95. Grazing Performance of Meat Goats Under Mississippi Summer Conditions. A Comparison: Kiko vs. Spanish

Abstract Kiko and Spanish goats are important breeds for southeastern farmers because they combine hardiness, adaptability, and efficient foraging behavior under challenging grazing conditions. Their ability to thrive in warm and humid environments makes them valuable for sustainable meat goat production systems in the region. At the H.H. Leveck Research Center of Mississippi State University, goats grazed warm-season forages including bahia grass (Paspalum notatum), dallis grass (Paspalum dilatatum), bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon), and foxtail grass (Setaria italica) in a rotational system of three paddocks totaling 1.8 acres (IACUC-25-088). A group of 30 weaned bucks, 22 Kiko (K) from five states (OK, IN, WV, AL, MS) and 8 Spanish (S) from MS, similar in age (K: 5 months and S: 6 months), and weight (K: 26.09 ± 0.64 kg; S: 26.31 ± 1.33 kg) were used. Upon arrival, the bucks were dewormed with three classes of anthelmintics and held in quarantine for two weeks before starting the 10-week (w) grazing period from June to August 2025. They had free access to minerals, water, and hay, and were supplemented with 1% of body weight using a commercial concentrate (16% CP). The 1% supplementation was maintained after being moved to the pastures. Measurements, including body weight for calculating average daily gain (ADG), body condition score (BCS), FAMACHA©, fecal egg count of nematodes (FEC; eggs per gram of feces, EPG), and coccidia counts (oocysts per gram, OPG), were taken every two weeks. Data were analyzed using SAS version 9.4 with a mixed model, and non-parametric variables were analyzed with the Kruskal–Wallis test. For ADG, there was no significant difference between breeds (K: 89.40 ± 1.5 g/day; S: 93.10 ± 2.4 g/day; P = 0.8955). Similarly, there was no significant difference in EPG (P = 0.6639; K: 822.91 ± 1075.98; S: 667.70 ± 868.38). However, Figure 1 shows the significant interaction OPG x time (w) x breed (K and S) (P < 0.001), with K goats having higher OPG values than S goats in w5, w9, and w11 (P = 0.0048). For BCS and FAMACHA©, there were no significant breed differences. Both breeds showed similar growth performance and health indicators under rotational grazing conditions, suggesting that both Kiko and Spanish goats can adapt well to grazing in MS during the summer, maintaining satisfactory growth. Therefore, both breeds appear equally suitable for sustainable meat goat production in this area of the southeastern United States.