# New to showing



## xoxmsamericaclu (Apr 11, 2014)

This year I'm going to be showing for the first time at our fair at the end of July. I've been breeding goats with my dad for about five years now but I've never shown before so I have no clue how to prepare for a show. I have the goat that I'm going to be showing picked out and we're going to be separating her from our breeding stock this week so I can start her on a different diet from the others and training her.

She's really small for her age, I haven't gotten her weighed yet but you can tell she's definitely smaller than most yearling does especially for a meat goat. She also has a huge hay belly but no muscle (I wish I had pics to show). What can I do to build up her muscle? What kind of diet should I start her on?

Also, she has horns that aren't extremely long but the fair requires them to be tipped or cushioned. I have a basic idea of what tipping is but could someone explain it to me?

Any other tips for a newbie showing would be appreciated as well!


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## crazygoatlady_inthemaking (Apr 25, 2014)

So are you showing in market shows or registered? 

Id have to see some pictures to help tell you how to feed but in market shows you will need to cut back on the hay. And muscle comes from short bursts of exercise. 

Tipping the horns is just grinding the horns down to the wanted length. We use a grinder and just tip them and don't go too far but i think you can use like sandpaper maybe. 

Im not sure why shows you are showing in to tell you more tips.


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## xoxmsamericaclu (Apr 11, 2014)

We're not doing registered shows because she's not registered. I'm only going to be doing the show at our fair which is through 4-H I believe, it's incredibly small haha.

I'll get pictures of her tomorrow before it gets dark, I meant to today but it just slipped my mind, and I'll post them on this thread.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

Small and pot bellied makes me think she has worms: you'll want to have a fecal done and then deworm as necessary. Make sure the fecal includes cocci. If her eyelids are pale add red cell or injectable iron to your list.

You'll want to feed her a show goat ration with high protein (at least 16%). Alfalfa pellets will help her gain weight, and calf manna. Wheat germ oil is great for show animals, and rice bran. Make sure to add all new foods slowly! 

She'll need a loose mineral mix available free choice, and IMO some hay for rumen health.


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## nigies4ever (Sep 19, 2012)

I don't know too much about market goats...but for a loose mineral, I'd highly recommend Sweetlix Meat Maker. I've seen it work wonders on both meat and dairy animals..


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## crazygoatlady_inthemaking (Apr 25, 2014)

About worming all you have to do is pull down on her eye lid and look at the color of her eye. Bright pink/red is healthy and pale means they need worming. 

We do not use alfalfa pellets for market goats. We use a protein pelleted feed i think its 16% or 18% and we add in different supplements as needed like more protein or more fat or top dress etc. We also use steam rolled oats bc of the fact we don't feed much hay at all and its a good grain source and it helps them be filled our and with the muscle without the hay belly. 

Rice bran oil and ad fat but with market you don't want a fat goat so i don't recommend it. We use a egg drench recipe that has some fat but it packs on the protein and pounds and it works wonders and all you use is honey, vegetable oil, eggs, and other stuff like that. I heard cocosoya is a good fatty acid oil and i think we are gonna try it this year. 

We feed our how goats hay until the start of the show season and the cut back their hay to a large handful a day or twice a day per goat and then a week before the show we will feed a small handful of hay and then go back to the large handful. 

Do you have any more questions like how to fit the goat or exercise?


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