- 24 hours ago
- 1 min read
ABGA is collaborating with North Dakota State University to bring back a Performance Buck Test for producers.
We are excited to announce that the 2026 Dakota Meat Goat Test will be held at the Hettinger Research Extension Center from May 31 to September 5th, 2026.
Meat Goat Buck Performance Test will be held at the Hettinger Research Extension Center in Hettinger, ND. This test is primarily designed to identify differences in post-weaning growth performance for developing meat goat buck kids managed under the same environmental conditions and plane of nutrition. This test aims to provide consignors and breed associations with detailed information on buck growth performance to expand selection criteria and advance breed improvement.
Major Changes:
A steering committee (comprising previous consignors with equal breed representation) has been established to guide test decisions, including diet, test procedures, and data priorities.
Strict Age Requirement: Bucks must be born between 1/1/2026 and 2/15/2026.
Pre-test Acclimation Period (17 days): 5/31- 6/17
Consignments are limited to 8 bucks per consignor up to 200 head.
Feed Efficiency: A maximum of 60 head can be tested. More details will follow once registration is released.
The 2026 Dakota Meat Goat Buck Performance Test at Hettinger Research Center, North Dakota, will evaluate bucks on post-weaning growth, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics to help drive breed improvement.
As an ABGA-approved Performance Test, bucks can earn points towards Ennoblement, Sire of Merit, or Doe of Excellence!
Registration is now live for the 2026 Dakota Meat Goat Test.
For more information, please visit https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/ag-hub/research-extension-centers-recs/hettinger-rec/dakota-goat-test
