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Title: DIFFERENCES IN PERFORMANCE OF HAIR SHEEP LAMBS AND MEAT GOAT KIDS OFFERED HIGH FORAGE DIETS WITH A CORN-BASED SUPPLEMENT

Author
item WILDEUS, S - VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
item Turner, Kenneth
item GREINER, S - VIRGINIA TECH
item COLLINS, J - VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2003
Publication Date: 2/14/2004
Citation: Wildeus, S., Turner, K.E., Greiner, S.P., Collins, J.R. 2004. Differences in performance of hair sheep lambs and meat goat kids offered high forage diets with a corn-based supplement (abstract). Journal of Animal Science Abstracts. 2004 ASAS Southern Meeting. 82 (Supplement1):28.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Hair sheep and meat goats are suited for similar production environments and generally are sold to ethnic niche markets. However, there is only limited information directly comparing the performance of these two species in the U.S. When animals were 3.5 mo of age, 36 animals (equally representing Barbados Blackbelly, and Katahdin, and St. Croix intact ram lambs, and Boer cross, Myotonic, and Spanish intact buck kids) were allocated to 6 pens by species (3 pens/species) with pens balanced for breed. All animals were offered a moderate quality tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) hay (10.6% CP, 46.9% IVOMD, 70.4% NDF, 39.5% ADF) ad libitum, and limit-fed a corn-whole cottonseed-soybean meal supplement (15.5% CP) at 2.0% BW during the 163-d trial. Intake of hay and supplement (pen basis), and individual BW were recorded on d 28, 84, and 154 of the trial. At the beginning of each intake period, blood samples were collected via jugular venipuncture to determine plasma metabolites. On d156, ultrasonic backfat and rib eye area measurements were made and animals graded. Data were analyzed for the effects of species. Forage DM intake was higher in sheep than goats (1.49 vs 1.36 % BW; P<.05), and decreased (P<.01) overall from 1.66% BW to 1.26% BW during the course of the trial. Compared to goats, sheep had higher (P<.001) starting BW (21.7 vs 16.6 kg), final BW (45.3 vs 33.5 kg) and ADG (145 vs 107 g/d). Sheep also graded higher (P<.01), and had higher (P<.001) backfat (0.42 vs 0.18 cm) and ribeye area (11.4 vs 8.6 sqcm). Sheep had higher (P<.01) blood urea nitrogen (20.6 vs 16.6 mg/dL), glucose (75.1 vs. 67.5 mg/dL), and creatinine ( 0.619 vs 0.542 mg/dL) concentrations than goats. Results indicate that hair sheep lambs grew faster and consumed more forage than meat-type goats under the conditions of this experiment.