Performance Tested Genetics:
​the basis from which we built

Performance Testing takes many forms. From On-Farm progeny testing to the University Performance Tests.

Different traits are more or less important in different tests. To test only one trait and make that the exclusive focus of you program amounts to single trait selection. Having said that; all good university-based-tests measure and evaluate multiple traits. With the various traits' measurements in hand, a balanced overview needs to be reached to assess the value of the goat. Indices with combine trait values using a weighted formula help with reaching a balanced conclusion.

The Forage-Only test of Maryland was a test where survivability and worm resistance was tested to the max. Many goats died at the site before some supplementation was introduced in 2014. Less goats suffered poor performance after that, but each year saw some that did not thrive or sometimes complete the test. The toughest showed themselves. The goats with the most growth potential showed themselves. Sometimes they were the same goats.

The Oklahoma Test has always used a higher protein supplementation and has had higher ADGs there than in Maryland as a result. The FECs seen in Oklahoma are typically not as high as those in Maryland due to the extremely high stocking rate in MD.

The Pennsylvania and West Virginia Tests are Feedlot type tests. Obviously, no FEC information is gathered in these tests but many other useful traits are measured. "Meatiness" is assessed by using REA Measurements. ADG figures and RFI numbers show the growth potential and the feed efficiency of the goats respectively. Scrotal circumference measurements are taken. I have found these feedlot tests very useful for gathering information about the likely carcass quality and growth potential of the genetics I have tested.

To the the Fall of 2016, We had tested about 45 goats through different performance tests. We had very good results. We have recorded the highest ADG figures recorded on Kikos in the shorter inter-test periods with two of our kids gaining 1.1 lbs per day over short periods and multiple goats achieving over .75 lbs per day over the entire tests. The current highest gaining Kiko kid through an entire test came from our program, - "Copyrights WV Winner 14"- finished the WV Test of 2014 with an ADG of .89 lbs gain per day. I believe we have produced 7 of the top 10 Kiko gainers on record at that point.

In the forage based test of Maryland, we have had a "finalist" in the test (top 10 goats usually) each of the five years that we put kids in the test. In 2016, we had two of the finalists out of 97 starters. Many goats did not complete the test and another eight kids were removed for lack of performance. In 2015 and 2016, we had no goat be dewormed; and in both years had the darkest FAMACHA-Score-average goats through the entire test by "PJM Hard As Nails" in 2015 and in 2016 by "PJM Top Five". Both completed with an average FAMACHA of just 1.

The tests are a way to evaluate your own goats and can inform you about the traits that your program are successfully producing and where the program might require improvement. They can also sometimes help to identify families which possess traits that you may want to retain or expand throughout your herd.

2021 - Moving away from consigning to Performance Tests

After consigning goats to tests for ten years, in 2021 we decided to not pursue using the performance-tests to test our goats. Our focus by then had started to move to maternal performance and easy care of our Kikos. The purchase of herd sires like SAN Sonny's Tasman Tricks and SDF Pharaoh marked a focus on very high maternal characteristics from their dams and super high quality udders and correct and slow growing hooves. 
Using tested bucks like SDF Huron WV21 and PBG Wild William WV22 allowed us to bring in genetics from trusted and long established farms from performance tests with proven ADG performance genetics with tested worm resistance.
The combination of high maternal does and tested high quality bucks has produced some excellent goats with the highly desirable combination of  growth on forage and low maintenance. This has been evidenced in our program where we have kidded out our does on grass in the wet, and frequently cold, days of April and May in the North East with typically no problems. These kids have survived the quick onset of summer worm burden and resisted hoof problems that result from incorrect hoof growth and the hot and humid weather in New Jersey in July and August when works and hoof problems increase into September. They winter well and go on to excel in their yearling summer.

West Virginia Buck Test 2020

WV Buck Test Website

In 2020 we submitted 5 buck kids to the WVU test for their new improved test. In addition to ADG the test is testing the ability of the goats to resist worms.

