# Good Websites for helping kids understand market goats?



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I figured this could be helpful for not just myself/my kids but others as well.

If we end up with very many boys from our does, I am hoping one of my kids will want to try doing a market wether project. 
Any really helpful sites on prepping, training, and finishing a market goat would be great. 
I know they have to be exercised to be muscled up - my kids have to do this the old fashioned way with all their goats since we don't own dogs, 4-wheelers, etc. Lots of walking...lots of going up and down our deck steps I guess, and I have a couple more ideas they might be able to do.

I've heard people say grain and not too much hay for wethers? 

I found the 2012 validation site info this morning, and show info and got me thinking...so of course we wait and see what happens.


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

http://www.thejudgingconnection.com/pdf ... _Guide.pdf
I havent read this et, but I have used the site before...I dont know if that helps but I hope so.


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

re grain and not too much hay... ask the boers people.... might be the case if you are trying to fatten one up.... but as far as urinary calculi you need to be careful of that... you'd probably want to balance grain with alfalfa..
M.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Yep, more grain, less hay for wethers! Just make sure you have a 2-1 calcium phosphrus ratio to keep urinary calculli away... same with hay if you feed it to wethers.

This manual seems really good... in fact I'm thinking about printing it to read completly . I did skim read it and the info I would be looking at seems really good!

http://www.das.psu.edu/pdf/4hmarketgoat.pdf

I agree with goatnutty on thejudgingconnection.com also... I love that website! Here's another site I like to look at... good info and not to mention nice looking goats too: http://www.barnonemeatgoats.com/menu.html


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

If you want a good resource book this is what our fair uses. You would have to order it for $18.75 but it has a ton of information. It has all the parts, breeds, reproduction, milking, disbudding and much more.
http://www.ohio4h.org/staff/documents/4 ... 8final.pdf


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much! Hopefully it helps others who might be looking for help soon too 

Roger - we have that handbook it's GREAT! I plan to sit down and read through it, just haven't had a chance to do it yet. I think I am going to have my kids read a section at a time and make little quiz's for them and word searches so they can familiarize themselves. As far as prepping a wether, that would be new territory for us, I admit, I have to learn how to balance things out for a wether I am so clueless on that kind of stuff!


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Don't look at me when it comes to grooming/fitting the goats. Last year we just shaves all the wethers bald 1 week before the show and I think we shaved the does 4 weeks before the show so they had time for their hair to grow out. Last year there was a 4-H meeting about fitting goats but I had to work so I had my sister go with the kids. I told her I wanted pictures and I would need her to tell/teach me how to fit the goats. After the meeting I got 1 far away picture of a shaved goat and "well I don't really remember how they did it" response. For my 10 year old niece I would expect that, but from my 22 year old sister I was a little POed.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Clipping isn't too hard once you get the hang of it. The worst part is leaving lines or clipping a goat with really bristly hair. I use a whitening shampoo for horses that has a moisturizer in it... If they're hair is really hard to work I'll use a kids tear free shampoo with detangler. Before clipping always make sure the goat is clean and dry... dirt and water and really wreak haavoc on blades and the quality clip job (know this from personal expirience.... yikes!) 

When you actually clip you want the blade to over lap on places youve already clipped to avoid lines and cut against the grain of hair but always follow the patterns. Also if clippers are too hot they'll leave lines or worse, burn the goat and cause lines that way. 

Just for show look on all goats I show (does, wethers, bucks) I spray pink oil on their coat for shine and moisture (helps the next time you clip), just be careful because it gets greasy. I also spray some on a rag and shine their hooves. 

Thats just basic stuff for wethers.... I've never fitted breeding stock before but I've seen it done and its definatley harder than wethers. As far as clippers and blades go I use andis ultraedge clippers with a 7FC blade.


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## goatnutty (Oct 9, 2007)

I agree clipping isnt so bad once you are used to it...but my first year my market wether looked pink because he had no hair


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## cowgirlboergoats (Apr 29, 2012)

where do you keep your wethers at? 
i have my wether in with some females boer goats and i give the 3 flackls of hay but the females eat most of the hay .
So if you need the to fatten them up give the the 3 to 6 flacks .
i hope this help.
P.s i 'm a 4-her


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