Meat Goat Finishing Study Update

We will be moving the goats to our Sheep Management Center to continue the trial.  This is an elevated feeding facility that promotes animal health by limiting parasite problems.  This will allow us to finish the trial in a timely manner!  The goats will still be on the same dietary treatments, forage only and the forage + grain treatment.  Pictures will be posted once the goats are moved into the other facility!

Published in:  on September 16, 2009 at 6:03 pm Leave a Comment

NCMGA Quarterly Membership Meeting at Chico State

On September 12, 2009, over 60 participants attended the quarterly meeting for the Northern California Meat Goat Association membership.  It was an outstanding meeting!  The membership explored marketing options and educational opportunities and learned a bit about goat meat and grading carcasses.   The day wrapped up with a tour of the Chico State Sheep and Goat Unit.

For more information about this group – visit their website at http://www.northerncaliforniameatgoatassociation.com/

Having fun at the quarterly NCMGA meeting

Having fun at the quarterly NCMGA meeting

Producers touring the unit

Producers touring the unit

NDMGA members touring the Chico State Sheep and Goat Unit

NDMGA members touring the Chico State Sheep and Goat Unit

More discussion on meat goat grading!

More discussion on meat goat grading!

Meat goat producers learning about goat carcass grading

Meat goat producers learning about goat carcass grading

Published in:  on at 5:20 pm Comments (1)

Photos from Weigh Day 8/28

Students from the Animal Nutrition class are helping weigh today!

Students from the Animal Nutrition class are helping weigh today!

More students helping!

More students helping!

Had a couple that needed some treatment - Chico State students helping out.

Had a couple that needed some treatment - Chico State students helping out.

Student moving electric fence

Student moving electric fence

Published in:  on August 28, 2009 at 6:07 pm Leave a Comment

Weigh Day – 8/28/09

Goats were weighed today.  Currently the goats have officially been on test for 56 days.  We are getting closer to harvest on some and will keep you notified as to when animals will be ready.  The ADG reported is for the entire 56 days.

CSC ID Gender Trt WT 1 WT 5 ADG
1 W 1 45 45 0.00
2 W 2 46 59 0.23
3 W 1 52 60 0.14
4 W 2 60 71 0.20
5 W 1 47 55 0.14
6 W 2 55 57 0.04
7 W 1 67 70 0.05
8 W 2 50 65 0.27
9 W 1 50 59 0.16
10 W 2 42 60 0.32
11 W 1 35 44 0.16
12 W 2 60 65 0.09
13 W 1 63 64 0.02
14 D 2 47 58 0.20
15 D 1 48 60 0.21
16 W 2 56 72 0.29
17 W 1 47 44 -0.05
18 W 2 55 61 0.11
19 W 1 47 65 0.32
20 W 2 45 62 0.30
21 W 1 55 58 0.05
22 D 2 56 72 0.29
23 D 1 47 51 0.07
24 D 2 53 62 0.16
25 W 1 55 59 0.07
26 W 2 46 55 0.16
27 W 1 50 50 0.00
28 W 2 48 59 0.20
29 W 1 48 47 -0.02
30 W 2 53 67 0.25
31 W 1 47 52 0.09
32 W 2 52 62 0.18
33 W 1 61 66 0.09
34 W 2 55 64 0.16
35 W 1 54 64 0.18
36 W 2 57 75 0.32
37 W 1 51 56 0.09
38 D 2 51 60 0.16
39 D 1 44 50 0.11
40 W 2 43 46 0.05
41 W 1 44 . .
42 W 2 53 53 0.00
43 W 1 50 57 0.13
44 W 2 49 56 0.13
45 W 1 56 65 0.16
46 D 2 44 54 0.18
47 W 1 62 63 0.02
48 W 2 64 76 0.21
49 W 1 45 55 0.18
50 W 2 44 57 0.23
51 D 1 51 57 0.11
52 D 2 51 62 0.20
53 D 1 42 46 0.07
54 D 2 46 56 0.18
56 W 2 42 52 0.18
58 W 1 37 38 0.02
Published in:  on at 6:07 pm Leave a Comment

Pictures from 8/14/09 – Meat Goat Study

Here are some pictures of the treatment groups.