UPDATE: At the mid point, (July 17th, 2020) our kids are currently all above the test group average for ADG. One of the kids is sitting at about 8th out of about 120 head for ADG and we have a kid who has had a 0 FEC count three times in a row - which sets him at the top (along with a few others) on worm resistance so far.

​SDF Pharaoh - Proving genetic value in WV Test 2020

​​8-20-2020:
​The WV Test is over and we’ve had time to look at the numbers and see our tested kids. It’s always anxiety provoking to send off kids into large groups and have them compete in a new group for feed but that’s how this type of test has been. It’s more uncertain when one sends genetics that are new on the farm - especially from does that have not had kids on tests before. That’s what we did this year and I am happy with the results. 

Last year we acquired SDF Pharaoh and got some does bred in time to get bucks into WV. SDF Pharaoh is a buck that brings some tested genetics from his sire’s side where a paternal-half-brother finished in the top-ten group in the Western Maryland University Forage-based Test. His dam and full sisters are prolific and have good feet and udder structure. 

We took a group of 5 kids from a very limited sample of his kids to the test. So what happened? 4 of the 5 bucks performed well and extremely well in several cases. The consistency of the best 4 gives me confidence in the performances.
In the adjustment period, all the kids gained weight with one kid gaining .74 of a pound per day (ratio of 179%). By the 21day report, 4 out of 5 bucks were growing at above the average for the group of 124 goats. The two best gaining kids were gaining 0.59 and 0.53. At that point on 6/23, one kid had passed our selling weight of 80 pounds at 131 days old. 

By the 42 day report, all 5 kids were gaining well above the group average with the ADG ratio ranging from 13% above average to 68% above average. The ADGs on the 5 kids ranged from .58 to .87 pounds. 4 out of 5 weighed above the test bucks’ average weight. 4 out of 5 had exceeded our sale goal weight of 80 pounds. One had exceeded 100 pounds - at 152 days old. The youngest kid was 86.4 pounds at 138 days. At that stage, one kid was a straight 0 FEC with the others showing low (<500) FECs bar one outlier. At this stage we had 4 kids at slaughter weighs or higher with 4/5 with FECs we felt were acceptable considering our geographical location and temperatures for prior worm exposure. 

At the conclusion of the test at 63 days “on test”, 4 out of 5 exceeded market weight at 88.9 to 98.7 pounds with the other one only a half pound under our goal of 80. The 101 pound kid at 42 days apparently decided to get some exercise and back off the calories - maybe rutting?) The FECs ranged from 0-250 at the end of the test for 4/5 of the bucks with the outlier at 550 on a downward trend. This put 4/5 of the kids at from 10% to 39% better than average for FECs - again bar the same one outlier. 

One of the kids was in the top 10% of the group for ADG at 11th out of 124 head. Another was 13th out of 124 head for Rib-Eye-Area. A third kid was in the top 20% for FEC. 
This test gave a lot of data on a large number of kids. It’s primary value to breeders is that data. A summary look at data is often insufficient to gain the insights necessary to evaluate the goats’ performances. By laying out a summary of how I analyze test data on my group, in this instance, I hope to share my approach to evaluating the goats and the commercial viability of the goats’ and their genetic potential.

2019 tests - No tests in the East

The Maryland test had been closed for a few years and the WV Test did not run in 2019. We declined to send goats to OK as usual and decided to monitor on farm performance instead.
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WV Buck Test of 2018

Our tested buck kids in 2018 performed reasonably well with a seventh placed finish for our highest finishing kid. The overall test group had a very mixed set of performances that year and our consignment appeared to falter around the same time that many others did in the test. Things happen in tests sometimes and all one can do is chalk it up to experience.
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The WV Buck Test 2017

