Title: Goat Nutrient Requirements, Management Practices, and Production Systems

Type: CSREES project

Project Number: OKLX-SAHLU

Period: 2007-20010

Investigators: T. Sahlu, A. L. Goetsch, R. Puchala, and S. P. Hart

Institution: Langston University

Objective:

• Study goat nutrient requirements, management practices, and production systems in order to increase the level and efficiency of goat productivity for increased profitability from goat production and lower costs to consumers of goat products.

Title: Nutrient Requirements of Goats: Composition of Tissue Gain and Loss

Type:USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number:2003-38814-13923

Period:2003-2006

Investigators:T. Sahlu¹, A. L. Goetsch¹, C. L. Ferrell², and C. R. Krehbiel³

Institution:¹Langston University, ²USDA ARS Meat Animal Research Center, and ³Oklahoma State University

Objectives:

• Determine the composition of tissue gain by growing Boer crossbred and Spanish meat goats consuming different quality diets from weaning to 1 year of age.
• Determine the composition of tissue loss and gain by mature meat goats.
• Determine the composition of tissue loss and gain by lactating dairy goats.
• Develop equations to predict body composition of growing and mature meat goats and lactating dairy goats based on shrunk body weight and urea space.

Title: Enhanced Goat Production Systems for the Southern United States

Type:USDA Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems

Project Number:2011-52101-11430

Period:2001-2006

Investigators:T. A. Gipson¹, A. L. Goetsch¹, S. P. Hart¹, L. J. Dawson², Harvey Blackburn³, Stephan Wildeus⁴, Joseph Tritschler⁴, Jean-Marie Luginbuhl⁵, Matt Poore⁵, Marcos Fernandez⁶, Will Getz⁷, Tom Terrill⁷, Mack C. Nelson⁸, and Ken Turner⁸

Institutions:¹Langston University, ²Oklahoma State University, ³National Seed Storage Lab Animal Germplasm, ⁴Virginia State University, ⁵North Carolina State University, ⁶Louisiana State University, ⁷Fort Valley State University, and ⁸USDA ARS Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center

Objectives:

• Develop a vehicle to appraise use of available resources and production conditions with goat production systems.
• Project most appropriate production systems for goat-producing regions based on compatibility with presently available resources and production conditions, and evaluate changes in resources or production conditions necessary for employment of alternative, preferred systems.
• Disseminate and provide training in use of the developed-decision support vehicle.

Title: Decreased Methane Emission by Ruminants Consuming Condensed Tannins

Type:USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number:2004-38814-02606

Period:2004-2007

Investigators:R. Puchala¹, A. L. Goetsch¹, C. R. Krehbiel², and V. H. Varel³

Institutions:¹1Langston University, ²Oklahoma State University, and ³USDA ARS Meat Animal Research Center

Objective:

• Determine effects of consuming different condensed tannin sources on the ruminal microflora and methane emission, digestibility, nitrogen and energy balance, and energy expenditure by goats.
• Determine effects of consuming diets with different levels of a forage containing condensed tannins on the ruminal microflora and methane emission, digestibility, nitrogen and energy balance, and energy expenditure by goats.
• Determine effects of different frequencies of consumption of a forage containing condensed tannins on the ruminal microflora and methane emission, digestibility, nitrogen and energy balance, and energy expenditure by goats.

Title: Quality, Safety, and Shelf-Life of Dairy Goat Products in the U.S. Market

Type:USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number:2003-38814-02587

Period:2004-2008

Investigators:S. S. Zeng¹, M. Perdue², and S. E. Gilliland³

Institutions:¹Langston University, ²USDA ARS Environmental Microbial Safety Laboratory, and ³Oklahoma State University

Objectives:

• Establish a comprehensive database of dairy goat product safety, quality and shelf-life on the store shelves.
• Identify the unique values such as CLA of dairy goat products.
• Develop and implement biological, biochemical and/or physical interventions to control undesirable microbes.
• Enhance the marketability and profitability of goat milk and dairy products by improving product microbiological and sensory quality, and by prolonging shelf-life of finished products.
• Assist store managers and personnel handling goat milk and dairy products by providing information and techniques to maximize product quality and shelf-life.

Title: Evaluation and Modeling Extended Lactations in Dairy Goats

Type:USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number: 2003-38814-02579

Period: 2004-2008

Investigators: T. A. Gipson¹, A. Capuco², T. Sahlu1¹, L. J. Dawson², and S. Ellis⁴

Institutions: ¹Langston University, ²USDA ARS Gene Evaluation and Mapping Laboratory, ³Oklahoma State University, and ⁴Clemson University Research Center

Objectives:

• Compare extended versus standard lactations with reference to milk, fat, and protein yield, reproduction and health issues.
• Mathematically model the lactation curve for extended lactations in dairy goats, with particular emphasis on the effect of extended lactations has upon the shape and scale of the lactation curve.
• Examine the physiological changes in the mammary gland over the course of an extended lactation.

