[emilieanne]

Possibly/most likely thinking about doing a market goat for my senior year.
I'm wondering a few things.

What can I feed it so that he will have enough muscle & looking good but not take everything in my pocket + the pocket and half my jeans? Lol

What age is the best to butcher or show at?
Also, any tips on how to brace him would be good.

I have a general idea on how to brace him but I do dairy so I'm kinda use to those tricks.

Any information would be GREAT!
Thanks

 

[ptgoats45]

When I did market projects I just fed them the meat goat grower/finisher feed. It is usually medicated for coccidia and they seem to do well on it. I always fed it free choice rather than going by the amounts on the label and had good results. I know some people will also use a supplement that will help them get a little more "bloom". There are various show products that you can use for that.

Most fairs require the goat to still have his milk teeth, which basically means he needs to be less than a year old, but some goats will get their yearling teeth at 10 months so you do want one that is going to be at an age where he won't have already gotten his yearling teeth or show any signs of the teeth coming in. The fairs I went to required the goats to be at least 60 lbs, so a goat that will be 6 months at fair time should be plenty big. There isn't really any set good time to butcher at because all different ethnic groups like the goats different sizes/ages, but generally a 60-100 lb goat is about prime. As long as they are nice and young the meat will be good and tender.

When I showed we weren't allowed to brace so I can't help you there.

 

[emilieanne]

Thanks ptgoats!
I talked to the breeder and they have a doe due in a month or so that I wouldn't mind getting a wether from. So let's hope the milk teeth don't come in

Do you think corn would do anything for him muscle/finishing wise?

 

[wildegoats0426]

Corn just adds fat and shouldn't be fed in large quantities. I'm helping a couple students on here, so I will offer my help to you as well I've raise market wethers for a while now. They are usually 7-11 months by show and 65-110 lbs. I always showed mine around 8 months at 95 lbs. Find a good feed specially for show goats. I like N-Timidator Surefed or Purina honors show chow. The first couple months I do just feed and barley to get fat on them, then 45 days out I add high octane fitter 35 and start running the heck out of them. This has worked well for me

 

[emilieanne]

Wow that's some intense stuff, huh?
Haha.
Do you ever feed calf mana? I was told that could get too..
Thank you so much for that information!!
I think I'm going to show a 10-11 month old wether. Just so I know I'm ok & have enough time to get him big and bulky lol.
Is it possible to make some money off of them or not really?

 

[wildegoats0426]

You could probably put him on calf manna I just don't know a lot about it. I made $2600 with one goat and $3200 the next year so I would say so

 

[NavaBoerFarm]

I wouldn't do corn. I feed garbonzo beans and dried peas. I've seen a lot of show folks feed dried peas. its really high in protein so it makes sense to feed it. Garbonzo beans are high in fat and semi high in protein they also make the coat super nice due to the fats.

 

[Pats_Perfect_Boer_Goats]

There are a lot of options for bracing, but this is what I've noticed works the best: Start by bracing him; if he doesn't understand why you are doing it (and he probably won't) then lift him up (to about a 45ish degree angle) and walk him backwards. Keep walking him backwards until he starts to push against you. When he does this (give him a treat LOL ) set him back down and brace him again. It will take some doing, but I've noticed it works most of the time! You also can try other tricks like backing him into a hole, back him into a hole filled with water, have someone push his rear as you brace him, etc.

Hope this helps!

Patrick

 

[emilieanne]

Oh my gosh, thank you guys so much!!!
Wildegoats, how in the world do you make that much?! That's awesome!!! Lol
Now I'm really excited ^.^

 

[kccjer]

It will depend on where you are as to how much you will make. We don't make anywhere near that much on goats at our county fair....ever. Steers might make that, but nothing else. One year Lizzie got 300, the next 125, and last year, almost 500. If you have to pay very much for the show goat, you won't make anything at those prices. We paid 150 last year for a sale barn wether....so made very little if anything.

Check with your extension office about bracing. In Kansas, the State Fair rules are no bracing allowed. So....you wouldn't want to teach your goat to brace and then be dq'd for doing it.

 

[wildegoats0426]

Oh my gosh, thank you guys so much!!! Wildegoats, how in the world do you make that much?! That's awesome!!! Lol Now I'm really excited ^.^

We buy our goats for $300 each through the school

 

[ptgoats45]

Thought I would add a lot of people will put the feeders up high enough that the goat has to stretch or stand on the fence to get to it, this helps build their butt muscles.

 

[wildegoats0426]

I've had goats on blocks and goats off blocks. Honestly I haven't seen a difference at all. Unless you have 2-3 blocks stacked then maybe so

 

[emilieanne]

Thanks guys
They don't really DQ people at our fair seeing as it is a youth show & have many 5-10 year olds.
But I will check
I have a buckling/wether lined up that will be born in the next month/two months.
The show is in November so let's hope no milk teeth!! Lol