# First Time for Market Goat



## goodenuff (Jan 1, 2019)

So I just had some babies born (as some of you probably know) and I chose which one I wanted to be my market goat for my first time doing market. I just wanted to start doing some research on feed and workouts.

First, what would y'all recommend for feed? My brother did market goat last year and he fed his wether the Show Edge Show Goat Feed and a bulker (I can't remember what it is called right now). His wether did very well on the feed but I'm not sure how it would work on a market goat that actually gets exercise and is worked with.

Second, what would you recommend for exercise? I live on a hill so I could go for walks (one mile round trip to the mailbox, going uphill and downhill). I don't have anything that I could use to have my wether run unless I run with him (which wouldn't be very far because of asthma lol). What would be some good exercises for him?

Third, how should I go about on teaching him to brace? I did market lamb for two years and I always did good in showmanship, but I could never get them to push into me. I was reading one thing today that said to start teaching them to brace on a platform and to put some pressure on them and they'll learn to push on you if they don't want to fall off, but I don't think I want to risk that.

Sorry this is so long for only three questions, but thank you in advance! (Picture is of my soon-to-be wether sleeping)


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## AndersonRanch (Oct 18, 2020)

Ok no pro so you can take this all with a grain of salt lol 
Feed, we used a feed from our local mill so no suggestions there. I think if your brother did well though it would be worth giving a shot. You have the and if you find he needs more conditioning you can add supplements if you need to. But most show feeds are fine.
Exercise. I think there is a fine line between too much and not enough. Also every goat is different. The first year my son worked that weather. Small sprints like suggested and fairly often. That was the WORSE thing we could have done for him. He was very very lean and my son did so poor. Actually he placed dead dead last lol the next year we took it a little more easy on them and just kept checking that they didn’t get too fat or too lean. Both kids actually only worked their goats for a half hour a day, teaching them to lead and brace and when they worked with their does they went on the fitting stand which was elevated in the front and low in the back making them work their hind muscles. They both placed 1st in their class and 4 and 5th over all. Other things that I have heard, but again keep a eye on YOUR weather and what he needs is walking on a elevated treadmill, that would be the same as walking up your hill. The short sprints, jumping over things, which you could honestly just set something up in his pen for him to jump on and over. You could walk him down the hill and turn him loose to run up the hill on his own. We did best just kinda keeping it simple though. 
Bracing!!!! Ugh! First the ledge doesn’t have to be high up, just maybe 6” so when you get to that drop he feels like he needs to push back or fall to his death. The issue we had with that was they would push back when they knew there was a ledge and not when there wasn’t. What worked the best for my kids, and honestly they still were not perfect at bracing is lift their head up, not with the chain, I think that is too harsh for them, but you can grab them by the jaw bone and lift them way up so their feet are just on the ground and just drive them back. Keep going until they start to push back. As soon as they do stop. They probably won’t push back very long but just keep doing it and they will soon figure out that once they push you you won’t push them back so hard. Being consistent is probably the biggest key on this one and my kids honestly lacked on that.


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## goodenuff (Jan 1, 2019)

AndersonRanch said:


