# Showing a Wether vs Commercial Doe



## BareCreekFarm

We have started 4-h this year and need to look for a goat. We are wondering if it would be better for us to show a wether or a commercial doe. What are your all's opinions on this? Are kids are going to start being born on April 1st, these would be to young to use for 4-h this year, correct?


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## Tenacross

My understanding is date of birth and weights etc vary quite a bit form state to state and even fair/show to show. I would seek out your current or future 4-H advisor and ask them these questions.


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## goatnutty

At our fair you can show any babies they are divied into age classes for the does 0-3 months, 3-6 months, and so on...the wethers can be shown at any size but there weight to be actually sold in the auction is a minimum of 50 pound and that is how their classes are divided is by weight. I personally think its hard not to get attached with your firdst show goat and started with a doe, but the wether project makes you money so it could go either way.


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## HoosierShadow

I agree, check with your state, because I am sure it varies.
Our kids are showing breeding does, not wethers. But I have heard judges tell some kids that their goats have to be 50lbs. in order to go to state fair, and I 'think' they have to be at least 30lbs to show.

I am still learning myself on all this stuff, but I'd think if you have goats that tend to throw fast growing kids, you could 'possibly' make due with what you get, but otherwise I'd definitely look for something. Nice thing about a commercial doe is, unless she was really unsound/bad teats/etc. you can keep her and use her for breeding opposed to selling her for meat.
If she is not being considered a commercial breeding doe, she'd be shown with/against the wethers. But they do have commercial breeding doe classes at a lot of the fairs here.


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## BareCreekFarm

So, if we get commercial does we could show them either in a market class (with the wethers) or we can show them in a commercial doe class? Is there any advantage to showing in the commercial doe class vs the market goat class?


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## brbn

Like what the others have said this would have to be answered by your county extention adgent, ffa or 4-H advisor. Some fairs let you show either wethers or does in the market class some say only wethers are aloud. At our fair the market goats are the only ones that get to sell at the auction at the end of the fair and the does shown in the doe classes go home. Our fair lets you show comertial does in the doe class but they have to have a scrapie tag in there ear. What State and county will you be showing at?
Anna


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## BareCreekFarm

The Kentucky State Fair, and some of the county fairs(not sure which yet).


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## goatnutty

In our you can show a doe in a market class if you dont want to keep her for some reason. In the doe classes they focus more on the structure and correctness for a future producer, rather than muscling for product. It might help you see her faults and if she is a good addition to your breeding animals or not. Just a thought..


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## naturalgoats

OT I know... but I love the goat in your avatar barecreekfarm!


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## HoosierShadow

Okay, now I know your in KY.
In our state they are a little more 'strict' I guess than other states, like Indiana for example.

4-H goats are:
wethers/commercial does for market

Breeding stock does - registered percentage and fullbloods

That's it for 4-H in our state.

Now, when showing in the fairs, they do have other classes your kids can show in as well.
registered bucks, does and percentage does
Commercial does - breeding stock quality does who aren't registered

Do you know that your goat will have to have the KUIP tag and health certificate if it's a market animal or commercial animal? 
Here is a link to the dates/places for that:
http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/fair/doc ... og_001.pdf

Even though my kids are showing registered percentage/fullblood doelings we'll go to a validation site on that list to get the health certificates for them.

Here's a list of shows for market animals and some open goat shows:
http://www.kyagr.com/marketing/fair/doc ... ar_011.pdf

I do know that in order to go to State fair with a market animal you HAVE to show in at least one 'District' show.

We still have a ton to learn, but slowly coming along. My kids are the only ones in our county that show goats, so basically everything we've learned has come from this website. 90-95% of the kids in our county are doing the country ham project. A couple do beef and swine maybe one lamb.


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## HoosierShadow

I forgot to add, that I believe minimum weight is either 40lbs or 50lbs for state fair. So as long as your goat kids can make the weight they should be fine.


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## BareCreekFarm

Thank you sooo much for your help! :thumb: After a lot of thought, we have decided that we are going to go with 2 commercial does. We are needing to get some new does anyway, so we are going to buy some instead of using our own. So the search is on! :leap:


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## HoosierShadow

Awww have fun Bailey! The nice thing with does is being able to keep them as breeding stock 
My son is getting 2 fullblood doelings in a couple of weeks, he's so excited  

Maybe we'll run into each other at a show sometime!


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## BareCreekFarm

Thanks! I think we will really enjoy this! :hi5:


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