This document summarizes a study comparing the health, performance, and carcass characteristics of pen-fed vs. pasture-raised meat goats. Over two years, male Kiko goat bucklings were either kept in pens and fed hay and grain, or grazed on pasture. The pen-fed goats had higher weight gains, lower parasite loads, and heavier carcasses with a higher percentage of lean meat compared to the pasture-raised goats. The study concluded that pen-feeding improved health and performance, adding $65-$70 of value per goat and was more profitable than pasture-raising in this two-year trial.

1. HEALTH, PERFORMANCE, AND CARCASS
CHARACTERISTICS OF PEN-FED VS.
PASTURE-RAISED MEAT GOATS
Susan Schoenian1, Jeff Semler1, David Gordon1,
Mary Beth Bennett2, and Dahlia O’Brien3
1University of Maryland, 2West Virginia University, 3Virginia State University

2. Introduction
• The goat industry is growing
worldwide.
• Though it has stagnated in recent
years, the U.S. goat industry has
increased substantially in the past
several decades.
• The demand for goat products is
increasing due to changing
demographics and immigration
patterns.
• There are many challenges to raising
goats profitably, including fattening
(finishing) goats for market.

3. There are substantial price differences between
Selection 1, 2, and 3 slaughter kids.
75
95
115
135
155
175
195
215
235
255
1-Jan 1-Feb 1-Mar 1-Apr 1-May 1-Jun 1-Jul 1-Aug 1-Sep 1-Oct 1-Nov 1-Dec
Prices for 32-kg kids $/head
2014 New Holland Sales Stables
Selection 1 Selection 2 Selection 3

4. Nutrient requirements for 20 kg. Boer bucklings (NRC, 2007)
ADG, g/d DM, kg/d DMI, % TDN, kg/d % TDN CP, g/d % CP
0 0.67 3.3 0.33 49.2 43 6.4
25 0.75 3.7 0.37 49.3 58 7.7
100 0.72 3.6 0.48 66.7 103 14.5
150 0.64 3.2 0.56 87.5 133 20.1
200 0.72 3.6 0.64 88.9 163 22.6
250 0.80 4.0 0.71 88.8 194 24.2
Higher rates-of-gain are not possible
without some concentrate feeding.

5. Nutrient content of feedstuffs
Feedstuff % DM % CP % TDN
Energy concentrates 88-91 8-14 76-92
Protein concentrates 88-91 23-66 74-87
Grass hay 88-91 6-12 50-60
Legume hay 88-91 15-19 55-65
Fresh forage 24-29 14-18 61-67

6. University of Maryland Extension
Pen vs. Pasture Studies
2013-2014

7. 2013
• 30 intact male Kiko goats
(avg. 22.3 ± 2.7) were
obtained from a farm in
Kansas.
• They were randomly
allocated to two treatment
groups.
2014
• 30 intact male Kiko
bucklings (avg. 21.2 ± 3.1
kg) were obtained from a
farm in New Jersey
• They were randomly
allocated to two treatment
groups.

8. PEN goats were housed in a
4.9 m2 zero-grazing pen.
PASTURE goats grazed
alongside bucks in the annual
Western Maryland Pasture-based
Meat Goat Performance Test.

9. Pen-fed
Hay
• 2nd cutting
alfalfa-orchardgrass mix
~ 1 kg per head per day
Grain
• Whole barley grain
~ 0.5 kg per head per day

10. Pasture-fed
Cool season grasses
• Orchardgrass
• MaxQ™ tall fescue
Warm season forages
• Forage sorghum
• Dwarf pearl millet
• Sun Hemp
• Cowpeas

11. Date Forage CP DOM DOM:CP
6-19 Cool 16.7 46.9 2.8
6-29 Cool 19.0 50.0 2.6
7-3 Cool 21.2 50.1 2.4
8-7 Warm 21.5 47.4 2.2
8-14 Warm 21.8 44.0 2.0
8-20 Warm 18.4 38.3 2.1
Source: Grazingland Animal Nutrition Lab
During the second half of the study
(d 42), the bucks were supplemented
with pelleted soybean hulls at a rate
of 341 g per head per day or about
1.5% of body weight.

