Mini Yooper Goats: UP State Fair Goats

Recently I attended the UP State Fair in Escanaba. Surprisingly, the UP State Fair is Michigan's only state fair, and is also financially independent, it doesn't need any state funding. I am not a fair junkie, I haven't gone to many. But Yoopers sure know how to throw a good shindig!

The focus of my attention was not the rides, food, or merchandise really. Instead, the animals of the fair! Especially the goats, who'd have guessed? I actually missed the goat judging, but that didn't stop me from getting to ogle at the goats afterward. Though that meant I missed the dairy goats who were judged, since they didn't stay overnight at the fair.

The wether above was the grand champion market goat! During the 4H auction, he went for an astounding $20 a pound. I think everybody at that auction needed to pick their jaws up off the floor after they heard that number, when the bidding for him finished. A very proud day for the 4Her who raised him!

This laddie was the other market wether, runner up. Yes, there were only two market goats who would be sold at the auction, but he also commanded a high price. $10 a pound, which also isn't bad at all! The norm for the goats at the 4H auction is apparently closer to $7. I am sure next year there will be more goats, given the prices they sold for this year.

There were plenty of other boer goats at the fair. Not for auction, just show. All the goats with the red collars on belong to the same owner. I honestly forget the name of their boer farm.

Oh hai person!

Zzzzing

A very nice doe!

I love the darker red heads on these two

Another fantastic doe!

The other goats at the fair, who weren't gone by the time I went, were two sets of pygmies does and their kids. At least, I am pretty sure they were pygmies. They had more of the barrel keg with legs thing going on, very sturdy and bulky. Nigerians, their relatives, are a more fine and lean dairy breed.

This was a very friendly doe