, introduced to the LEC ration and prepared to begin the test. Throughout the performance tests,bucks are self-fed a pelleted 16% protein feed. All animals received a mix grass/legume hay.
9th Annual Production Sale
Erwin Games Over
September 10 at 1:00 PM CDT Viewing: Sat from 5-9 PM & Sunday 8 AM until Sale Ozark Empire Fairgrounds 3001 N Grant Ave | Sringfield, MO Bear Creek BC D817 Argo
2017 Consignors Amarugia Boer Goats BBQ Acres Bear Creek Boers B & D Boers Cheese Creek Acres CR Boer Goats Guthrie Farms Holaday Farm Osage Acres Post Rock Boer Goats Rocky Acre Farm Stein Creek Farm Stewart Livestock Triple Heart Break Acres Wattswood
24 - The Boer Goat
TST1 Trump
Catalog on boergoats.com
Freman Elam 417-532-6056
Katie Stewart 417-839-3184
PERFORMANCE RECORDS Individual performance records exist for each buck cataloged. These records include: a. Average Daily Gain – weight gained over course of test divided by days on test b. Weight Per Day of Age – average weight gain per day since birth c. Loin Area – ultrasonically scanned between the last two ribs, then adjusted based on average weight within breed d. Fat – measured ultrasonically, and to some degree indicates composition of gain f. Ratio – The percent above or below average a buck is within his own breed group for a particular trait. (100 is average.) INDEX Buck Index = (.40 x average daily gain ratio) + (.20 x final weight per day of age ratio) + (.20 x loin muscle area value adjusted by test goat’s breed avg. metabolic weight) + (.20 x hind leg circumferenc measurement adjusted by test goat’s breed avg. metabolic weight) Animal’s index divided by the average animal index within a breed provides the index ratio.
