# state fair



## Blueroan (Mar 6, 2010)

After a couple of worrying days with my largest wether I can tell you about my experience with our state fair.. Last Sunday, Tonya and I went about 3hrs drive to our state fair to watch the dairy goat competition. I really got to see many type of goats. I was surprised how small they were with exception of some Saanens. All of them were does so I was not familar with their conformation and normal size. Out of all the goats I saw, I only seen a few that I would consider breeding. I was really looking at the alpines. I asked the breeders questions about weights, they did not look like they weighed what they had told me and they looked short. One big saanen that I saw was huge laying there and when she stood up, I thought she was way to long. They had put her on the scale and she weighed 250lbs, I believe that because she looked thicker than my wethers. 
The obers were really small. One breeder showed me one of his largest does and stated that she was one of the largest ober does that he had ever seen. She looked small and only slightly larger than the others. At this point, I started to think, am I missing something. This is suppose to be the best we have to offer in the state. I guess I do not know what I am looking at. At this point, I thought I would find something to look at with some obscure breeder. Someone who has bred for size and bone structure and not dairy qualities. It was a good learning experience.


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

I would be looking into that big Saanen doe. I have never seen a doe that big. Did she have a bag and had she kidded? 

Check out the Lookout Point Kiko site on the breed thread here, they have some big herd sires, they could send you a kid by air, cost about what a dog would.


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## Blueroan (Mar 6, 2010)

I have a breeding pair on order from Carolyn for next year. I was just looking for a alpine doe to cross on the buck I am getting from Carolyn. I will probably just wait til the doe is of breeding age.


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## Rex (Nov 30, 2008)

I like short backs and long legs. I think the goats hold up better with a shorter back and get down the trail faster with long legs. Pasterns are also a MAJOR structural issue to look at when selecting pack stock. Short upright pasterns are definitely a must on any breeding stock.


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## idahonancy (Dec 13, 2008)

I know very little about breeding. My question is do all good breeders show their goats at the fair? Are there other ways to demonstrate that you have a good genetic stock. Are there risks of illness having goats the fair? If there is risk, I imagine most things have risk, how possible is it that a goat would get ill. Thanks, IdahoNancy


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## Blueroan (Mar 6, 2010)

Nancy, the problem is like Rex stated. The Dairy people bred for different confirmation. We are more likely to find the correct confirmation at a farm with not so good dairy qualities.


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## fivemoremiles (Jan 19, 2010)

There are several things to keep in mind.

First the doe size is much smaller than the buck. you need to look at the bucks. bucks stink this time of the year and you will not see them at a fair.

second a weather will be larger than the buck.

cross breeds have a tenancy to be larger than registered stock you see at the fair.

Bigger don't mean better. the bigger the goat the bigger the feed bill.


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