A Performance Comparison of Kiko Bucks Grazing Under Mississippi Summer Conditions with and Without Supplementation

Abstract The Buck Performance Tests began in Mississippi (MS) in 2023, at the request of Kiko goat producers to the Sheep and Goat program within the Extension and Animal and Dairy Sciences Department at MS State University. The test began in Greene County (southeastern MS), in commercial farm facilities, featuring 88 Kiko bucks (Initial bodyweight-BW, 21.84±0.20 kg) from 14 different states, managed under 100% grazing conditions. For 2024, the test was moved to MAFES White Sand Unit (Pearl River County, southcentral MS), with 66 Kiko bucks (Initial BW 24.12±0.30 kg) from 13 different states, managed also under 100% grazing conditions (warm season forages: crab grass-Digitaria sanguinalis, switch grass-Panicum virgatum, bahia grass-Paspalum notatum, carpet grass-Axonopus affinis, dallis grass-Paspalum dilatatum). For 2025, the test was moved to the university farm facilities (Oktibbeha County, northeast MS). Twenty-two (22) Kiko bucks (Initial BW 26.01± 0.27 kg) from 5 different states were used for this test. Animals were grazing warm-season forages (bahia grass-Paspalum notatum, dallis grass-Paspalum dilatatum, Bermuda grass-Cynodon dactylon, and foxtail grass-Setaria italica) and received daily supplementation of commercial concentrate 1% BW (16% crude protein). For this analysis data was distributed by years: 2023, 2024, and 2025; and type of supplementation: with no supplementation-nS (years 2023 and 2024), and with supplementation S (year 2025), having 176 Kiko bucks included in this analysis. For all years, the variables measured were taken every two weeks, including BW for calculating average daily gain (ADG), body condition score (BCS), FAMACHA©, fecal egg counts of nematodes (FEC; eggs per gram of feces, EPG), and coccidia (oocysts per gram, OPG). Data was analyzed using SAS version 9.4, using a mixed model with year and initial BW as covariates and animal as a random effect, and non-parametric variables were analyzed with the Kruskal–Wallis test. The results were for nS and S, respectively: ADG 50 g/d and 90 g/d (P 0.001); for Nematodes 1030.62 and 822.92 EPG (P = 0.1045); Coccidias 2623.32 and 8012.50 OPG (P 0.001); BCS 2.47 and 2.58 (P = 0.0023); and for FAMACHA© 2.70 and 2.32 (P 0.0001). For the non-supplemented group (nS, tests 2023-2024), lower coccidias were found, probably due to the animals spending the 2 weeks of confinement at the start of the test, in open grass or open facilities. Instead, for 2025, the animals were kept in a roofed enclosure, which could lead to higher coccidiosis issues this year. However, results show that a small supplementation of concentrate will improve the performance of Kiko bucks coming from different states and grazing under summer conditions in MS, having a better ADG, higher BCS, and improved FAMACHA© scores.