Introduction to the New Hampshire 4-H Goat Project
4-H members in the goat project can show dairy or meat goats. 4-H Dairy Goat members learn about caring for and raising dairy goats (goats that are bred to produce milk and other dairy products).
The American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) recognizes the following breeds, which may be shown in 4-H shows:
- Alpine • LaMancha • Nigerian Dwarf • Nubian • Oberhasli • Saanen • Sable • Toggenburg
- Experimental – When two different breeds of Purebred or American goats (except Nigerian) mate, their offspring are eligible to be recorded as Experimental and must be shown in the Recorded Grade class.
- American – the offspring of a sire and dam of the same breed that conforms to breed standards and has the correct number of consecutive generations of ancestors who conformed to breed standards (minimum 3 generations for does and 4 for bucks). A female goat is called a doe. If they are less than a year old, they are sometimes called doelings. Males are bucks, or bucklings. Young goats are kids.
A 4-H project animal does not need to be registered or full-blood, but most 4-H members chose to do so, so that they are eligible to show in larger competitions.
4-H meat goat project members also learn about raising and caring for goats, but their production purpose is for meat. This project provides opportunities to learn about goat nutrition, kidding, goat products and general goat management regardless of their intended purpose.
- Required Participant Age: 8-18 as of January 1 of the current year.
- Required Animal Age: 4 months or older as of the date of the show or event. Does age 2 years and over must be producing milk to be shown.
- Animal Vaccination Requirements: Rabies vaccination must be at least 30 days prior to shows or events and must be current (not more than 1 year). Animals must be healthy/free from signs of communicable disease prior to attending any show or event. Certificate of veterinary inspection may be required by some events and is required to bring an animal outside the state of NH.
- Required Animal Identification: The animal must have an ear tag, ear tattoo, tail tattoo or microchip (providing a reader is available) and an official scrapie ID. Dairy goats do not usually have ear tags. Most goats have a tattoo in their ear, or in the case of a LaMancha, on the bottom side of their tail.
- Scrapie Tag or ID: All goats of any age or sex brought to a show or exhibition from either out of state or within state must possess a USDA approved individual identification tag, tattoo, or electronic implant consistent with the requirements of the Federal Scrapie Eradication Program. Most of the 4-H youth who show dairy goats in NH use the assigned tattoo number given to the goat from the American Dairy Goat Association as the Scrapie ID number. For more information, contact the NH Department of Agriculture Markets and Food (NHDAMF).
- Goat project animals must be entered into a 4-H member’s ZSuite account by June 1 (including a copy of the Animal Borrowing/ Sharing form if applicable) to be eligible to show at NH 4-H shows.
- Youth 12 and older as of January 1 of the current year are eligible to show their dairy goat project animal at The Big E as part of the NH 4-H Goat Team. Learn more at NH 4-H Animal Science at the Big E.
- Youth wishing to partake in this team need to complete the following qualification criteria found in the NH 4-H Qualifying for ESE form.
- Additional animal criteria and requirements can be found at: https://www.thebige.com/p/competitions/4-h/packets.
- NH 4-H Animal Science Bonanza
- NH 4-H Agri-Science Quiz Bowl (Livestock Division)
- NH 4-H Sheep and Goat Clinic
- NH 4-H Livestock Auction
