Last updated December 04, 2003, 7:08 pm



RATIONALE AND OVERVIEW

This test is being co-sponsored by Agricultural Science at Truman State University and the Adair County Outreach and Extension Center, University of Missouri Extension Service, for those producers of meat goats who have an interest in identifying superior bucks. By housing such animals in a common environment with a common set of management approaches, variation due to such factors can be minimized, allowing between-animal differences in average daily gain and other growth factors to to be identified. The advantages of test stations are

• they make it easier to estimate performance and/or genetic differences between herds or between sire progenies in gaining ability and fatness;
• they make it easier to estimate performance differences between potential sires when compared with similar animals from other herds;
• they can be an important educational tool for both breeders and buyers in acquainting them with performance testing.

Test stations are far from perfect, however, and there are some distinct disadvantages to their use. These disadvantages include:

• while good at measuring growth and measures of fatness, they provide no information on reproduction;
• feed efficiency can only be measured indirectly through average daily gain as feed consumption of individual animals cannot be measured;
• nutritional levels at one stage of life usually have carry-over effects on performance at later stages; because pre-test levels of nutrition usually differ from farm to farm, performance at the test station is influenced by the different farm pre-test environments;
• a lower than normal plane of nutrition pre-test (on the farm) results in increased or compensatory gain during the test; conversely, a higher plane of nutrition pre-test (creep) is likely followed by lower gains during the test (no compensatory gain).

CONTACT INFORMATION

There are three contacts for the 2003 Truman State University Buck Test:

• The primary contact is Test Manager Dr. Tom Marshall. He is the one to contact regarding entering animals or other aspects of the test. He may be reached by phone (660-785-4281), e-mail (TEMarsh@truman.edu) or regular mail at 163 Barnett Hall, Truman State University, 100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501.
• Mainly responsible for data acquisition and web site maintenance and update is Dr. Charlie Apter, who can be contacted by phone (660-785-4584), by e-mail (CApter@truman.edu) or by regular mail at 158 Barnett Hall, Truman State University, 100 East Normal St., Kirksville, MO 63501.
• Thirdly, Mr. Bruce Lane, Area Livestock Specialist for Adair County and the Northeast Missouri Region, will provide expertise as needed. He can be reached by phone (660-665-9866), by e-mail (LaneN@missouri.edu) or by regular mail at Adair County University Outreach and Extension Center, 503 E. Northtown Road, Kirksville, MO 63501.

PROJECT DATA

Click on this link  buck test data to view raw data from the test (data last updated August 12, 2003, 3:17 pm).

Click here to read the Executive Summary provided to producers summarizing our analysis of the raw data.

Click here to see the data analysis page (please note that this will bring up a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet).


ELIGIBILITY

This performance test is restricted to those billy kids born between October 1, 2002 and March 1, 2003.


PROCEDURES

In addition to other information on this page relative to eligibility, fees and delivery of billy kids, other procedures for the test are as follows:

• consignors are responsible for any added veterinary costs; extraordinary veterinary services will be approved, if at all possible, with the billy kids’ owner.
• billy kids delivered to the test station should be vaccinated with at least one shot against enterotoxemia D at least two weeks prior to the delivery. If you are routinely vaccinating for soremouth, this should also be done two weeks prior to delivery.
• the 2003 test will be limited to the first 75 billy kids entered. A minimum of 40 billy kids are required to have the test.
• only healthy billy kids will be accepted for testing. Test station manager's decision on suitability for test at arrival will be final.
• entry form(s) must accompany entries and must include: sire of kid(s), birth date, birth type, rearing type, and breed(s) or cross-bred.
• the test station, or test station personnel and manager, will not be liable for loss or injury to test billy kids. Billy kids are consigned to test with breeders knowing full well that risks exist.
• the test station is permitted to analyze and publish data generated on billy kids on test.

The test station agrees to the following:

• to accept entries from breeders until April 1, 2003;
• to provide on vaccination of Clostridium perfringens Type C + D (CDT) (Overeating) prior to start of test;
• to treat for external and internal parasites prior to start of test; to re-treat for internal parasites at mid-point of test;
• to reject for test any billy kids with identifiable health or soundness problems at arrival;
• to give billy kids an adjustment period of 4 days prior to being weighed on test;
• to allow breeders to remove billy kids from test following the first 21 day performance period and receive a 50% refund of entry fee;
• to test all billy kids for 85 days;
• to collect gain data on individual test billy kids;
• to evaluate billy kids for backfat and loineye area at end of test;
• to be impartial toward breeds and breeders;
• to provide consignors weight data information on test billy kids at day 21, day 42, day 63 and day 85 weigh dates; provide ultrasound information at conclusion of test;
• to provide consultation to consignors regarding analysis of test data on their animals if requested.

FEES

The entry fee is $100.00 per entry. It is due in full with entries no later than April 1, 2003. There will be no refunds. Entry fee monies will cover feed, awards, labor, health, and postage costs.


DRIVING DIRECTIONS

From Columbia, MO

• travel north on US 63 to Kirksville
• at the first stoplight within the city limits on US 63 turn left (west) on 63 Business, otherwise known as Franklin St.
• as you approach the first light on Franklin (Business 63), to your left on the west side of the street is the former Animal Health Technology Building which currently houses the Truman Press; the pole barn behind the Truman Press Building is your destination.

From St. Louis, MO

• travel north on US 61 to just north of Palmyra, MO where you will begin traveling west on US 6
• after passing through many small towns, (Ewing, La Belle, Edina, Brashear) you will eventually enter the Kirksville city limits
• at the first stop light, continue straight across US 63 at which time you will be on 63 Business, otherwise known as Franklin St.
• as you approach the first light on Franklin (Business 63), to your left on the west side of the street is the former Animal Health Technology Building which currently houses the Truman Press; the pole barn behind the Truman Press Building is your destination.

From points north of Kirksville

• travel south on US 63
• after reaching the Kirksville city limits you will continue to travel south on US 63
• at the southern terminus of Kirksville is a Ponderosa Steak House; just south of Ponderosa is a stoplight at the intersection of US 63, US 6 East, and 63 Business (to the right)
• at this intersection turn to the right (west) onto 63 Business, otherwise known at Franklin St.
• as you approach the first light on Franklin (Business 63), to your left on the west side of the street is the former Animal Health Technology Building which currently houses the Truman Press; the pole barn behind the Truman Press Building is your destination.

From points west of Kirksville

• travel east on US 6 until reaching the Kirksville city limits; US 6 intersects with US 63 at the Wal-Mart Supercenter
• at the intersection of US 63 turn to the right (south) on US 63
• continue to travel south on US 63
• at the southern terminus of Kirksville is a Ponderosa Steak House; just south of Ponderosa is a stoplight at the intersection of US 63, US 6 East, and 63 Business (to the right)
• at this intersection turn to the right (west) onto 63 Business, otherwise known at Franklin St.
• as you approach the first light on Franklin (Business 63), to your left on the west side of the street is the former Animal Health Technology Building which currently houses the Truman Press; the pole barn behind the Truman Press Building is your destination.

From points east of Kirksville

• travel to the west on US 6
• after passing through many small towns, (Ewing, La Belle, Edina, Brashear) you will eventually enter the Kirksville city limits
• at the first stop light, continue straight across US 63 at which time you will be on 63 Business, otherwise known as Franklin St.
• as you approach the first light on Franklin (Business 63), to your left on the west side of the street is the former Animal Health Technology Building which currently houses the Truman Press; the pole barn behind the Truman Press Building is your destination.

If further information is desired regarding driving directions, lodging, etc., please contact the Test Manager, Dr. Tom Marshall.