# help with 4H boer goat



## BlessedMom (Jul 20, 2004)

My son is raising a boer goat for the 4H fair in 3 weeks.
He's only at 70 lbs. right now. We have been feeding him to the guidelines on the Purina Meat Goat Chow package. He's only gained a little less than 5 lbs. in a month. I'm worried. 70 lbs. is the minimum that they can weigh.
Any tips on how to fatten him up and get him to grow some?
How much could I expect him to gain in the next 3 weeks?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Lori


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

exercise!!! exercise!!!! exercise!!! 'muscle master' http://www.angelfire.com/biz2/MuscleMasterPlus/ , or higher protein, kelp, minerals, and.... Think body builder. This is a bit late to get a lot of muscle on him and just feeding him BOSS and 3-Way will only make him fat to get his weight up. 

is he used to a certain bucket? mix some special goodies, put it on the back of a bike and let said kid bicycle around with goat chasing after him. Right now the goat should have been running a mile or two twice a day.

Raise the feeders so he has to stand on hind legs to eat..

build a little gym so the goat has to climb up and down...

exercise, higher protein and of course good genetics.

If you can't do it this year, perhaps next year!


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## BlessedMom (Jul 20, 2004)

Thanks for the tips!
This food I was sold was supposed to be the "one". Well it's our first year.
The bloodlines are fantastic out here. We don't have enough property for someone to ride a bike and not get hurt. LOL Too many ruts and holes.
We do already raise his feed bucket we started that about 2 weeks ago, and I have to say I have notice a difference.
Well ds will start walking him 2 miles a day. My son is special needs and has foot problems, so he can't run or jog, but he can walk if my husband walks the other goat with him.
We'll let you know how it goes!
Lori


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## abbey_tor_acres (Mar 25, 2004)

My son was in the 4h goat project last year. Why are you only going to one fair? We went to 6 or 7 in our county and surrounding counties. There were even more available that we didn't attend. 

We were told the above info

also to give B-complex vitimin shots every few days. This increases their appetite. 

You didn't mention deworming meds. You need to do this on a reg. schedule. Worms will keep the weight down more than anything else. Don't use the same kind of med each time. The worms get immune.


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## BlessedMom (Jul 20, 2004)

abbey_tor_acres said:


> My son was in the 4h goat project last year. Why are you only going to one fair? We went to 6 or 7 in our county and surrounding counties. There were even more available that we didn't attend.
> 
> We were told the above info
> 
> ...


We only have one fair in the area. We live in the NW. There isn't much out here for fairs. We have wormed him, but now we are within 3 weeks of the market sale, I can't worm him again. He will be going for butcher so our time with that is up.
Is the B complex the same as a BOSE shot? Can I do that every 3 days or so and also..what is the withdrawal (if there is one) for market? My other problem is every time I give a stinkin shot, they get a lump that doesn't go away. I guess I need more practice!!
The other thing about fairs is that we can only show if we live in that county. We looked for other fairs and there just isn't any. 

Lori


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

put child with a bucket in the back of a pick up truck or wire a car trunk open.. let the goat chase behind. You drive and let child and Dad sit in the back <smile> Drive slow. Your goat will not be able to run 2 miles that takes weeks to build up. 

Walking is good for you, the dad and child... oh yeah and goat too!


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## JoyKelley (Jan 7, 2005)

I just had to put all my little fatties on a diet but it took me alot longer than 3 weeks to get them to chubbiness. Good luck with him and keep us informed


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## BlessedMom (Jul 20, 2004)

westbrook said:


> put child with a bucket in the back of a pick up truck or wire a car trunk open.. let the goat chase behind. You drive and let child and Dad sit in the back <smile> Drive slow. Your goat will not be able to run 2 miles that takes weeks to build up.
> 
> Walking is good for you, the dad and child... oh yeah and goat too!


I'm sure the sheriff wouldn't find it funny to see the goat running down the highway behind the car. LOL
We have no land to speak of...we have 2 acres with a house on it. So we don't have this big ranch to work with. We also live next to a very busy highway.
However, dh took the goat on a run with him for 2 miles. The goat loved every minute of it, had no problems keeping up with him at all. So we'll try that. Fair is August 19 &20. We've learned so much this year that even if he doesn't finish at the fair on top, it was so worth it!


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## TexCountryWoman (Jun 22, 2004)

Use this years goat and show as your "learning year". You will pick up lots of tips at the show and will have other animals to compare yours to. Most folks are happy to share info. When my kids were little, we showed just about everything at one time or another. If you take home top honors the first year, great, but that is unusual. Next year is always fun planning for. Have fun and good luck!...Diane


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## BlessedMom (Jul 20, 2004)

Here is the weird thing. We were first to pick out our goat here, there is only one real good breeder in town and pretty much everyone bought from them.
So we picked first. 
We have had other parents call and ask how our goat is doing, how heavy, etc.
When we had weigh in everyone was waiting to see how he was doing. It's kinda weird. I felt like they were all overly concerned about him. I was just at one of the other families homes that have 2 goats, ours is much larger and muscular than theirs. And they've been doing goats for 8 years. She said that one of them seemed stunted for some reason. 
The breeder seems to think we have a real good chance of placing somewhere, he is a gorgeous goat. A lot of people were disappointed that he had already been chosen. They were going to keep him at a buck but my son really, really wanted him for the project.
So he is just doing his best, the hard part is that he really loves his goat.


