Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
taken to prepare the buck for his active season. Some meat
breeds are year-round breeders, and must be fed accord-
ingly. Depending on the condition of the animal and his
prior plane of nutrition, in addition to good quality hay
provided free choice, 0.5 - 1 kg of 14 - 16% protein mix may
be needed. Supplementation should start as early as 6-7
weeks or could be as late as 2 weeks prior to the breeding
season depending on prior nutrition of the buck. Production
of fertile sperm begins 40-60 days before it is deposited
in the female reproductive tract. Grain supplements should
include a suffi cient amount of vitamins and minerals.
Trace mineralized salt should be provided free choice
and preferably in loose form. Avoid overfeeding and
overconditioning.
bucks) usually are raised for meat. Creep feeding is defi ned
as providing additional supplemental feeds to kids to
increase their growth rate so that they reach their market
weight (often 30-35 kg) at an early age (less than 6
months). Although it has not been a common practice in
meat goat production, creep feeding should be more profi t-
able with changes in goat marketing strategies that promote
premium prices for larger, more highly fi nished kids. Feed
is provided in a creep feeder that will allow access to feed
by the kids but not by other animals. Creep feed can be
simple like corn and oats, barley and oats, or a more
complex commercial kid grower mix containing 14-16%
protein and about 10% fi ber. Adding more fi brous feeds
such as beet pulp, oats, or dehydrated alfalfa to creep feed
will promote rumen development. Loose mineral mix and
salt should be provided at all times. The creep feeder
should be conveniently located where animals spend most
of their time.
Generally, most male kids and female kids that are not
herd replacements are either sold as weaned kids or are fed
for meat production. Weaned goats should be fed accord-
ing to their nutrient requirement to reach the desired
slaughter weight of 30-35 kg (in the U.S.). Some ethnic
groups may desire older animals with heavier carcasses or
want kids before specifi c holidays. Following the typical
growth curve, male kids grow faster than female kids
(Figure 10.3), and growth rates are most rapid between
birth and 6 months of age.
For ease of handling and to improve docility, all male
kids in the U.S. except those kept for breeding are castrated
very early in life. However, as shown in Figure 10.4, buck
kids grow faster than wethers, and castration will stunt
B
REEDING
S
EASON
In the breeding season (that usually starts in August and
lasts through December for seasonal breeders in the north-
ern hemisphere), the herd sire is quite active. Males will
fi ght with other bucks, and with their breeding activities,
they may devote little time to grazing or eating. Therefore,
body reserves will be depleted. Sometimes bucks com-
pletely stop eating during the mating season and lose
15-20% of their body weight. Breeding males may
serve does up to 20 times a day with 350 services being
possible during a limited breeding season. Therefore,
bucks should be provided with good quality hay and
1 - 1.5 kg of concentrate mix containing 14 - 16% protein,
adequate amounts of minerals, and vitamins. The buck
should receive 2,000-6,000 retinol equivalent (RE) of
vitamin A and 300-800 IU of vitamin E daily. Plenty of
clean water and salt mineral in loose form should be pro-
vided at all times.
P
OST
- B
REEDING
S
EASON
Unless year-round breeding is practiced, the herd
sire should be removed from the herd at the end of
the breeding season. Feed allowance should be reduced to
0.5-1 kg of grain mix (16% crude protein) per day at the
end of the breeding season depending on the animal' s
condition. If good quality hay is provided, the animal will
not need additional supplement. However, if the hay is
poor in quality, additional supplement may be needed to
meet maintenance energy requirements. Salt and a mineral
mix preferably in loose form should be provided at all
times.
Growth Curve of Buck and Doe Kids
40
35
30
25
Buck kids
Doe Kids
20
15
10
5
0
Weeks after birth
Feeding Kids to Produce Meat
After weaning at about 3 months of age, doelings may be
placed in the replacement herd while bucklings (young
Figure 10.3
Growth curves for bucks and does
from birth to 35 weeks of age.
