# How long for a Show Fill on Udders?



## ShannonM (Mar 29, 2011)

I'm new to showing (other than my past 4-H experience), and I plan on going to a few open shows next year.

I noticed while at My State Fair this year that all of the Doe's Udders were !HUMONGOUS! I talked to a couple people and they said that you have to over fill them for showing.

My question is how long do they need to be filled? Just an average time I know it would depend on stage of lactation and things like that. And isn't that kind of cheating? If that's not how your goat walks around normally than why would you make it look different?

Not trying to stir up any problems I was just honestly curious


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## still (Mar 16, 2013)

I was under the impression that there is a "milk out" time that everyone has to milk their does out and then the show is 12 hours later? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong....


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

still said:


> I was under the impression that there is a "milk out" time that everyone has to milk their does out and then the show is 12 hours later? Someone can correct me if I'm wrong....


Some shows do that, others don't. Most around here don't. 
I fill for about 14hrs for a show


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## ShannonM (Mar 29, 2011)

That sounds better  One of my friends showed at State and went to milk out the night before and the exhibitor who won literally everything, told her that she shouldn't do that because the udder wouldn't be full enough so she was insinuating that my friends doe needed to show on a 24 hr. fill.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Some does need to fill longer then others... I milk mid/late afternoon on the day before a show, instead of 7:30/8 like normal... I don't know... I think the most would be an 18/19hr fill.. For me anyway.... Just seems like a lot to fill 24.. Not to mention your production will go down...
Actually.. I was looking at the National show schedule not long ago, realized that's about the times I do it 

I know people do it.. I just won't 
Really I guess it's all up to you


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## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

Skyla your honesty is something that I just respect so much about you.

This was my first year showing open shows. My first show my girls had a 12hr fill. But it kind of hurts your feelings when someone looks at your goats giggles and tells you that your does have small udders. Well we do the same as Skyla now we do about a 14hr fill. Skyla and I also show the same circut with no milk outs. But I will tell you we still lose lactation after every show, and now I have dried all the nigerians up.

I refuse to run the risk of a longer fill, and I know that many do an even longer fill. But as a woman that nursed my children I have empathy for engorgement. I wont do that to myself, I will NOT do that to my girls.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

I like a 12-15 hour fill on my girls. Cows, and goats alike. I really appreciate a 24 hour fill, but very rarely do I ever push an early lactation doe that hard.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

HerdQueen said:


> Skyla your honesty is something that I just respect so much about you.
> 
> This was my first year showing open shows. My first show my girls had a 12hr fill. But it kind of hurts your feelings when someone looks at your goats giggles and tells you that your does have small udders. Well we do the same as Skyla now we do about a 14hr fill. Skyla and I also show the same circut with no milk outs. But I will tell you we still lose lactation after every show, and now I have dried all the nigerians up.
> 
> I refuse to run the risk of a longer fill, and I know that many do an even longer fill. But as a woman that nursed my children I have empathy for engorgement. I wont do that to myself, I will NOT do that to my girls.


Thanks Erica 

I have started milking three times a day the week before a show, I find that after the show their production is up for a few days from me calling for more, and then it levels out to where it was. Works for us 

My mom says the same thing Erica.. I can't imagine 
besides, I don't want my girls so full they start leaking.. I don't want to risk mastitis either...


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

mjs500doo said:


> I like a 12-15 hour fill on my girls. Cows, and goats alike. I really appreciate a 24 hour fill, but very rarely do I ever push an early lactation doe that hard.


I could see a 24 hour fill late in the lactation.. Like we have a fair with an ADGA show around here in Oct. my girls have already seemed to start drying themselves off.. It may take a 24 hr fill for them at that point.. But, they wouldn't be any fuller then they they would have earlier this June...

I do have to say... I would rather fill a little longer then needed and milk out a bit then not fill long enough. You can't add but you can take away... JMHO


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## HerdQueen (Oct 15, 2012)

I never thought of milking 3x day before a show. You just gave me a new wrinkle in my brain!

I feel so bad for those does that hose out milk everytime they take a step. 

Something to consider when deciding to milk before a show. When in the line up will your does show. Nigerians seem to show first with the standards showing later. And some of these shows can run late into the afternoon.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Absolutely we always "prep" the girls for show time 3-4x a day milking. Sometimes even more if we have time. Especially the week before.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Yep  I only have time with my job for 3xs a day milking, but would do 4 if I was home  I find that way their production doesn't drop 

Yah, I'm happy LaManchas don't seem to be far behind  lol!


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## OakHollowRanch (Jun 6, 2013)

We went with a 14.5 hour fill. I felt so bad for her even after just 2 extra hours. Many of the does that go 24 hours can hardly walk afterwards.  Rache's production does go way up during fairs and shows, then decreases a lot after the day of the show.


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## VincekFarm (Jun 27, 2011)

You guys might shun me or chastise me for saying this, since it is the truth and a lot of people don't like it. I'm not homeschooled, I'm extremely busy all day,everyday so I can only milk my girls once a day. (We have horses, pigs. Balling hay daily..) Before a show I might have time to squeeze in 2x a day milking. That said my girls quickly became accustomed to a 24 hour fill. For shows early in the year I would give them a 24 hour fill. Now later in the year as most of them aren't producing as much a 36 hour fill is needed to give them a show fill. Still with this wacky milking schedule my girls still did great at shows and linear appraisal. So it really depends on you... if you have a lot of time milk 2-3x daily. If you're like me milk once a day and it will work out fine.

Next year hopefully the kids will stay on their mothers.I had a lot of kids and mothers who just didn't click you could say; meaning mothers didn't take care of kids & kids didn't nurse. So, next year I'm hoping to get back to 12-14 hour fills. Dam raising works a lot better for me when it comes to showing. I've never noticed any wear & tear on the udders because that is the purpose of conformationally correct udders or just mammary systems in general.


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Nah  that's what works for you  when a 'notmal' milking is every 24 hrs and not 12, it's a bit different.. You still have the same concept though. And I have seen some of your girls udder pics and they don't look over uddered to me..

We all have a fill that works for us... I don't agree with like what Riley was saying, like a three day fill... 
But when your only milking once a day, it's slightly different


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## ShannonM (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks for all the input I really appreciate everyone's honesty and different opinions


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Around here the goats show in alphabetical order by breed. The show order should be posted on the entry rules and unless it says "Subject to be changed" per ADGA rules it can not be changed. I was at a show one time and they tried to change the order the day before the show (it was more like the evening before, so everyone had already milked their does according to when they would show the next day), everyone had a fit and one exhibitor that was also a judge said if they did change the order she would let ADGA know and the whole show would be thrown out, meaning none of the grands would count for anything, so they had to leave it as is. Saanens, Toggs and Oberhasli's usually don't have enough numbers so they all show together (typically last) in the AOP class (All other Purebreds). A lot of people around me will not milk their does the day before the show so they will have a 24 hour fill. I don't do that to my girls and will usually milk them the afternoon before the show so they have a 14-16 hour fill. You do need to account for each breed to be showing later than another so does of a different breed might need to be milked earlier or later. When at the show you do need to account for lost production due to stress of travel, not eating/drinking normally etc. Some does do not handle traveling well and will not drink very good at the show which is why it is a good idea to bring water from home and/or molasses or gatorade to put in the water to encourage them to drink. Do be careful with the gatorade though and white goats as it will stain their chins. lol


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