Home » Meat Goats » KPI 1-Kg gain/ Kg feed
Why it’s Important
A good indicator of productivity is the measurement of weight gained for the amount of feed consumed. Target market will affect number of days on feed. A range for goat weight gain is 0.1 to 0.8 lb/day (0.045 to 0.36 kg/day).
To calculate this number, you will need to weigh your animals at market as well as measure how much feed they are eating until they reach market weight.
To accurately track consumption of concentrate, you will need a weigh scale. Most mass retailers or farm/feed supply stores sell scales, such as a fish scale, a kitchen scale, or hanging scales that range in price. When you put your feed bucket on the scale, make sure to ‘tare’ the scale, or zero out the weight of the bucket so you get the true weight of the feed itself. If you feed the same amount every time, you only need the weight once, unless you change the type of concentrate you are feeding (e.g. grain vs creep feed).
This table shows approximate weights for different sizes and moisture levels of bales.
| Storage moisture guidelines and approximate bale weights | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Bale Type | Bale Size | Storage Moisture | Approximate Bale Weights (as fed)1 |
| Small square bales | ~0.9m x 0.38m x 0.45m (~3ft x 1.25ft x 1.5ft) |
15%-18% | 22-35kg (50-75lb) |
| Large round bales – soft core |
1.2m x 1.5m (4ft x 5ft) |
13%-16% | 180-275kg (400-600lb) |
| Large round bales – hard core |
1.2m x 1.5m (4ft x 5ft) |
12%-15% | 385-408kg (~850-900lb) |
| Large round bales – hard core |
1.5m x 1.8m (5ft x 6ft) |
12%-15% | 600-910kg (~1,500 – 2000lb) |
| Large square bales | 0.9m x 0.9m x 2.1m (3ft x 3ft x 7ft) |
12%-15% | ~ 50kg/linear m (~110lb/linear ft) |
| Large round baleage | 1.2m x 1.2m (4ft x 4ft) |
55% | 545kg (1,200lb) |
| Large round baleage | 1.2m x 1.5m (4ft x 5ft) |
55% | 690-910kg (1500lb) |
| Source: Clarke and Stone, OMAFRA, 2016. | |||
1 Bale weights will vary with moisture, density and grass vs. alfalfa content.
Lets get started
Click to access a worksheet to track weight of feed consumed during the off-pasture season.
Consider labour requirements for feeding during the off-pasture season versus while goats are on pasture. You may be able to intentionally plan other projects during the time when goats are on pasture.
Calculate your Average Weight Gain.
Another consideration is consistent kidding and finishing times. Consistent targeted market dates will help with planning and management of your goat operation.
Making Improvements
Work with your nutritionist to ensure the nutritional needs of your herd are being met. Goats being raised for meat generally require high quality feed and an optimum balance of a number of different nutrients to achieve maximum profit potential.
Focus on keeping data on feed consumption per unit of weight gain so that when you make changes to your nutritional program you’ll be able to make comparisons over time. Having good data will provide you with your own benchmarks and help with goal setting to make improvements.
Goal Setting
Set a Goal for Increasing kg gain/kg feed:
The “golden rule” of farm management: a 5% improvement in productivity, plus a 5% increase from marketing savviness, plus a 5% gain in efficiency (lowered production costs) equals a 117% improvement to the bottom line1.
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1 https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/ag-knowledge/ag-economics/to-stay-competitive-use-the-5-per-cent-rule.html
“Anything we can do to make our time more efficient is absolutely crucial for us. This tool provides a baseline for knowing labour requirements. As farmers we really have to put a value on our time.”
– Mark Card, meat goat producer
Cardlea Farms, Ontario
“Consider labour requirements for feeding during the off-pasture season versus while goats are on pasture. You may be able to intentionally plan other projects during the time when goats are on pasture.”
– Mark Card, meat goat producer
Cardlea Farms, Ontario
Additional Resources:
http://www.beefresearch.ca/research-topic.cfm/improving-forage-yields-84
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/field/forages.html
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/pub811/p811toc.html
https://ontariogoat.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/2016-GOAT-Annual-Report-FINAL.pdf