At the end of the test, PJM Copyright Crossfire had sired the Winner and seventh placed buck over-all in the test. The final results took into account the ADG, REA and RFI of the bucks and an index was calculated and so by being at the top in the three traits, the bucks rose to the top of the group to finish first and seventh. We were very happy to see that Crossfire had produced so well in his first breedings just after returning from the test himslf the previous year.
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The results from the Day 42 weigh-in from the 2017 WV Buck Test have been announced and it is with great pleasure that we can share that of the five kids we consigned, two are placed as first and second for ADG. This is all the more exciting as the two leading PJM Bucks are both sired by a home produced sire from our own program. The sire's dam was also produced on the PJM Farm. The sire is PJM Copyright Crossfire WV16. He was at the 2016 WV Test as his name suggests and finished first for REA out of the entire test - approximately 40 bucks. While a balance of other measurements will determine the over-all winners and high placers in the test, it is good to see the kids growing very well. I am looking forward to seeing the ultrasound scans of the REA on the consignment. A balanced goat is most useful but good growth and muscle development are high priorities in our program. More update will be available by early August.

Pictured here on Pasture-Only diet at 17 Months old.

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5/13/17. WV Buck Test 2017

2016 Test Bucks

These two bucks shared second place ADG bucks in the 2016 WV Test. Sired by MJI RC's Blue Legacy, both were out of PJM homebred does.

This kid is PJM Copyright Crossfire WV16. We have retained him for test breeding. He was the thickest REA buck at the WV 2016 test out of forty head. His 3/4 brothers (same Dam and sired by two different sons of Copyright) were the thickest REA kids in the PA and WV test in 2014 and 2015 respectively. I expect him to contribute particularly heavy muscling to his progeny .

PJM Top Five MD16: This is an exceptional test buck in my opinion and that is based on his amazing data. A straight FAMACHA for the entire test of 1. He gained very well though the test and was never sick. Retained good body condition considering the toughness of the test. His FEC scores were exceptionally low. Just take a look what the test did to the goats in the back round and they were not the dead or expelled ones!!

PJM Steel Nail: This kid did so very well at the MD 2016 test. He lead the test for ADG at the end of the first half of the test (called the "Growth Phase" in some previous years) He held a very dark FAMACHA score with a test average of 1.7. He received no extra care. He had an excellent average FEC score also. His genetics are piled up with tested goats and tested relatives.

​2015 West Virginia Ram and Buck Test:

PJM Bluejay's Twist. Winner of the 2015 WV Test. Currently the second highest ADG Kiko Goat on record

WV Ram & Buck Test:
June 30, 2015
As of the end of June 2015, from our consignment of 5 buck kids, we have 3 of the top gaining goats in West Virginia. This is a mixed test this year with Kiko, Boer and Savanna bucks. These bucks are sired by our homebred buck "PJM Copyrights Bluejay". The leading buck is gaining 1.0 lbs per day at the moment! Our second highest gainer buck is at 0.93 lbs per day!! We hope they can keep up the pace! They went in big and show extremely high weight per day of age.

7/26/2015
The WV Test has concluded. Date regarding ADGs is available. PJM Goats took the 2nd and 4th highest ranked ration for ADG in this years test. We missed the first place for ADG by 0.03 Lbs per day - In the test there were Boer, Boer Cross and Savanna Cross bucks. We are happy our NZs and PB buck were well able to out-compete the bucks with cross-bred/hybrid vigor.

8/8/2015
The final results for the WV Test of 2015 are public and the test chose to consider the few boer and mostly Savanna and Boer goats in a category of their own. The Kikos had very comparable results to the boer and grade goats and on numerous traits (notably feed-conversion) were soundly superior.

The top three Kikos were all PJM Goats kids. They final 2 of our consignment took 6th and 8th place.

Final places are calculated on numerous commercially important traits which are given weights and a more balanced decision can be reached about the likely genetic merit of the buck.

