Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #141299
Title: GROWTH, INTAKE, AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BOER- AND KIKO-SIRED CROSSBRED GOAT KIDS PEN-FED A FORAGE-BASED DIET

Author
item WILDEUS, S - VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
item ZERBY, H - THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
item Turner, Kenneth
item GREINER, S - VIRGINIA TECH
item COLLINS, J - VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science Southern Section Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2002
Publication Date: 1/31/2003
Citation: WILDEUS, S., ZERBY, H.N., TURNER, K.E., GREINER, S.P., COLLINS, J.R. GROWTH, INTAKE, AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF BOER- AND KIKO-SIRED CROSSBRED GOAT KIDS PEN-FED A FORAGE-BASED DIET. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL SCIENCE SOUTHERN SECTION MEETING. 2003.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The South African Boer (B) and New Zealand Kiko (K) goats have potential to serve as sire breeds for market kid production. This experiment evaluated the growth performance of kids sired by either B or K bucks mated to Spanish (S) and Myotonic (M) does during a March mating season. At 3.5 mo of age 24 intact male kids, equally representing the four breed combinations, were allocated to 6 pens by sire breed (3 pens/sire breed), and fed a diet of moderate quality grass hay (10.6% CP, 46.9% IVOMD, 70.4% NDF, 39.5% ADF) ad lib and a corn-cottonseed supplement (15.5% CP) at 2% of BW. Pen intake was measured on d 28, 84, and 154 of the trial in 5 d collection periods. At 156 d ultrasonic backfat and rib eye area measurements were made and animals were graded. Animals were slaughtered after 177 d. Data were analyzed for the effects of sire and dam breed. Forage DM intake was similar between sire breeds, but decreased (P<.01) from 1.77 to 1.14% BW during the trial. Starting BW tended to be higher (P<.1) in K- than B-sired kids (15.8 vs. 14.3 kg), but final BW (34.7 kg) and ADG (105 g/d) were not different. Final BW (P<.05) and ADG (P<.01) were higher in kids from S (36.8 kg and 117 g/d) than M does (32.5 kg and 94 g/d). Dressing percentage (sire x dam breed interaction: P<.05) was higher in B x S kids (48.0%) than the other breed combinations (44-45%). Backfat was greater (P<.05) in B (.089 cm) than K-sired kids (.045 cm), however, ribeye area (8.89 cm2) and body wall thickness (.91 cm) were not different between breeds. Ultrasonic and carcass ribeye area measurements were correlated (r=.68; P<.001), but not backfat measurements. Live grades were higher (P<.05) in B- than K-sired kids. Results suggest similar growth performance between sire breeds, but increased deposition of backfat in B-sired kids.