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Doe-Kid Performance to Weaning Among Three Meat Goat Breeds (Year 2) R. Browning, Jr.*, B. Donnelly, T. Payton, P. Pandya, W. Hendrixson, M. Tennessee State University, Nashville - Agricultural Research Institute. (Summary of a paper to be presented at the American Society of Animal Science (Southern Section Meeting) Orlando, Florida February, 2006. The entire text of the abstract follows the summary.)
Purpose The purpose of the study was to assess doe and kid performance on Southern United States pastures. This second-year study was conducted at Tennessee State University over a one-year period following a similar study covering a similar time period, and produced similar results. Breeding In this study, 58 Boer does, 51 Kiko does and 50 Spanish does were exposed in single-sire groups to 10 Boer, 7 Kiko and 3 Spanish bucks. A similar number of does of each breed were exposed to bucks of each breed. Kidding At the spring kidding, 47 Kikos (92.2% of those exposed), 46 Spanish (90%), and 43 Boer does (74.1%), each produced at least one live kid. At kidding, the Boer dams averaged 110.4 lbs; the Kikos 105.8 lbs., and the Spanish dams 93.9 lbs. All three breeds each averaged 1.91 kids per litter, and each breed had an average litter weight of 13.4 lbs, or 7.0 lbs per kid. Growth Average daily weight gain (ADG) per litter was higher among the Kikos at 0.57 lbs, with the Spanish litters gaining an average of 0.51 lbs per day, and the Boer litters gaining an average of 0.48 lbs per day. Weaning In 90 days, at weaning, 44 Kikos (86.3%of those giving birth) weaned at least one kid. 41 Spanish (82%) and 39 Boer dams (67.2%) also weaned at least one kid. At weaning, the Boer dams averaged 112.9 lbs. The Kikos averaged 106.7 lbs and the Spanish 95.3 lbs. Litter size at weaning varied little among the Kikos and Spanish at 1.72 and 1.74 kids per litter, respectively. The Boer litters, however averaged 1.46 kids per litter at weaning. Weaning weights were the same across the three breeds at 70.0 lbs per litter. That averages 47.9 lbs per kid for the Boers, 40.7 lbs per kid for the Kikos, and 40.2 lbs per kid for the Spanish dams. The ratio of litter weight to doe weight at weaning was higher for Spanish at 69%, with Kikos at 67%. The Boer dams weaned 54% of their weight. Attrition The attrition rate for Boer kids was 26.3%, considerably higher than for the other two breeds. The Spanish attrition rate was 15.7%, and the Kikos’ rate was 12.5%. Doe attrition rate during the period was also higher for the Boers at 17.2%, compared to 10% for Spanish and 2% for the Kiko does. Whole-herd Performance Of all does exposed to bucks, the Kikos weaned a kid crop of 147%, the Spanish 136%, and the Boers 96%. Litter weight weaned per exposed doe was highest among Kikos at 60.5 lbs. The Spanish weaned 50.6 lbs per doe and the Boers 40.5 lbs per doe exposed. Conclusion The results of this study and the previous study indicate that there is significant difference in the doe-kid performance between the three breeds under typical conditions in the Southeastern United States.
COMPLETE ABSTRACT
Abstract #77 Animal Society of Animal Science (Southern Section Meeting) Orlando, Florida February, 2006 Doe-kid performance to weaning among three meat goat breeds (Year 2). R. Browning, Jr.*, B. Donnelly, T. Payton, P. Pandya, W. Hendrixson, M. Byars. Tennessee State University, Nashville - Agricultural Research Institute.
Boer (BR; n = 58), Kiko (KK; n = 51), and Spanish (SP; n = 50) does were mated to 10 BR, 7 KK, and 3 SP bucks in single-sire groups using a complete 3-breed diallel to assess doe-kid performance on southern US pasture. At spring kidding, 43 BR, 47 KK,and 45 SP does produced at least one live kid. Kidding rate (i.e., does kidding) was lower (P < 0.04) for BR (74.1%) than for SP (90%) and KK (92.2%) does. Dam weights at kidding were lower (P < 0.01) for SP (42.7 ± 1.1 kg) than for KK and BR (48.1 and 50.2 ± 1.1 kg, respectively). Litter size (1.91 kids/litter) and litter weight (6.08 kg/litter) at birth were not affected by dam breed. Litter ADG was greater (P = 0.01) on KK (258 ± 12 g/d) than on BR (217 ± 13 g/d) dams with SP dams intermediate (231 ± 13 g/d). By weaning at 3 mo, 39 BR, 44 KK, and 41 SP dams had reared at least one kid. Weaning rate (i.e., does weaning kids) was lower (P = 0.02) for BR (67.2%) than for KK (86.3%) does, SP were intermediate at 82%. Dam weights at weaning were lower (P < 0.01) for SP (43.3 ± 1.1 kg) than for BR (51.3 ± 1.2 kg), KK were intermediate at 48.5 ± 1.1 kg. Litter size at weaning was affected (P = 0.04) by dam breed as BR (1.46 ± 0.1 kids) weaned smaller litters than KK and SP (1.72 and 1.74 ± 0.1 kids). Litter weaning weights (31.82 kg) were not affected by dam breed. The ratio of litter weight to doe weight at weaning was greater (P < 0.01) for SP and KK (69 and 67 ± 3%, respectively) compared to BR dams (54 ± 3%). Kid attrition rate was higher (P = 0.01) for BR (26.3%) compared with KK dams (12.5%), SP were intermediate (15.7%). Over the production year, doe attrition rate was higher (P < 0.01) for BR (17.2%) than for KK (2%), SP were intermediate (10%). As measures of whole herd performance based on all does exposed to bucks, BR does weaned a lower (P < 0.01) kid crop percent (96 ± 10%) compared to SP and KK (136 and 147 ± 11%, respectively). Litter weight weaned per doe exposed was lower (P < 0.01) for BR (18.4 ± 1.8 kg) compared to KK does (27.5 ± 2.0 kg), SP were intermediate (23.0 ± 2.0 kg). Similar to Year 1, results here suggest that meat goat breeds differ for doe-kid performance under southeastern US conditions.
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