TSU Goat Research Reveals Kiko Wethers Outperform Boer Wethers in Growth As Reported by: Dr. Richard Browning, TSU Growth Rates of Boer and Kiko crossbred wethers fed endophyte-infected tall fescue or orchard grass. (Richard Browning, Jr., Y. G. Myles, M. Byars, S. H. Kebe, T. Payton, E Lane, C. Johnson, D A Young, and D. Coleman, Tennessee State University, Nashville.) This study was conducted to begin assessing how endophyte-infected tall fescue (TF) might affect meat goat performance. A majority of Tennessee goat producers indicated in a survey that tall fescue covers the improved pastures they use to graze goats (Leite-Browning et al., 2001; J. Anim. Sci. 80 (Suppl.2):27). Three quarters Boer (N=22) and 3/4 Kiko (n-15) yearling wethers were fed in drylot over three periods. During the pretrial period (Jan-Mar), all goats were provided orchard grass (OG) hay for ad libitum consumption and were fed 455 g/d of a concentrate supplement. In Trial 1 (Apr-Jun), wethers within each breed were paired by weight and evenly divided into groups receiving TF seed and OG seed diets. Seed (227 g/d) was carried in 682 g/d of the concentrate supplement. Both groups were provided OG hay for ad libitum consumption. No breed x diet interaction was detected in Trail 1. Pretrial growth rates did not differ between TF and OG-fed goats (75 vs 78+ 7 g/d). The TF seed diet lowered (P<0.01) ADG by 32% over 8 weeks compared to the OG diets. Experimental diets in Trial 2 were in the form of TF or OG hay supplemented with 227 g/d of concentrate without TF or OG seed. Growth rates during Trial 1 did not differ between TF and OG-fed goats as grouped for Trail 2 (123 vs 128 + 9 g/d). There was no breed x diet interaction detected in Trial 2. The TF hay diet lowered (P=0.10) growth rates by 33% over 8 weeks compared to the OG hay diet (40 vs 60 + 9 g/d). Across the three observation periods, percentage Kiko wethers had higher (P<0.01) growth rates compared to percentage Boer wethers (214 vx 156 + 10 g/d). This pilot study demonstrated the potential of endophyte-infected tall fescue to significantly lower the performance of meat goat wethers. Tennessee State University, Cooperative Agricultural Research Program (CARP); Nashville, TN ( http://www.tnstate.edu/carp )
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