Nutrient optimization for sustainable goat production systems in the southeastern U.S.

Project Overview

LS09-223
Project Type: Research and Education
Funds awarded in 2009: $170,000.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2013
Region: Southern
State: Alabama
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Sandra Solaiman
Tuskegee University

Annual Reports

Commodities

  • Additional Plants: native plants
  • Animals: goats

Practices

  • Animal Production: parasite control, grazing - continuous, grazing management, pasture fertility, winter forage
  • Education and Training: demonstration, display, mentoring, on-farm/ranch research, participatory research, workshop
  • Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns
  • Production Systems: holistic management, integrated crop and livestock systems
  • Soil Management: soil quality/health

    Abstract:

    Click on the link below to view this FINAL report along with all photos, charts, graphs and figures in a pdf document.

    Project objectives:

    1. To determine pasture quality changes using multi-culture grasses, and grasses in
    combination with legumes;
    2. To determine animal health, performance and carcass quality of goats when browse is incorporated in the feeding system and when grazing multi-culture grasses, and grasses in combination with legumes;
    3. To determine soil quality changes using multi-culture grasses, and grasses in
    combination with legumes;
    4. To identify and assess economic characteristics and optimum economic return of
    different goat production (grazing/browsing) systems;
    5. To evaluate adaptability (on an experiment station with goats) and demonstrate applicability (on three small farms) of an integrated year round forage system using commercial goats, pure bred goats, and goats co-foraging with cattle.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.