1. Chris Radloff D.V.M. All About Pets Veterinary Hospital Rollin R Farms
Meat Goat Production
Chris Radloff D.V.M.
All About Pets Veterinary Hospital
Rollin R Farms

2. Factors for Successful Production
1. Nutrition
2. Health
3. Reproduction
4. Marketing
5. Facilities

3. Nutrition Is the highest cost item associated with production
Adjust for animal needs (ie. Early pregnancy, Late Pregnancy, Lactation, Kids and Bucks)

4. Feed Costs
Different for each farm due to variable facilities, markets, breed variables, and management.
Example 50 doe farm
Pre- breeding- Early gestation late summer-fall pasture and grain
Grain expense $9.00 per day
Early Gestation to late gestation Winter-early spring hay and grain
Hay expense $15.00 per day
Grain expense $4.50 per day

5. Feed Costs Total- $4510.00 or ~$90 per head per year
Late Gestation thru lactation early spring to summer grain and pasture
Grain expense $9.00 per day
Total- $ or ~$90 per head per year
Pre- breeding- Early gestation $
Early Gestation to late gestation $
Late Gestation thru lactation $

6. Health Deworming Vaccines Regular hoof care Body Condition Score
FAMACHA Score

8. Reproduction
Produce kids for market
Produce kids for replacements

9. Reproduction Basics Does (females) Bucks (males) Seasonal Polyestrus
Puberty between 4-10 months of age
Pregnancy lasts approx 150 days
Twins and Triplets are common

10. Does Should be 60-70% of adult weight at breeding
Can breed to kid as yearlings
Accelerated Kidding
Breeding to have 3 kid crops in 2 years

11. Does Seasonal breeders Short days signal the breeding season
Typically August-February
Most meat goats are seasonal breeders
Lights and hormones can be used to manipulate breeding season
Buck Effect

13. Estrous Cycle 18-22 days long Estrus 12-36 hours
Ovulation occurs at end of Estrus

14. Signs of Estrus Tail Wagging Swollen vulva Mounting behavior
Clear discharge from vulva
Vocalizing
Increase in activity

15. Bucks Reach puberty 3-6 months of age
Need to separate or castrate by 4 months of age to prevent unwanted pregnancies
Can use as herd sires at 8-10 months of age- but limit number of does
Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE) performed prior to breeding season

16. Breeding Season You want to have a defined breeding season
Breeding seasons are typically days
Breeding season should not be 365 days
Your breeding season should be determined by:
Weather
Forage availability
Management
Time availability
When you plan to market or show animals

17. Assisted Reproduction
Valuable tools for increasing the impact of outstanding genetics, but also require increased management, cost, and risk.
Artificial Insemination
Embryo Transfer

18. Artificial Insemination
Bucks are collected via; •Artificial Vagina and Doe in Estrus or Electro-ejaculator
Semen is examined, extended, and frozen.
Semen is placed above or just inside the cervix by means of a glass speculum and pipette.
Typical conception rates are 30-50% for one insemination or 60-80% with 2 or three inseminations.
Laparoscopic AI increases the success rate but also the danger to doe and the cost.

19. Artificial Insemination
Plan ahead of time- Months not Weeks
Select does and bucks
Vaccinate 2-3 months prior
Multimin or BoSe Injection 2-3 months prior
Nutritional Flush 4-6 weeks prior
Increase feed intake
Monitor BCS
Can increase ovulation rate 5-10%

21. Artificial Insemination
Semen tank
Speculum
AI Gun
Light source
Thaw Jar
Staw Cutter
Restraint
Training

22. Artificial Insemination
Timing of Insemination
Toward end of standing estrus
Multiple inseminations 12 hour intervals
Pass pipette through cervical rings

23. Laparoscopic Insemination/ Surgical Insemination
Increased conception rate over transcervical
Can use smaller amounts of semen
Increased costs
Increased risks for doe
Does typically need to be synchronized

24. Laparoscopic Insemination/ Surgical Insemination
Synchronizing protocol
Day 0- Insert CIDR
Day 10- Give Prostaglandin Injection (Estrumate or Lutalyse)
Day 12- Removed CIDR and Injection of PG600
Day 13- Pull food and Water
Day 14- Perform Insemination procedure

25. Laparoscopic Insemination/ Surgical Insemination
Synchronizing protocol
Day 0- Lutalyse Injection
Day 7- Cystorelin Injection
Day 14- Lutalyse Injection
Day 17- Cystorelin Injection and perform AI procedure.

26. Embryo Transfer
Breeding genetically superior animals to increase chances of more offspring
Costly
Variable results
Increased risks

27. Embryo Transfer
Good intense management
PLAN AHEAD
No shortcuts

28. Embryo Transfer AVOID STRESS
Some examples of how stress is induced are:
-Mixing groups or individual animals together that have not previously been together.
-Altering the goats regular routine.
-Handling the goats unnecessarily.
-Confining goats in close or unfamiliar surroundings.
-Causing goats to become frightened, such as exposure to predators
-Weather extremes

29. Embryo Transfer
The ease with which your goats can be handled and the avoidance of stress from a period of time before you began an ET period until at least the second month of pregnancy will reflect drastically on your conception rates and ultimately the number of kids born.

