GOAT producers could improve genetics by up to four kilograms a head after results from a long-term progeny trial are announced later this month.
The Boer Select Buck Evaluation trial progeny tested 11 Boer bucks from nine seedstock productions across Australia, with the final data recorded two weeks ago.
Instigated by producers and facilited by the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) program, the trial was undertaken at Colin and Rob Ramsay's property via Cootamundra.
Trial co-ordinator and BCS Agribusiness consultant Ben Swain said Boer goat breeders wanted to evaluate their genetics in a commercial environment.
"They wanted to run a progeny evaluation to measure a range of traits on commercial sires to see where they fit into the industry and to demonstrate that Boers are suitable for the commercial rangeland environment," he said.
"It was the first of its kind in the goat meat industry - they have been running in sheep and cattle for a long time, but I am not aware of any others in the Australian goat meat industry in regards to the range of traits being measured and the breeding value technology being used."
The trial, running for the past 18-months, has been about providing new data for Sheep Genetics' Kidplan system, with updated breeding values for the sires involved to soon be released.
"As data goes in it continually gets updated, this trial generated an enormous amount of data so it has been a pretty significant update on the data and results," Mr Swain said.
Mr Swain said the main profit driver in the goat industry was weight gain - turning off more kilograms of goat per hectare - and this was where the difference could be seen in terms of genetic differentiation.
"With post weaning weights at eight months of age, which is when most people sell their goats, results were quite significant and could result in progeny being three to four kilograms heavier from one sire to the next," he said.
"That is a huge economic importance in a commercial setting, and while this is an example with 11 bucks, it shows the variation within the breed that is important for breeders to realise."
Results from the trial will be showcased at a commercial goat industry field day to be held at the Condobolin Agricultural Research Centre on October 23.
The event will display all 400 progeny involved in the trial and commercial breeders will be able to see the difference between the 11 bucks and what they can add to their flocks.
"What they will see is through genetics there is a way to significantly improve the production in their goat enterprise - there are goats out there that if they are using the right type of sires in their breeding they can significantly improve growth rates and what they turn off," Mr Swain said.
Contact Ben Swain 0427 100 542.