The Winning Kiko of the 2015 WV Test is also the second highest recorded gaining (ADG) Kiko of all time. He stands second only to our homebred sire, PJM Winner WV 14. He have registered him and bred him to a sample of does. We have called him "PJM Twist". His depth of muscle on his hind quarters is exceptional.

The second place was a buck we have also bred to a sample of does in 2015. He is a 3/4 brother to the buckling who took the Deepest Adjusted Loin Eye Area in the PA test of 2014. He has an excellent chest width and good bone. We called him "PJM Cross Cut" - because I expect him to cut two ways with good daughters and sire production potential.

We also retained the buck which indexed 6th. His weight for DOA is similar to the test winner and if not for some adjustment issues at the test he might have placed better in my opinion. We called him "PJM Bank Roll". Very good muscle and excellent growth. I like his body-type and his dam is one of my favorites for meat-goat type.

For pictures of our 2015 test bucks, please review our "Sires" Page. Thank you.

PJM Bluejay's Cross Cut, Second place Kiko buck at the 2015 WV Ram and Buck Test. One of the highest ADG Kiko Bucks on record and heavily muscled. Good bone and from a family of does with excellent udders. He "cuts" both ways.

​Western Maryland Pasture-Based Test 2015:

At check-in our 5 bucks were all living on forage only before the test to prevent them going over the required entrance weight of 70 lbs. There were 1 FAMACHA of 1 and the rest were FAMACHA 2s. FECs were reasonable as the kids were not dewormed or given copper prior to the test. One kid had a FEC of 50! Thats extremely good! 

7/26/2015
Weights from Maryland showed our consignment one of the top 3 performing consignments in Maryland so far. Our consignment is one of the largest there and so we are happy they are holding up while other consignments may be starting to exhibit some compensatory growth. Fecal Egg Count numbers look good so far. Maryland can be extremely difficult by the end and anything can, and often does, happen!!!

8/20/15
The Western maryland Test is half way over and we are very happy to be the leading consignor for weight gain! One of our bucks has grown to be the largest buck ever on the test and currently has a FAMACHA 2. There are a few others in the consignment which are looking really very good too.

Test Conclusion:
Very happy and proud to relate that we had a buck make the "Top Ten" selection in 2015. He finished the test not having exceeded to FEC requirements for consideration and excitingly he had a FAMACHA of 1 through the entire test. He was one of only 2 goats in the entire test to do so. he finished the test with a good size for his age and was one of the fastest gainers in the "Growth Phase" of the test.
He came home too late to take part in our breeding program but I am eagerly awaiting his progeny on the farm in 2017. He was sired by a buck and from a doe that were both bred here at the farm and his dam has been a zero extra care doe. We have retained him and I will register him as "PJM Hard As Nails".
His picture will be featured soon on our "Sires" page.

Comment regarding the MD Test:
June 2015
Maryland is a test where gains are typically extremely modest. Survival with respectable gains on forage and no extra treatments is what we are aiming for. (We expect gains prior to this no-inputs test - showing the ability to gain fast and make the earlier "Milk Kid" market if necessary.) That way, a buck could be finished after the summer for slaughter to put on the required "bloom" prior to slaughter with no extra inputs over the first summer. Some producers prefer to "finish" bucks later in the year, when prices are higher.
In 2015, due to the addition of a high fiber supplement to help reduce overall moisture content of the forage diet, gains are much better and the goats are much more healthy.

One year, 15% of the test bucks died - therefore it goes without saying that "survival"  is important. We have never lost a goat there with 20 of our bucks having gone through this extreme test prior to 2015. (Oct 2015 - Note: 2015 was no exception with none of the five bucks requiring any treatments. For the record - I do not deworm the bucks prior to the test and I do not use copper in the test bucks.)
We have been fortunate enough that we have had a buck make the final cut every year we have entered so far. Lets hope for continued good luck!!!

Keep in mind that most consignors have goats in the tests to learn about their genetics and you may be seeing a sample of their old/new/best/less good/some type of mixed -up selection of different sorts/etc etc etc genetics that they are experimenting with and if the goats do not perform well in comparison to others there, they may not be a reflection of all their genetics - just trying to keep everyone thinking clearly about the tests!!