30. Embryo Transfer TEASER BUCKS Very important to overall success
Recipients and Donors must be exposed to teasers
Initiate Estrus
Minimum of 30 days, and preferably 60 days, prior
Vassectomized can still penetrate the females which allows for better stimulation.

31. Embryo Transfer TEASER BUCKS
One teaser buck per small Donor groups (5)
One teaser per 25 Recipients
Use Teasers both before you begin a program and during heat detection at mating time.
Harnesses with different colored chalk can be strapped to teaser bucks and is helpful in heat detection.

32. Planning for Embryo Transfer
•Positive weight gains throughout an ET program
-Nutritional Flush 4-6 weeks prior
Increase feed intake
Monitor BCS
Vaccinate 2-3 months prior
Multimin or BoSe Injection 2-3 months prior

33. Embryo Transfer Protocol
Day 0: Insert CIDR in Recipient and Donor does
Day 12: Give 1.5ml of Follitropin in P.M.
Day 13: Give 1.5ml of Follitropin in A.M. and 1.25ml in P.M.
Day 14: Give 1.25ml of Follitropin A.M. and 1.0ml in P.M. Remove recipient CIDR in P.M.
Day 15: Give 1.0ml of Follitropin in A.M. and 0.75ml in P.M.
Day 16: Remove Donor CIDR in P.M.
Day 17: Give 0.5ml Follitropin in A.M. Breed donors when in heat. Perform surgical A.I hours after first sign of heat. Observe recipients for signs of heat.
Day 19-20: Insert new CIDR into donor
Day before Flush Full food and water from donors and recipients in P.M
Day 23-24: Perform Flush

34. Embryo Transfer EXAMPLE OF AN ET PROGRAM SCHEDULE:
DAY 0-Put CIDRs In Recipients
DAY 1-Put CIDRs In Donors -
DAY 16-Donor FSH Injections in AM & PM
DAY 17-Donor FSH Injections in AM & PM
DAY 18-Donor FSH Injections AM & PM and Recipient CIDRs Out in PM
DAY 19-FSH Inject. in AM & PM, Donor CIDRs Out in PM & Record Recip Heats
DAY 20-Mate Donors in the AM & PM and Record Recipient Heats
DAY 21-Mate Donors in the AM And Record Recipient Heats
DAY 23 -Put New CIDRs Back In Donors
DAY 25-Take Both Donors and Recipients Off Feed & Water
DAY 26-ET Day:Flush & Lutalyse Donors, and Transfer Embryos To Recips

35. Embryo Transfer
Does are mated at 12 hr. intervals beginning at onset of heat and continuing until she will no longer accept the buck.
One ejaculation per breeding is sufficient. Don't overwork your bucks.
Do not put a buck with a group of donor does and leave him. He will very likely service only one donor.

36. Embryo Transfer
The collection is done by literally washing the inside of the uterus with a fluid media in which the embryos become suspended and then searching this fluid aided with the use of a low powered microscope.
After evaluating the superovulatory response of the donor by observing the ovaries, the horns of the uterus are exposed, one at a time, through a small incision just in front of the udder.
Each horn is collected separately, using approximately 60 ml of media for each side.

37. Embryo Transfer
Results from superovulation are varied. Averages are approximately:
8 useable embryos from doe kids
10-12 useable embryos from adults
Older does work the best
Program 6-8 recipients on kid flushes
8-10 recipients on adult flushes

38. Embryo Transfer
Two embryos are routinely transferred to each recipient
The recipients undergo the same type of general anesthesia as the donors.
The ovaries and uterus are examined
After a recipient has been determined acceptable, a small portion of the uterus is exposed through a small incision in the abdominal wall, and two embryos are injected via a needle puncture into the uterine horn on the same side that ovulation occurred.
Post transfer recipient care is also critically important. The avoidance of stress during this period can influence conception and kidding rates positively

39. Reproduction Pregnancy Diagnosis Ultrasound BioPRYN Testing
Can be detected days after breeding
BioPRYN Testing
Blood sample to determine pregnancy
Can collect samples 30 days post breeding
Cost $6.50 per test

41. Marketing Identify your market Local Auctions Traders Breeding Stock
Individual consumers
Processors
Producer Cooperative
Grazing for hire

42. Marketing Covering costs
Prices variable throughout the year
Example 50 doe farm (~$90.00 per doe for feed cost)
85 kids
Market at 60lbs
$1.75/lb
Total Sales of $ or ~$ per doe

43. Facilities Fencing Sheds Kidding area Catch pen
5 sq. ft. per adult animal
Sturdy and durable
Protection from rain, cold wind, and snow
Kidding area
Jugs or hutches
Catch pen

44. The End