A day in Springfield.

[o&itw]

For once, the weekend wasn’t all planned out for me. Supposed to rain, so I couldn’t really get to those outside jobs that had been waiting .

Soooo......... Heard about a Dexter Cattle show at the Fair ground in Springfield, MO………… Road Trip!!!!!!! So we left at 5am and made it there before 8.

I had been wanting to see the different types of Dexters, and it was a great time. Had lots of fun talking with the breeders from around the country.

Now…. If you are wondering how this got on the Goat thread, it turns out that there was a dairy goat show going on in the next barn. Sort of stumbled into it trying to take a short cut across the fairgrounds. So I finally got to see all kinds of dairy does and kids, and get a good idea of comparative sizes ect.

There were: Nubians, Lamanchas, American Alpines, French Alpines, Nigerians (thought the does were little fat kids till I saw the udders) Saanens, Sables, and Oberhausins. Seems like there was something more, but I can’t remember. Now I hope y’all will forgive me for butchering the spelling of your favorites.

It was terrific.

[coso]

The family and I were there also. Didn't show any, just catching up with friends. Southwest Missouri Dairy Goat Association puts on a nice show !!! I seen the cattle barn had cattle in it, but didn't ever go check it out.

[o&itw]

It was interesting. All the Dexter breeders( that didn't have travel trailers) were all put up in a nice motel.

The diary-goat breeders had their sleeping bags and duffel set up in an empty stall beside their goats.

Felt a bit sorry for the does. I guess the competition required that they have full udders, so here it was 11:00 AM and a lot of them had not been milked out yet.

[Minelson]

That sounds like fun and well worth the road trip. So what is your favorite breed now after seeing them all?

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by Minelson

That sounds like fun and well worth the road trip. So what is your favorite breed now after seeing them all?

Unh uh..... I get myself in enough hot water on this forum as it is

Besides, I haven't seen the meat goats yet

[coso]

You need a full udder to show well. A good showman will milk later the night before to compensate and/or relieve as needed to show the doe at her optimum. Surprised that the Dexter breeders did not sleep with there cattle. Most cattle show people I know (even at Missouri State Fair) sleep in the barn with there cattle. Dexter breeders must have a lot more money then dairy goat breeders !!!

[o&itw]

Yeh, But this was the national Dexter show. People with national show stock, because of the cost of breeder animals, quality feed, and the price they get for their animals, are not quite in the same category with most of us homesteaders.

I sell, top quality year old meat-rabbit does for about $20 because I don't need them in my program after a season of litters. These aren't inferiors does, I simply wanted a cross out of them to get my line where I want it. Since fecundity and good mothering is one of the main points I chose for, they would have been in the soup after a litter or two if they weren't suitable.I have about arrived at where I want to be, now, so I will be keeping most of them for at least 3 years. I am afraid to guess what a year old, top of a winning line Cal show doe, with a proven record, would cost if one could even find one for sale. I 'm guessing around $500 from a line consistently winning at national Titles. We are talking animals that can breed at 6 months, and have 5 litters of 8 a year.

When one is speaking of an animal that takes at least 3 years to grow and then prove (with only one calf), one can see how we are talking a terrific amount of cost put into the animal. Many of these people will put a great animal in the freezer before they will sell it because they don't want to share their genetics. The animals they are willing to part with are their "seconds" and still going to show better than most.... and you aren't going to get them for the price of a nice Angus.

I raised (National) show animals for a long time.... it's a whole different thing than someone simply wanting the best confirmation and muscle for his producing meat herd.

This must have been a fairly important diary-goat show as there were people from Oregon and Montanan that I talked with. I think that with the milking being thrown in, one probably didn't have time to hit a motel if they had the money. Also, with all the kids there, it would been an opportunity for an unscrupulous person to land a few in their trunk or SUV in the early hours of the morning and take off first thing.

There weren't any guards at the gates, and I don't even know if they locked them at night.

[coso]

I have been to the ADGA Nationals twice. Most sleep in the barns, there also. Like you said with dairy animals there is a more hands on approach. There is no security that I know of. Most of the people that are there know who belongs and who doesn't. It is basically a pretty small community, and for the most part the people look out for one another. Just like anything else in life you will have a few that are UHHHH

[Pony]

Originally Posted by Minelson

That sounds like fun and well worth the road trip. So what is your favorite breed now after seeing them all?

I'm not saying it's his favorite breed, but you will note that he listed NUBIANS first.

Just sayin'...