2014 Events and News

​PJMGoats and Blue's Copyright Recognized for Performance Test Performances in 2013 at the AKGA Annual Meeting, and again in 2015 for our 2014 performance test achievements. 

Thank you to the AKGA for their recognition at the 2014 AKGA Convention of our goats and their performances in 2013 performance tests. Copyright won the Highest Point Sire in the 2014 AKGA Performance test Program. In 2015 he repeated the feat based on his progeny's performances in several performance tests in 2014. Blue's Copyright is now one of the all-time most tested bucks in the breed with performances on numerous years in MD and PA and WV.
In 2014, Copyright had 4 bucks come through the WMD test with zero treatments. One kid was the high ADG buck the first half of the test and another ("PJM Copyright's Tru Test") finished in the final 5 group selected from the over 80 starters. Tru Test finished with an extremely low FEC average.  In WV, Copyright had 4 sons beat the long standing record of Hammer of ADG's with "PJM WV Winner 14", completing the test with an ADG of 0.89. (Hammer's was 0.63)
In 2015, Copyright grand kids performed to a comparable standard to his direct progeny. He covered does for us to produce 2016 kids and is still in very good shape as he ages well.

​PJM Goats Buck qualifies for the Top Five Group from the 2014 Western Maryland Forage-Based Test

September 2014
The final selection has been made from 79 entrants to the 2014 Western Maryland Forage (and Worms) test. 
******A NZ Kiko from PJM Goats is one of only 10 Bucks offered at the Bluegrass Performance Invitational Sale in Frankfort, KY on Saturday 9/6/14. He was one of only 5 who qualified for the Final Selection using the traditional selection criteria.
******The PJM consignment of 4 bucks needed no deworming at any point in the test. 
*******All the PJM bucks maintained an excellent FAMACHA Score through the entire test. 
Breeding goats who perform under all commercial conditions is our goal and the goats on the PA, WV and WMD tests this year made us proud.

​PA Livestock Evaluation Sale 2014

UPDATE July 15 2014. Our Bucks did extremely well with 2 bucks ranking in top five from 19 junior bucks - 15 Boer. 
One of our bucks (PJM Blu Double Down, AKGA-NZ) Matched Hammer's Record over a 32 day period. He gained over a pound a day for one period of the test!
One of our NZ-Kiko bucks had the Highest indexing Loin Eye Area of the Junior Buck class. This is counter to the commonly held impression that Kikos are not as heavily muscled - Kikos are commonly farmed in a commercial type fashion. Most other meat breed goats are fed more and supplemented even when not in a productive stage (pre parturition and lactation) of the reproductive cycle and frequently appear to be heavier muscled. Of Course, not all Kikos have great muscling and it is necessary to select for that trait. This is part of why we decided to use Feed Tests  to test our genetics.

 For information call 908 612 8860.
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​Western Virginia Small Ruminant Test 2014

The results are in from Western Virginia!
PJMGoats took first and second place in WV.
The PJMGoats winner was gaining 1.1 pounds per day for part of the test!! He ended the test with a phenomenal ADG of .89 lbs over the duration of the test. 
The rest gained .81, .79, .79 and .71. These were all Purebred (4 NZs).
Four out of 5 of our late January and early February kids ended up at  between 115 and 123 lbs weight after the test ended on 8/6/2014. We are also very happy with our Residual feed Intake figures - showing the goats to be efficient gainers. Four out of the five bucks were more efficient than expected. That saves dollars and tells us our genetics are capable of gaining on less.

PJM Kiko Buck Kids at Drop-Off at WVU. 5/14/14 8/6/2014 - Results are in and these kids ended up gaining phenomenally with the winner ending up 123 lbs and with an ADG of .89 lbs over 70 days. Can you pick him??