12. Stomach worms
• Upon arrival, bucks were
dewormed with drugs from all
three anthelmintic classes.
Albendazole
Valbazen @ 3 ml/23 kg
+
Moxidectin
Cydectin® 0.1% oral drench
@ 2 ml/5 kg
+
Levamisole
Prohibit® soluble drench
(concentrated drench solution)
@ 3 ml per 23 kg.
Coccidia
• Upon arrival, goats were
treated for coccidiosis for five
days in their water
Sulfadimethoxine (Di-Methox)
Internal parasite protocol

13. • Body weights
• FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
• Body condition scores (1-5)
• Coat condition scores (1-3)
• Dag scores (0-5)
• Fecal consistency
scores (1-4)
• Fecal egg counts (EPG)
• Treatments
Initial and bi-weekly data End of test data
Carcass data
• Ultrasound rib eye
• Ultrasound rib fatness
• USDA grade
• Hot carcass weight (HCW)
• Cold carcass weight (CCW)
• Dressing percentage (DP)
• Rib eye area (REA)
• Body wall thickness (BWT)
• Leg circumference
• Kidney and heart fat (KH)
weight and percentage.
• Fat weight and percentage
• Bone weight and
percentage
• Lean weight and
percentage
• Boneless, fat-free yield
• Fatty acid composition

14. 21.0
23.0
25.0
27.0
29.0
31.0
33.0
35.0
31-May 13-Jun 27-Jun 11-Jul 25-Jul 8-Aug 22-Aug 5-Sep
Pen 22.0 24.0 26.0 28.8 29.9 33.1 32.7 33.9
Pasture 22.6 23.0 23.4 23.1 24.4 26.0 25.6 25.1
Body weights (kg)

15. Fecal egg counts (EPG)
(pastures were pre-infected by sheep)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
31-May 13-Jun 27-Jun 11-Jul 25-Jul 8-Aug 22-Aug 5-Sep
Pen 48 0 14 65 44 31 36 291
Pasture 57 0 1542 1441 687 605 586 1230
Tx = 8
Tx = 12
Tx = 3 Tx = 1
Tx = 3

16. FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
31-May 13-Jun 27-Jun 11-Jul 25-Jul 8-Aug 22-Aug 5-Sep
Pen 2.5 2.2 2.0 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.9
Pasture 2.1 1.9 3.7 3.3 2.6 2.3 2.2 2.3
Tx = 8
Tx = 12
Tx = 3
Tx = 1
Tx = 3
Tx = all

17. Live and carcass weights
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
70.0
80.0
Start weight End weight Hot carcass weight Cold carcass weight
Pen 48.3 74.5 32.4 29.9
Pasture 49.8 55.2 22.4 20.0

18. Carcass percentages
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
KH fat Total fat Bone Lean Dressing Yield
Pen 1.1% 2.3% 35.1% 55.5% 43.5% 22.3%
Pasture 0.3% 0.4% 44.2% 48.5% 40.3% 17.5%

19. Body weights (kg)
20.0
22.0
24.0
26.0
28.0
30.0
32.0
34.0
5-Jun 19-Jun 3-Jul 17-Jul 31-Jul 14-Aug 28-Aug
Pasture 22.4 22.3 23.1 22.8 22.2 23.6 25.2
Pen 24.1 25.0 26.5 28.1 29.7 32.0 32.1

20. Fecal egg counts (EPG)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
5-Jun 19-Jun 3-Jul 17-Jul 31-Jul 14-Aug 28-Aug
Pasture 25 1304 2114 2164 2317 4512 2845
Pen -12 952 815 1202 741 1181 1432

21. FAMACHA© scores (1-5)
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
2.20
2.40
2.60
2.80
5-Jun 19-Jun 3-Jul 17-Jul 31-Jul 14-Aug 28-Aug
Pasture 1.33 1.73 2.07 2.40 2.13 1.87 2.00
Pen 1.21 1.43 1.64 1.57 1.36 1.21 1.29

22. Live and carcass weights, kg
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.0
30.0
35.0
LW HCW CCW
Pasture 26.4 10.2 9.2
Pen 32.1 13.2 12.1
b
a
a
b
a
b

23. Carcass percentages, %
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
40.0
50.0
60.0
KH fat Fat DP Bone Lean Yield
Pasture 2.9 3.5 38.5 44.1 54.1 18.9
Pen 1.8 2.0 40.8 40.1 57.1 21.3
a b a
a
a
a
a
b
b b
b
b

24. Conclusion
• Pen-feeding improved the health and performance of
meat goat bucklings.
• Pen-fed goats produced heavier carcasses with a
higher percentage of lean than pasture-raised goats.
• Pen-feeding added $65-$70 per head in value and
was more profitable than pasture-raising in this 2-
year study.

25. Thank you for your attention. Questions?