# Showing Boer goats at the county fair



## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

I have been showing meat goats at my county fair for about 6 years now and every year , I walk them plenty, and feed them some of the best feed there is and yet I almost every year I barely make weight which is 60lbs. I just finished off this years fair so any suggestions for next year?


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Might need to research and bring in some bigger bloodlines.


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## Just goats (Apr 21, 2011)

What kind of feed are you giving them? We've got one now at 82 pounds and our fair isn't til Sept.


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

Have you been getting your goats from the same farm? May just be a slower growing line.


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

We are feeding them show chow and high octane supplement and we have been jumping around so around every two years we switch but these last two years I have got them at the same place and they have weighed the most ,64 and 68 I'm happy that I made weight but I would like some bigger numbers


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

How much were you feeding them?


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

I would buy from a different breeder next time.


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Can you post a picture of them? It must be a hereditary thing in their lines. My wethers always hit the 100 mark by 7 mo. old.


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

We only feed them two to three cups I'm not sure how much the cup is I'm not at my house right now the one was a wether and sold at market so I don't have a pic of him but here's one of my doe that didn't sell its not very good but I can take another when I get home we get ours from a farm called from Stoney point . They have lot of ennobled goats


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

Is this it?


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

Okay now that I got it on what do you think her name is Annabeth


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## Just goats (Apr 21, 2011)

Forgot to ask, how old are they usually when you get them?


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

Around 6-8 weeks. We can get ours in December then we show on the middle of July.


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## TrinityRanch (Mar 26, 2013)

Hmm. She looks pretty large from that picture. I think that Boers should be weaned no earlier than 8 weeks, and to be successful, 10-12 weeks is better.


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## Just goats (Apr 21, 2011)

We wean ours at 3 months, if we sell them we wait til they are 3 months old. If we buy any they are at least 3 to 4 months too! Ours that we raise are %Boers, and we've just bought 1 full Boer to show in Sept. 

When you get yours that young are you giving them any milk at all?


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

Okay I had a complete brain mess up !!! Forgive me, when they are born in December we get them in late February early march but my first goat I got was a bottle baby and did give it milk sorry :/


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Well that's most likely the issue. You need to feed them more, at least 2lbs a day. Roughly 6 and 1/2 cups make 2 pounds. 
They need some hay, and minerals as well.


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

But how much hay do they need because I know if you give them too much they will have alot of fat too. Right? Or would all if the minerals ,exercising , and regular feed cancel it out


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

A flake a piece should do, they shouldn't get fat on hay. The reason you don't want to feed too much hay, is because they don't want meat goats to have "hay belly". 
I would use calf manna in their grain too.


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

Our feed has minerals, hay, and other supplements in it so honestly I don't really give them much hay or minerals seperate do you think that makes much of a difference ?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Giving loose minerals make a a difference. But more grain is the biggest factor in weight gain.


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## Brink4 (Apr 29, 2013)

Do you worm them?


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## iluv4-H26 (Jul 23, 2013)

Yes, I worm them however often the wormer calls for and thanks for all the advice!!


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