​Western Maryland Forage (and lots of Worms!!!!) Test 2014

Update 8/28/14
We have been very happy with our consignment in WMD "Forage and Worms" test of 2014!! 
Ours is one of only 4 consignments where our bucks stayed under 2500 FEc on all the samples from all the goats. None of our kids were dewormed. None of our goats had a 3 FAMACHA or higher. One kid was leading it for awhile. I am keeping a kid or two from the test. One full NZ Kid made the Top Five group. He is retained in our breeding program.

​Upcoming Auctions/Sales 2014

In 2014 we participated in the following events:

Pennsylvania Livestock Evaluation Center, Tested Goat Sale, Furnace PA, August 2nd 2014
We had a great event and met many new people. We sent some of our goats to new farms where we expect them to work for our new clients.

WVU Small Ruminant Test Sale, Wardensville WV on August 30th 2014
Our 2014 kids performed extremely well with 4 record setting Kiko performances.


Blue Grass Invitational Sale (In conjunction with WMD Performance Test), Frankfort KY,September 5-6th
We sold the highest selling consignment and had a great event.

​PJM Goats and "Blue's Copyright win the 2013 AKGA Performance-Test-Program (PTP) Award for their performances.

2013 was an excellent year for us in performance tests. Our Buck Blue's Copyright sired a Buck (Copyright ABC) from the Western Maryland Forage Only test which beat all the odds to make it to the Final Sale of bucks , despite his young age and another buckling (Copyright Tough) earned a maximum score (9) for his parasite resistance and an 8 (out of a possible 9) for Loin Depth. The performances of his bucklings in Maryland earned Blue's Copyright the top honor for a sire in the AKGA Performance Test Program - Champion Sire in 2013. Copyright Tough was honored as the highest points earning buck in the PTP of 2013. We encourage others to nominate their bucks that they put on performance tests and earn a chance for their Sires and Bucks to have their performances recognized by the PTP.

​2013 proves to be the Toughest Year at the Forage-Only Western Maryland Test. All the PJM goats consignment completes the test and one qualifies for the select buck sale.

PJM Copyright ABC qualified for the 2013 MD Test Select Sale. He maintained good condition and gained some weight. Approximately 15% of the test goats never finished the test that year. ABC is a 3/4 brother to the winner of the 2015 WV Test winner, PJM Bluejay's Twist.

2013 proved to be the hardest year for the goats in Western Maryland. The worm burden was immediate and extremely intense. Many goats did not finish the test at all. We are very proud that all of our goats finished the test to the end. One of our goats was selected to sell at the Sale held in Southern Virginia after the test.
Our goat gained well and had good body condition compared to the rest of the population. He was sired by Blue's Copyright. Copyright also sired one buckling in particular which was a leader in low FEC counts. That buck (PJM Copyright Tough) is gone to the performance oriented breeding program of B Bar W of Wes and Bev Pinneo in Kansas. 
The WMD test was extremely tough in 2013 but our very young goats did us proud and endured and performed. We are very happy with the main sire's performance - Blues Copyright. Keeping goats alive is the first step to selling goats, and keeping labor and maintenance down, and the test this year showed that we are on the right track there.

​PJM Goats Buck, "Harvest Jack" makes final selection and tops the 2011 Test Sale as highest priced Kiko at the the conclusion of the test.

One of the Buck kids from our 2011 crop was selected out of 80 goats on the summer long Western Maryland Forage-Only Performance Test. The sale of these bucks was held September 24th. He showed 48% above average daily gain for that summer’s test. His worm Resilience and Resistance was excellent also. He had a FEC of 0 at one point in the test.  

He is pictured below. His Sire is Harvester. Harvester was a Half Brother to the Sire of the 2011 Test Winner and Second place Buck. We have many Harvester daughters and their progeny are exciting.

UPDATE 2014: Harvest Jack sired a Maryland Test finalist in the 2014 Western Maryland Test.