Title: Characterization of the Energy Requirement for Activity by Grazing Ruminants

Type: USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number: 2005-38814-16352

Period: 2005-2008

Investigators: T. Sahlu¹, R. Puchala¹, A. L. Goetsch¹, T. A. Gipson¹, K. E. Turner², and B. Kouakou³

Institutions: ¹Langston University, ²Applachian Farming Systems Research Center, and ³Fort Valley State University

Objectives:

• Develop and evaluate a system to predict the grazing activity energy cost for ruminants by determining effects of animal and dietary conditions on energy expenditure, metabolizable energy intake, the grazing activity energy cost, grazing and walking times, and horizontal and vertical distances traveled.

Title: The Ability of Goats to Withstand Harsh Nutritional Environments

Type: USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number: 2005-38814-16353

Period: 2005-2008

Investigators: A. L. Goetsch¹, R. Puchala¹, T. Sahlu¹, and H. C. Freetly²

Institutions: ¹Langston University and ²USDA ARS Meat Animal Research Center

Objectives:

• Determine if there are differences between goats and sheep and between meat goat species of the US in the ability to utilize diets with limited supplies of nitrogen and energy and to characterize the physiological bases of any such differences.

Title: International Collaboration in Goat Research and Production Web-Based Decision Support Aids

Type: USDA International Science and Education Competitive Grants Program

Project Number: 2005-51160-02281

Period: 2005-2009

Investigators: A. L. Goetsch and T. A. Gipson

Institutions: Langston University

Goal:

• Facilitate future collaborative research between the American Institute for Goat Research (AIGR) and institutions in Arabic-, Chinese-, French-, and Spanish-speaking countries, as well as to gain knowledge of goat research and production practices in other areas of the world.

Objectives:

• Translate and adapt two web-based goat production and research decision-support tools developed at the AIGR (goat nutrient requirements and feed intake; goat production system simulation model) for use and future collaborative research in the Middle East, China, France and other French-speaking countries, and Central and South America.

Title: Energy Expenditure for Activity in Free-Ranging Ruminants: A Nutritional Frontier

Type: United States - Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund

Project Number: US-3694-05 R

Period: 2005-2008

Investigators: A. L. Goetsch¹, Y. Aharoni², A. Brosh², R. Puchala¹, T. A. Gipson¹, Z. Henkin³, and E. Ungar⁴

Institutions: ¹Langston University, ²Newe Ya'ar Research Center, Agricultural Research Organization, ³MIGAL-Galilee Technology Center, and ⁴Agronomy and Natural Resources, Agricultural Research Organization

Objectives:

• Develop and evaluate a system(s) to predict the grazing activity energy cost of ruminants by determining effects of stocking rate (influencing available forage mass and forage quality) and animal production state and season (affecting energy demand) on energy expenditure, metabolizable energy intake, energy expended in grazing activity, grazing and walking times, horizontal and vertical distances traveled, and diet quality with grazing females of two breeds of cattle and goats.

Title: Effects of Acclimatization on Energy Requirements of Goats

Type: United States - Egypt Joint Science and Technology Fund Program

Project Number: BIO9-017

Period: 2005-2008

Investigators: A. L. Goetsch¹ and H. El Shaer²

Institutions: ¹Langston University and ²Desert Research Center

Objectives:

• Develop a means of adjusting the maintenance energy requirement of goats for acclimatization.

Title: The Grazing Activity Energy Cost of Goats

Type: United States - Egypt Joint Science and Technology Fund Program

Project Number: BIO11-001-005

Period: 2007-2009

Investigators: A. L. Goetsch¹, R. Puchala¹, T. A. Gipson¹, H. El Shaer², and A. Helal²

Institutions: ¹Langston University and ²Desert Research Center

Objectives:

• Determine the magnitude of the grazing activity energy cost of goats under different common production settings in an arid region of Egypt and in the south-central U.S.
• Develop simple means of predicting the grazing activity energy cost of goats based on factors relatively easily estimable by farmers.

Title: Impact of Sub-Clinical Mastitis on Production and Quality of Goat Milk and Cheese

Type: USDA 1890 Institution Research Capacity Building

Project Number: 2007-38814-18474

Period: 2007-2010

Investigators: S. S. Zeng¹, D. Bannerman², and L. Spicer³

Institutions: ¹Langston University, ²USDA ARS Bovine Functional Genomics Laboratory, and ³Oklahoma State University

Objectives:

• Assess prevalence of subclinical mastitis in dairy goats during a year-round lactation in Oklahoma.
• Quantify and qualify losses in milk yield and cheese production associated with subclinical mastitis.
• Test the impact of major types of CNS bacteria species causing IMI (S. epidermidis, S. simulans, S. caprae, and S. chromogenes) on the inflammatory response in milk and to relate it to caseinolysis, coagulation properties, and cheese yield.
• Study the mechanism by which CNS affects caseinolysis and in turn the coagulation properties.
• Investigate changes in PL and SCC of milk caused by subclinical mastitis and their effects on milk coagulation, and cheese yield and texture.