> Ok no pro so you can take this all with a grain of salt lol
> Feed, we used a feed from our local mill so no suggestions there. I think if your brother did well though it would be worth giving a shot. You have the and if you find he needs more conditioning you can add supplements if you need to. But most show feeds are fine.
> Exercise. I think there is a fine line between too much and not enough. Also every goat is different. The first year my son worked that weather. Small sprints like suggested and fairly often. That was the WORSE thing we could have done for him. He was very very lean and my son did so poor. Actually he placed dead dead last lol the next year we took it a little more easy on them and just kept checking that they didn't get too fat or too lean. Both kids actually only worked their goats for a half hour a day, teaching them to lead and brace and when they worked with their does they went on the fitting stand which was elevated in the front and low in the back making them work their hind muscles. They both placed 1st in their class and 4 and 5th over all. Other things that I have heard, but again keep a eye on YOUR weather and what he needs is walking on a elevated treadmill, that would be the same as walking up your hill. The short sprints, jumping over things, which you could honestly just set something up in his pen for him to jump on and over. You could walk him down the hill and turn him loose to run up the hill on his own. We did best just kinda keeping it simple though.
> Bracing!!!! Ugh! First the ledge doesn't have to be high up, just maybe 6" so when you get to that drop he feels like he needs to push back or fall to his death. The issue we had with that was they would push back when they knew there was a ledge and not when there wasn't. What worked the best for my kids, and honestly they still were not perfect at bracing is lift their head up, not with the chain, I think that is too harsh for them, but you can grab them by the jaw bone and lift them way up so their feet are just on the ground and just drive them back. Keep going until they start to push back. As soon as they do stop. They probably won't push back very long but just keep doing it and they will soon figure out that once they push you you won't push them back so hard. Being consistent is probably the biggest key on this one and my kids honestly lacked on that.


So how about having the goat draging tire? I was watching some videos 5oday and this one girl would use a horse halter as a harness and have her wether drag a car tire for 1/2 mile. Would that over work then or not? It would work their shoulders and butt, I would assume.


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## AndersonRanch (Oct 18, 2020)

Yep that would work too! We tried that with the first wether too. It wasn’t a car tire, I think it was actually a weight. But that was one of the things that was suggested to us, and then it made me think of some show I had watched, it was a animal rescue or something like that and they were saving dogs that were fighting and they did that with the dogs. NOT that I am saying ANYTHING about dog fighting is ok but if it makes muscular dogs it should make muscular goats as well.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

A goat pulling anything more than their body weight will build their shoulders. Thay are strong by nature. Dont try put too much weight on as you dont want to injure the baby.


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## goodenuff (Jan 1, 2019)

Tanya said:


> A goat pulling anything more than their body weight will build their shoulders. Thay are strong by nature. Dont try put too much weight on as you dont want to injure the baby.


Oh don't worry, I'm gonna wait a long time; just wanted to get some exercise ideas so I can start creating a workout routine for when he's big enough!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Start early with leading and handling. Birth is a good time to start handling the baby. You certainly can tell which (human) kids worked with their goats and who waited until the week before the fair or show to try and teach a wild animal to lead.


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## goodenuff (Jan 1, 2019)

Goats Rock said:


> Start early with leading and handling. Birth is a good time to start handling the baby. You certainly can tell which (human) kids worked with their goats and who waited until the week before the fair or show to try and teach a wild animal to lead.


I have been spending at least two hours a day with him because a day or two after he was born, his butt was plugged so my grandma washed his butt and he didn't like people too much after that. Now, he's still a little bit weary of people but he's getting better and will walk up to me, just need to work on him getting used to me petting him!

At about what age should I start putting the collar on him? We don't halter train our goats since they'll be shown in collars anyway. I know with my Nigerian doeling, I put the collar on her just for her to get used to it when she was about a month old, I think. She leads perfectly fine and will go wherever I lead her. I, of course, did that while she was still with her mom; I didn't take her away from mom to lead until she was weaned.


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## AndersonRanch (Oct 18, 2020)

I would wait until you guys have bonded. Right now your the alien that keeps trying to touch him lol soon you can start bribing him with grain or treats so show him your friendly and he can trust you. I think once you get to that point then you can start and just start small. They have a very small attention span when they are very young so when you start just go nice and slow. We honestly usually just wait until they are weaning and mom starts to give up on them so they don’t butt in and distract them. But that’s us, you don’t have to wait that long


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## goodenuff (Jan 1, 2019)

So Ollie and I are pretty much bonded and I started bracing today. He did really good (or at least I think). I just pick him up by putting a hand under his chest and hold his head with my other hand and then push him back until he pushes me back. How's it look?


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

:great: Especially for his 1st brace! You can see you have done alot of work with him!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Nice.


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