Dairy goats cream of the crop

Dairy goats from all over the United States filled the barns at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center Saturday to compete for national titles.

Proud owners groomed, fed, milked and doted over nearly 1,950 goats that had been brought to Washington from as far away as Maryland, Florida, Tennessee and Georgia.

The American Dairy Goat Association National Show is the “American Idol” of the goat world, only the contestants don’t sing.

It’s the Miss America pageant, minus the gowns and swimsuits. And, like Miss America, it’s a “doe-only” contest.

The competition began Saturday and continues through Friday.

Being in the top 20 at the national competition is automatic “bragging rights” for goats and their owners, said Karen Smith of Cedar Hill, Tenn.

“These are the best of the best,” Smith said. “These goats are expected to have babies, maintain their health and weight … produce a gallon and a half of milk a day and be pretty.”

Smith’s goat Lily, who was one of 15 she brought to the competition, took first place and first udder in the 2-year-old category last year. “Now that’s bragging rights,” Smith said.

The Tennessee resident’s goats have been in newspapers, on television and on the radio. “They don’t say much on the radio; you have to talk for them. They don’t enunciate.”

Nine breeds of dairy goats are judged in four main categories at the national competition: general appearance – an attractive framework, strength and length that create an impressive style and graceful walk; dairy character – a body makeup that’s conducive to milking; body capacity – chest and barrel size; and mammary system – the overall udder structure and teat size and length, according to the judge’s scorecard.

The highest scoring categories are general appearance and the mammary system, each worth a possible 35 out of 100 points.

Four Oberhasli goats – Jolene, Lil’ Susie, Bobby Sox and Gretchen –played in a pen Saturday before their first national showing. The four does won’t be judged on their mammary systems, because they are only a few months old. But the does seemed to know how beautiful they were as they showed off their deep red/brown coats and perfect black lines along their back, legs and face, which will be judged.

Meanwhile, a group of young Nubians, a goat breed with long pendulous ears, were chatting back and forth in another barn. Their nervous bleating gave away their anxiety. The more mature, experienced goats stood by patiently, rarely making a sound.

This is the first time the American Dairy Goat Association National Show has been held in Washington, said Michelle Osborne, of the West Coast Nationals Association, a group of dairy goat breeders, clubs and individuals who got together to bring the national show to the West Coast.

Groups bid on hosting the annual event, which is held in a different place every year. “If you can give them (the American Dairy Goat Association) everything they need, you can get the bid,” Osborne said, referring to facilities for the goats and accommodations for the livestock owners.

The West Coast Nationals Association won the bid in 2003 and had to raise about $17,000 to make it happen. The event is expected to bring about $250,000 to $500,000 into Spokane’s economy.

“Our big thing has been hospitality, hospitality, hospitality,” Osborne said. So far, the association members seem pleased.

Smith said in addition to the competition aspect for the goats, the nationals are a huge social event for goat owners.

“We as a group are dedicated and obsessive,” she said, adding that when she goes to work as an account executive and talks about goats, co-workers can’t relate. “But, here everyone understands me.”