Just an overview of some of the goats at the CSUC Farm

Just an overview of some of the goats at the CSUC Farm

Some of the goats from the forage + grain group exploring the field.

Some of the goats from the forage + grain group exploring the field.

Forage only group out on their new pasture

Forage only group out on their new pasture

An example of the pasture the goats are grazing

An example of the pasture the goats are grazing

Published in:  on August 15, 2009 at 3:28 pm Leave a Comment

42 Day Meat Goat Finishing Study Update

The goats are doing well!  Gains are up and animals are looking great.  Feel free to scroll down our posts and take a look at how these compare to the last weigh periods.

Avg Wt
8/14

ADG
Past 14 Days

Total Gain (42 Days)

Total ADG
(42 Days)

Forage Only

56.41

0.20

6.19

0.15

Forage + Grain

60.46

0.36

9.64

0.23

Below is all the individual performance data for all animals.   This includes the last period (WT 4 and ADG 3) as well as total trial gains.  Today is day 42 of the project.  Animals will begin reaching the target ending weight of about 80-85 lbs within the next month.

CSC ID Trt WT 4 ADG 3 Period Gain Total Gain Total ADG
1 Forage 45 0 0 0 0.00
2 For + Grain 55 0.21 3 9 0.21
3 Forage 60 0.14 2 8 0.19
4 For + Grain 70 0.43 6 10 0.24
5 Forage 54 0.14 2 7 0.17
6 For + Grain 59 0.43 6 4 0.10
7 Forage 72 0.07 1 5 0.12
8 For + Grain 64 0.29 4 14 0.33
9 Forage 61 0.36 5 11 0.26
10 For + Grain 57 0.29 4 15 0.36
11 Forage 42 0.14 2 7 0.17
12 For + Grain 70 0.29 4 10 0.24
13 Forage 64 0 0 1 0.02
14 For + Grain 59 0.36 5 12 0.29
15 Forage 57 0.21 3 9 0.21
16 For + Grain 69 0.5 7 13 0.31
17 Forage 45 0.21 3 -2 -0.05
18 For + Grain 60 0.21 3 5 0.12
19 Forage 67 0.5 7 20 0.48
20 For + Grain 60 0.43 6 15 0.36
21 Forage 61 0.36 5 6 0.14
22 For + Grain 70 0.43 6 14 0.33
23 Forage 56 0.29 4 9 0.21
24 For + Grain 61 0.21 3 8 0.19
25 Forage 61 0.14 2 6 0.14
26 For + Grain 51 0 0 5 0.12
27 Forage 51 0 0 1 0.02
28 For + Grain 59 0.29 4 11 0.26
29 Forage 50 0.07 1 2 0.05
30 For + Grain 66 0.43 6 13 0.31
31 Forage 55 0.21 3 8 0.19
32 For + Grain 61 0.64 9 9 0.21
33 Forage 68 0.36 5 7 0.17
34 For + Grain 59 0.14 2 4 0.10
35 Forage 67 0.29 4 13 0.31
36 For + Grain 75 0.57 8 18 0.43
37 Forage 55 0.14 2 4 0.10
38 For + Grain 59 0.57 8 8 0.19
39 Forage 49 0.29 4 5 0.12
40 For + Grain 46 0.21 3 3 0.07
41 Forage . . . . .
42 For + Grain 54 0.36 5 1 0.02
43 Forage 59 0.21 3 9 0.21
44 For + Grain 55 0.21 3 6 0.14
45 Forage 64 0.36 5 8 0.19
46 For + Grain 56 0.43 6 12 0.29
47 Forage 64 0.29 4 2 0.05
48 For + Grain 76 0.5 7 12 0.29
49 Forage 52 0.14 2 7 0.17
50 For + Grain 52 0.36 5 8 0.19
51 Forage 58 0.14 2 7 0.17
52 For + Grain 60 0.29 4 9 0.21
53 Forage 46 0.21 3 4 0.10
54 For + Grain 56 0.43 6 10 0.24
56 For + Grain 54 0.43 6 12 0.29
58 Forage 40 0.07 1 3 0.07
Published in:  on August 14, 2009 at 8:17 pm Leave a Comment

Preg Checked Today!