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

Just remember with more exercise... he needs to eat more. See if your feed store sells any kind of "show bloom" http://www.emmert.com/showbloom/

or a finishing feed like "Show Master" http://www.accofeeds.com/sheep/brand.asp?brand_id=64

or something equalivent that your feed store sells.


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## Starsmom (Nov 7, 2004)

I know what you mean about getting attached. My son loves his animals and he started with 2 goats, we have had 5. We lost a buck this summer so now we have 4. He loves them and I knew he would become attached, so that is why we chose dairy goats. We have alpines and Nubian/Saaneen cross. It also teaches a little responsibility because he has to milk 2 times daily. If he doesn't or isn't on time, his doe pays the price and he knows it. So far, so good.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Hey there, Blessed Mom! I'll have to try to get to the Skamania Co Fair to see your goat(s)! Come see us at the Cowlitz Co Fair if you get a chance. Just look for the frazzled mom with the scatterbrained Intermed 4-Her (ADHD). She'll have a big Alpine doe and a bunch more, won't know how many until we find out how many pens are available. 

I wish our fair had meat goats as a market sale entry. I think we're the last county in WA that doesn't. DD did a rabbit pen a couple years ago, but only wants to raise goats now. I know she'd have a hard time with the idea that her market animal will be butchered, though. She has a hard enough time just saying goodbye when we sell one to a good pet home. 

I wish we had 6-7 fairs to go to before county fair. We are still lucky enough to have one community fair before county, but I can remember when I was a kid. There were lots of little community fairs back then. They've all petered out now.

Didn't mean to hijack your thread. Now returning you to your regular programming. 

I'm having to try to put weight back on one of my Ober does. I'll be trying out some of the tips you've been given.


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## bill not in oh (Jul 27, 2004)

HI Lori

Two of our kids (the human ones) are in 4H and neither one of them can tell you how their animals finished in the shows. They CAN however relate the stories about how the sheep (Alan's) shook off soap and water while being groomed for the ring soaking about 7-8 folks standing around watching; or (laughing) how the Pygmy goat (Kristen's) decided to lay down and go to sleep in the show ring with 150 people watching; or how two Pygmies unrelated to a kid in the uncoverd play pen stood beside the kid to shelter it from a sudden burst of rain; the escaped pig that 30 people chased around half the fairground; the cow that farted on the judge in the final judging for dairy heifer; the Alpine goat walking around contentedly with a chicken riding on her... That's what 4H should be to children.

BTW: That year Alan's sheep took first in its weight class and 9th overall out of a field of 260 sheep, and Kristen's Pygmy goat took 2nd in showmanship and 4th for conformation in its age class. The ribbons are proudly displayed and it was exciting being presented the awards, but the stories are what live on...

PS: Wish us luck - the fair starts this weekend and this year we have an extra Pygmy, a new (4 mo Saanen/Nubian cross) dairy goat, and GEESE that will be in attendence...


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## westbrook (May 10, 2002)

Manygoats,

do you feed BOSS (Black Oiled SunFlower Seeds?) just a cup 2 times a day will make a difference. The seeds will give their coat a nice shine and will help put on weight.


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## manygoatsnmore (Feb 12, 2005)

Yes, I do feed BOSS. All the milking stock as well as any dry does that are prone to flakey skin or that don't keep weight on as well as they should. We feed alfalfa/orchard grass blend hay, grass hay, alfalfa pellets, and 3 acres of woods with undergrowth as browse. On the milk stand, they get alfalfa pellets, 14% Livestock sweet feed, BOSS, and kelp. Most of my animals look really good, not fat, but putting lots in the milk pail. 

It's just the one doe that had bloody diarrhea that I need to put weight back on. The diarrhea cleared right up with Sulmet, so I think she had coccidiosis - I know adult goats don't usually get it, but she'd just been moved to our property and I figure she just didn't have immunities to the specific strain we have here. Anyway, she seems healthy enough now, but is VERRRRY thin. She's a gorgeous Oberhasli doe, and I'd like to take her to the fair as she is nursing our Alpine twins for me, but I can't take a goat in that poor of body condition. 

Any more ideas for fattening up a skinny minnie? What would beet pulp do for a thin doe or a market wether? I know a lot of breeders who swear by it for increasing milk production, but would it help put weight on at all? How about adding more corn to the diet? 

Also, you can worm with diatomaceous earth safely. There is no withdrawal time as it's not a chemical. It's not as effective as chemical wormers, but it might help to get any worm load down to lower levels. Any little thing might help get your market wether up to weight. I think you said he's at the 70# minimum now? In three weeks, he should gain a little more.  He should make weight okay. He might actually sell for more per pound than an overfinished fat goat, if the right buyers are there.


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## mammawof3 (Jan 31, 2004)

THIS WAS OUR FIRST YEAR WITH BOER GOATS AT THE FAIR-FIRST YEAR THIS COUNTY ALLOWED BOERS ALSO.t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rned alot this year,had fun, know what to do different next year,were a bit sad that they went to market-girls were happy with the money they made on them-4-h fairs can be a hot, exhausting week for us adults,but the kids don't seem to mind so much!  
Good luck at your fair, as long as the muscleing is there you should place well.


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## Mulefoot (Sep 5, 2002)

Next week is our county fair and my oldest two (10 &12) are showing boer goats for the first time. It should be interesting because we don't know much at all about showing goats. This is definitely a learning year for them with the goats. I haven't been impressed with their weight gain but I'm more used to watching cattle and hogs grow......

Good Luck to all of the 4-Hers that are showing in their respective fairs!


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