Get More For Your Research Dollar

If you could guarantee that every pig that comes across your table will be of consistent size and weight-for-age, always clean and healthy and always of the same strain - would it contribute toward better and more consistent data?

Would it help to know that every one of your swine models is not just healthy now, but has always been healthy? Would you like to know that you will never again spend your valuable time collecting and analyzing data, only to find on necropsy, surprises that force you to discard that data?

Such problems are frequently encountered when trying to use swine from a commercial herd. But, because specialized mini-pigs are often cost prohibitive, many investigators believe that they have no recourse.

There is a Cost Effective & Guaranteed Satisfactory Alternative!

We at K Bar Livestock, LLC know what it takes to produce clean, accurate and reproducible data. Our domestic swine are from a total confinement herd from a very exclusive swine breeding station where the sows farrow in crates and pigs spend their first twenty weeks on raised wire floors inside climate controlled buildings. Their water is made available exclusively via nipple spigots. Human contact is strictly limited and disinfectant measures are rigidly enforced. All pigs routinely receive Iron Dextran to prevent anemia and rotational worming to ensure they are parasite free.

We have all the most common purebreds as well as high quality crossbreeds available. They are usually docile and friendly from frequent positive human contact.

Our most frequently ordered size range is 3 to 90 kg. but we can deliver any age or size you might require, from neonate to adult. We will be happy to provide timed pregnant sows, as well as neonates and early weaned, bred to suit your individual needs.

Litter mates or non-related groups are available, as well as early weaned piglets when necessary. K Bar pigs will always be within 3 days of the same age at any given weight.

With pigs from K Bar Livestock, LLC , you can have all of the consistency and quality of the expensive specialty mini-pigs at a fraction of the cost.

WHY CALVES?

The use of calves for certain cardiovascular procedures is an accepted and necessary practice.  Their body size, especially the large thoracic cavity, is what makes them so attractive as a surgical model.

WHY NOT?

Using the standard Holstein or beef type calf that most vendors deliver, you have a 6 to 12 week old baby at the 150 to 250 pound size that most cardiovascular research requires.  These calves are babies - much too young to be safely weaned.  As a result, you have a calf with the fragile constitution that is a natural consequence of such an immature immune system.  All too frequently this will mean a weak and sickly calf, highly susceptible to the stresses of your protocol and laboratory life.  In addition, a calf this young still needs special feed to compensate for the loss of its mother's milk.  Even with specialized care, you often have to deal with diarrhea and/or pneumonia related to these problems.

WHY K BAR?

A few years ago, we at K Bar Livestock, LLC began a search for a breed cross that would be naturally small so that it would be at least 5 months of age or older at the required body size.  At this age, your calf would be already weaned, stabilized and eating a normal calf ration before ever arriving at your facility.

We also wanted a calf that would be naturally tough and hardy - one not so susceptible to stress; and we wanted one that would be naturally slow growing so as not to outgrow your implanted appliances before you were ready to terminate the study.

We searched and experimented with different breeds and breed crosses until we now have what we believe to be the best possible bovine research model currently available anywhere!

These calves meet all of our requirements of small size-for-age and a naturally slow rate of growth.  And, most important, they exhibit a natural toughness, disease resistance and stress tolerance unlike any beef or dairy breed known today.

We let them grow with their mothers under natural range conditions until they are between 3 and 5 months old (usually between 150 - 200 lbs.) At that time, they are removed to our weaning pen, where we immunize them, make sure they are parasite free and completely healthy.  We never expose them to unnatural and unhealthy over crowded living conditions.  They are penned each morning and evening to be examined, fed and handled.  They will receive a booster immunization, another worming and a broad spectrum antibiotic immediately prior to shipment to your facility.  They come to you with none of the problems usually associated with baby calves weaned too early and housed in crowded and unnatural indoor facilities.

We hope you will give K Bar Livestock, LLC the chance to solve many of the problems you may have experienced in the past with weak and sickly baby calves.   And, like all K BAR animals, any calf arriving at your facility that is unhealthy or fails to meet the specifications of the order will be replaced free of charge at your convenience.

Bovine blood and isolated tissue always available.

