# Our new Buck!   Opinions and suggestions for a name please!



## jodief100 (Oct 4, 2010)

We bought a new buck at the MD Forage ONLY Buck test this weekend.  This test started the summer with hot swampy conditions.  About a third of the bucks needed worming, some of them several times.  Then they got almost no rain the last two months so the forage was sparse and low quality.  

Under those very stressful conditions and a forage only diet, here are the stats:

ADG:  .18 lbs per day
High FEC:  325 epg
Average FEC:  193 epg
Average FAMACHA:  1.0 
2 teats, 2 cm split
SC:  23 cm

He is a IKGA registered purebred Kiko.  I have no other registered goats so I am certainly going to have lots of questions about registration here soon.  I also bought 2 registered does at the sale.  

His back was shaved to be ultrasounded for the test.


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## Chicos Mama (Oct 4, 2010)

Very Handsome Buck! How about: *OPTIMUS PRIME*!


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## Emmetts Dairy (Oct 4, 2010)

Very Handsome boy!!     How about "Finnegan" ?????


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## cmjust0 (Oct 4, 2010)

Based on the picture...I'm gonna have to go with "TOP NOTCH."



Tell us more about the test...like, how often do they check the EPG counts, how often are they dewormed, what's the timeframe between the deworming and EPGs, etc.?  Was he one of the bucks who needed deworming?  How do they verify whether or not a buck was dewormed?...as in, how do they keep people honest?

And what the hell were they ultrasounding that they had to shave his back?!?


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## jodief100 (Oct 4, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> Based on the picture...I'm gonna have to go with "TOP NOTCH."
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They check FMACHA and FEC every two weeks.  They deworm immediately based on the FMACHA scores, they do not get FEC back for a few days. I noticed with a few exceptions the FMACHA scores were pretty well inline with the FEC's.  100% of the eggs they found in all the goats were barberpole worm.  He was never dewormed.  

In the test reports they state who performed the FMACHA tests, who weighed the goats and who administered treatment each time.  It is run by the University of Maryland Extension and everything is conducted by multiple people.  Reports are posted online and emailed to anyone on the list.  I guess there could be cheating but why?  If the test is discredited then they lose the revenue.  
http://mdgoattest.blogspot.com/

They were ultrasounding loin eye size.  There is no standard for goats but they are collecting data to see if this is a good standard to use for meat goats.  

I am trying to improve parasite resistance and have a more cost effective (more forage-less grain) operation.  This guy should help me move in the right direction.


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## ()relics (Oct 4, 2010)

Did the test field only include kikos or were other breeds/crossbreds also involved?


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## jodief100 (Oct 4, 2010)

()relics said:
			
		

> Did the test field only include kikos or were other breeds/crossbreds also involved?


You could enter any kind of buck you wanted, there were 20 consigners and 74 bucks.  It was primarily kikos and cross bred kikos.  There were several Boers, none made the final cut to be eligible for the auction but one was never dewormed, had a high FEC of 750 and performed above average with an ADG of .13.  He sold in a private sale.  There were several myotonics, one was bronze ranked with an ADG of .18 lbs/day and some Savannas.   Some Boer/kiko crosses did very well.  

http://www.sheepandgoat.com/programs/GoatTest/2010/buckcatalog.pdf

Some of these bucks did not sell, they may still be available.  There were not many bidders at the sale.


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## rebelINny (Oct 6, 2010)

He reminds me of a tough guy........I would call him Rugged.


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