After having several people ask me about what they should look for in a market kid, I decided to add this page to help give some advice on where to start.
First and foremost, get advice from friends, other exhibitors or your local large animal vet as to breeders in your local area who have healthy animals. You can find very nice animals out of state but I would not recommend this without a reference from someone you know. It is much easier if you have a problem with your animal if the breeder is local as opposed to 500 miles away.
Make sure your prospect is healthy. Look for pink in the eyelids. If they are pale it can be an indication of a heavy parasite load. This can be very detrimental to the success of your project. Look for any abscesses on the kid. If you see one I would steer clear. This may not be a problem but it could also be CL and I would look for another animal. If you are looking for a wether ask when it was banded or cut. I do not recommend for you to buy one that has just been done. Most times everything will be fine but it is possible for tetanus or infection to set in after you take it home. Watch the kid.....does it bounce around and seem lively or does it kind of stand there with its tail tucked and back bowed. Ask the breeder when they were weaned. I do not recommend one that is still nursing and it being weaned when you take it home. Ask what and how much they are being fed. If they are feeding grain ask where they obtain their feed and try to stick to the same thing. If this is not possible ask if they will sell or give you a small amount so that you can gradually change the feed.
FEED GOAT FEED!!!!!!!! I know a lot of people if they have other animals they want to feed a general purpose feed to all. This might be alright for a maintenance feed but each species has their own requirements. If you are doing a market project it takes more than your average animal.
MAKE SURE YOUR KID HAS FRESH WATER AT ALL TIMES!!!!!!! I have had kids call me to come look at their animals because they were not eating and the first thing I noticed was a dry water trough. They like something to drink with their meal just like you do and if you don't like green hot water to drink neither do they. Fresh water and good feeding practices are the most important ingredient in making a good market animal. Just paying more money for Show Feed does not make an animal any better. We have used the same feed for years and have done very well in the show ring. Fresh water, I believe, is one of your best defenses against urinary calculi. This is one of the most lethal problems wethers can get and unfortunately once you realize this is the problem, it is too late. Does can also get urinary calculi but you very seldom see this. A lot of people will tell you that a grain fed animal is more prone to urinary calculi. We have never had one with urinary calculi and I am convinced it is the fresh water and feeding goat feed. Goat feed usually has an additive to prevent urinary calculi.
YOU CANNOT RAISE A SHOW KID ON PASTURE!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you how many people think you can turn it out on pasture and then succeed in the show ring. Goats are actually browsers they are not grazers. They will eat grass if that is all that is available to them, but this also brings up the issue of parasites. If your animals keep their heads off the ground, browsing, eating hay, or grain there is less chance of them having a heavy parasite load. You also cannot put your show animals in with a bunch of other animals and expect them to get fed properly. Each animal has its own needs. One may need a little more and the next one may need less. The larger animal is going to get the feed and the smaller ones are going to be pushed out.
Last, but not least, if you seem to be having problems, ask for help. There are other exhibitors, parents and breeders out there that will try to help if asked.
As always, we wish everyone good luck in the show ring and remember: It's not wether you win or lose, it's how ewe play the game!!!!!!!