The basic short haired Spanish Goat is an all too frequently overlooked research and teaching model.  It makes an ideal alternative to the pet-type animals most often chosen for physiology, surgery and Trauma/Life-support labs.  They also make great research models for many protocols.

The use of properly chosen and conditioned goats virtually eliminates the problems and diseases associated with ticks and fleas, as well as the liabilities of rabies or toxoplasmosis. Goats never scratch or bite.

Contrary to popular myth, goats are clean and friendly, have no offensive odor and are very easy to work with.

K Bar Livestock is able to offer the widest possible range of breeds, sizes and ages.   Our most frequently requested models is the Spanish Goat breeds. These are short haired / smooth coat breed that have developed in the Texas Hill Country area as meat animals.  The wethers (castrated males) average between 30 and 80 lbs. as adolescents and young adults.   The does (females) are slightly smaller at the same age but both sexes continue to grow until 4 years of age and some will mature at greater than 150 lbs.  Although 50 to 75 lbs. is considered average size, both very large and very small animals are always available. If you require skeletally mature animals, 4 - 6 year old, non-pregnant does are always available.

Unless you specifically request them, we will never deliver the long haired Angora breed, or any of the dairy breeds.  There are problems inherent with the breed and we tend to avoid them unless you tell us that you have a specific reason to choose them.  They are, of course, readily available, as are the diminutive Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf breeds and the very large dairy breeds.

Whichever breed you choose, all K BAR animals are guaranteed to be healthy, immunized and parasite free.  They will be normal weight-for-age and within a narrow weight range for each order.

K Bar Livestock, LLC is currently offering a broad range of sheep to meet most any research or teaching need.  We know what it takes to produce clean accurate and consistent data.  Our Ovine models are carefully chosen from very select flocks, raised naturally in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, (considered to be the Sheep & Goat capital of the World).  These are closed herds, the lambs being maintained from birth on an extremely effective rotational worming program, a broad spectrum vaccination schedule and rigorous culling.  This results in the healthiest, highest quality animals available to the research community.  We have several breeds from which to choose, but unless you request otherwise, we will deliver a fine wool cross, commonly referred to as the Western Range Sheep, which we have found to be the hardiest and most stress tolerant strain of wool sheep available.

K Bar Livestock, LLC can provide sheep, from neonate to adult, ordered by weight or age.  We have twins and occasionally triplets available.  Young solid mouth ewes (female), wethers (castrated male) and rams (intact male) are available at all times.

Pregnancies are confirmed or ruled out per your instructions using ultra-sound technology.  We can detect a fetus as young as 30 days gestation.   Therefore, nothing is delivered as "guaranteed non-pregnant" until it has been held at our facility, behind 6 ft. non-climable wire, for a minimum of 45 days.  Only after a second sonogram, 40 days after the first, will we guarantee non-pregnant status.

Timed pregnancies are available upon special request.

Ovine blood and other tissue is available at all times.

K Bar Livestock, LLC is proud to offer to the research community a unique alternative for those requiring the ovine species.  The Hair sheep is an exceptionally hardy breed that has a hair coat instead of wool.  It is predominately brown in color though white and black specimens are also found.

Although they generally mature a bit smaller than our Western Range sheep, the lambs tend to be quite similar in weight-for-age, and several of the ewes in our breeding program are greater than 100 pounds.  Thus, we have found that they are quite adequate in size for most protocols.

These sheep make ideal research models because they are highly intelligent and easily trained.  In addition, they handle stress much better than the wool breeds and are more resistant to disease.

They exhibit very strong mothering instincts and are ideal for timed pregnant protocols.  And, the joy of having no wool with which to deal, is an added benefit.

We believe the Hair sheep is well worth your consideration as a research model.

K Bar Livestock, LLC offers a timed pregnant program which we believe to be superior to any currently being offered in the United States.  We have both sheep and goats available.

Pregnancies are confirmed and fetus counts determined using ultrasound technology. We guarantee gestational ages to be exact: "to the day".

Each order is custom, with a separate breeding program set up for each investigator in order to make sure we can meet the precise needs of each individual protocol.

If you have need of timed pregnant sheep or goats, please give K Bar Livestock, LLC a call and allow us to custom design a timed pregnant breeding program that will precisely fit the needs of your protocol.