We preg checked our ewes today – we will have about 50 ewes lambing in October and November!  This is about 15 more ewes than we have had the past couple of falls!  We are excited – more lambs for May/June fairs.

Published in:  on August 11, 2009 at 5:44 pm Leave a Comment

Meat Goat Project Update

We will be moving the goats to “greener pastures” early this week…they are doing well and all animals are up and eating.  We will be weighing this Friday and I will be posting the data over the weekend.

Published in:  on at 12:57 am Leave a Comment

Feeding Update

The goats have been grazing well, we rotate them every 5 to 7 days depending on how much feed is available.  The Forage + Grain group is going to get a little bit more grain – keeping to 1% of their body weight.  The goats like the Bar Ale Western Sweet Goat Mineral!

Published in:  on July 31, 2009 at 5:06 pm Leave a Comment

Meat Goat Finishing Study Update

We have completed our second 14 d period of the project.  Here is the averages for the project, to date:

Average Wt July 31 ADG           (past 14 d) ADG        (entire 28 d)
Forage Only 53.63 0.27 0.12
Forage + Grain 55.50 0.20 0.17

For those that have animals in the trial, below is all the individual performance data:

7/31 28 days
CSC ID Gender Trt WT 3 ADG 2 Total ADG
1 W Forage Only 45 0.07 0.00
2 W Forage + Grain 52 0.21 0.21
3 W Forage Only 58 0.29 0.21
4 W Forage + Grain 64 0.21 0.14
5 W Forage Only 52 0.57 0.18
6 W Forage + Grain 53 0.21 -0.07
7 W Forage Only 71 0.29 0.14
8 W Forage + Grain 60 0.14 0.36
9 W Forage Only 56 0.50 0.21
10 W Forage + Grain 53 0.43 0.39
11 W Forage Only 40 0.21 0.18
12 W Forage + Grain 66 -0.07 0.21
13 W Forage Only 64 0.14 0.04
14 D Forage + Grain 54 0.21 0.25
15 D Forage Only 54 0.21 0.21
16 W Forage + Grain 62 0.29 0.21
17 W Forage Only 42 0.00 -0.18
18 W Forage + Grain 57 0.21 0.07
19 W Forage Only 60 0.57 0.46
20 W Forage + Grain 54 0.21 0.32
21 W Forage Only 56 0.07 0.04
22 D Forage + Grain 64 0.29 0.29
23 D Forage Only 52 0.43 0.18
24 D Forage + Grain 58 0.21 0.18
25 W Forage Only 59 0.21 0.14
26 W Forage + Grain 51 0.36 0.18
27 W Forage Only 51 0.43 0.04
28 W Forage + Grain 55 0.14 0.25
29 W Forage Only 49 0.36 0.04
30 W Forage + Grain 60 0.43 0.25
31 W Forage Only 52 0.29 0.18
32 W Forage + Grain 52 -0.21 0.00
33 W Forage Only 63 0.21 0.07
34 W Forage + Grain 57 0.43 0.07
35 W Forage Only 63 0.21 0.32
36 W Forage + Grain 67 0.14 0.36
37 W Forage Only 53 0.36 0.07
38 D Forage + Grain 51 -0.07 0.00
39 D Forage Only 45 0.36 0.04
40 W Forage + Grain 43 0.64 0.00
41 W Forage Only . . .
42 W Forage + Grain 49 0.14 -0.14
43 W Forage Only 56 0.21 0.21
44 W Forage + Grain 52 0.00 0.11
45 W Forage Only 59 0.50 0.11
46 D Forage + Grain 50 -0.07 0.21
47 W Forage Only 60 -0.07 -0.07
48 W Forage + Grain 69 0.07 0.18
49 W Forage Only 50 0.43 0.18
50 W Forage + Grain 47 0.14 0.11
51 D Forage Only 56 0.21 0.18
52 D Forage + Grain 56 0.36 0.18
53 D Forage Only 43 0.14 0.04
54 D Forage + Grain 50 0.00 0.14
56 W Forage + Grain 48 0.50 0.21
58 W Forage Only 39 0.07 0.07
Published in:  on at 4:59 pm Leave a Comment