# Showing does



## texasgoats (Oct 4, 2013)

This site has been such a great source of information, thank you! We usually show wethers, but have decided to try a doe this year. I don't know anything about showing does though! Are there separate shows for them, and do they go to market? Sorry if those are silly questions. If anyone can give me some basics about showing does, I would appreciate it very much!


----------



## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

I am right there with you! Wethers for 5 years and now first year of does. I'm a member and have my girls registered with ABGA. There are tons of shows on their website calendar


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Yes, there are separate shows for the does/doelings however a young doe _can_ be shown in a wether class.
Ive never shown wethers but I don't think there's any difference. No one braces up here unless it is FFA meat class.


----------



## Kaneel (Oct 7, 2012)

I showed a doe in a school where everyone showed wethers. You have two options for a doe, show it in the breeding class where you get to keep her at the end of the year, or show her in market class where you have to send her to slaughter. The problem with the market class is that does usually don't do as well as wethers since there aren't many of them there, and they are susceptible to discrimination, and sometimes have less muscle. Sometimes. I don't have much experience with this since I only did a few early market shows with my doe, so I honestly have no idea how it usually goes. 

However for breeding shows, you need a really great goat to do well(depending on how big the show is). I know in Texas, where meat goats are a lot more common, it's a bigger deal, and they focus more on the little stuff. It's not just the width or muscle for them, that should be a given, so if your goat has noticeably less width and muscle(example my doe) you probably won't place very well. Also, if you do a breeding doe and want to continue showing her, she has to be bred by two years old otherwise she cannot show. Breeding does also have horns(usually, since the majority have horns, dehorned does are a bit discriminated against), so they are a bit more difficult to handle  
So I suggest you do a lot of research on what to look for in a breeding doe, and all the rules and such. Look for a really good breeder, and there are many of them to choose from in TX. I suggest looking through ABGA magazines and seeing if there are any breeder ads near you. If you find a good breeder, and tell them what you want, they will usually be able to match a goat to you. You should still do a lot of research on Boer doe conformation, ask tons of questions on here. Look at good examples of Boers, and bad examples of Boers. Look at critiques and shows and anything else. Unfortunately my first time out I didn't do this and I had to rely on my Ag Teacher. The best thing is to have your own knowledge of the animal well enough to pick out a good goat, or know that the goat picked out for you is good.


----------



## texasgoats (Oct 4, 2013)

Thank you everyone! Thank you Kaneel for such a great response, it really helped!


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

I agree with everything said except for horned goats being harder to deal with. Its in how you train them. 

Also, fitting is different. Instead of shearing everything off you have to clip the chest, belly and blend diffrrent lengths while leaving the majority of the hair. That is for breeding does. Now, if you show In a wether dam show you will shave them and brace just like wethers. 

There's also a different look for ABGA stock vs wether stock. I can explain that a little more if you like... need pictures lol


----------



## farmgirl631 (May 3, 2013)

What are does supposed to look like all clipped up? Also how and where do you blend when clipping?


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Send me your email and I will send instructions but its in pdf form


----------



## tjwatson10 (Jan 4, 2013)

Hey dani, think you could send me a copy of that PDF too? Not sure how to send you my email address but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually lol!


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

tjwatson10 said:


> Hey dani, think you could send me a copy of that PDF too? Not sure how to send you my email address but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually lol!


If you private message me you email then I sure will. My clipping style varies from the instructions some but its a really good start. Anyone who wants it just let me know


----------



## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

That's really nice of you, Dani.


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

nancy d said:


> That's really nice of you, Dani.


Anything I can do to help! Someone posted it on an ABGA board on Facebook recently so I saved it for 4H kids as well as reference on the tricky does


----------



## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

Dani-1995 said:


> Anything I can do to help! Someone posted it on an ABGA board on Facebook recently so I saved it for 4H kids as well as reference on the tricky does


Is it the abga Facebook discussion page?


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

wildegoats23 said:


> Is it the abga Facebook discussion page?


Yes I think so. Mrs. Rochelle Gates posted it and I grabbed it. Its a presentation Sandy Duncan from able acres put together.


----------



## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

Gotcha! I love Rochelle and her goats!!


----------



## mymigeriandwarfBailey (Sep 27, 2013)

Yes there are separate shows for does whether a and market pens

-Grace P Michigan


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

wildegoats23 said:


> Gotcha! I love Rochelle and her goats!!


They do have some very nice goats! Can't wait to get out west and hopefully see some of them!


----------



## texasgoats (Oct 4, 2013)

Can you send me that pdf too Dani? Thanks! If showing breeding does, not the ones that would be in a market class, what kind of feed are they usually on? Show feed? I'm just not sure since it's not a specific time frame like a wether is. It would get pretty expensive to have them on a show feed all the time!


----------



## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

texasgoats said:


> Can you send me that pdf too Dani? Thanks! If showing breeding does, not the ones that would be in a market class, what kind of feed are they usually on? Show feed? I'm just not sure since it's not a specific time frame like a wether is. It would get pretty expensive to have them on a show feed all the time!


PM me your email address and I will once I get my laptop out 

Show does are usually on showfeed and some additives. Like I will add calf manna for young ones or alfalfa pellets for older does. If a doe needs to slim down then I will add natural fit. If she needs more muscle tone we'll run the around the pen and add protien to the diet. Some people add powerfuel to their feed.

Its basically like a wether but with a different goal. Also, where you push wethers for maybe a certain show or few shows around the same time, does can be pushed then stopped again and pushed again for however many shows


----------

