Table of Contents

Reminders and Important Dates

Reminders

The rules in the current year’s Mississippi State Fair or Dixie National Junior Round-Up Premium book supersede any rules published previously in a Mississippi State Fair or Dixie National Junior Round-Up Premium book or in this publication. [New rules and regulations passed by the Mississippi Livestock Council Show directors will be in brackets throughout this book.]

An official show veterinarian from the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine will be on site during the junior livestock shows.

General Show and Animal Health Reminders:

Important Dates

Ownership of animal – September 1, 2023 (Friday)

Entries must be submitted to county Extension office by Friday, September 1, 2023.

Classification/DNA Hair Collection Week, September 11–13, 2023

Mississippi State Fair, Jackson – October 4–15, 2023

Ownership of animal – Friday, December 1, 2023

Entries must be submitted to county Extension office by Friday, December 1, 2023

Classification/DNA Hair Collection Week, December 11–14, 2023

District Livestock Shows

Dixie National Junior Round-Up, January 30–February 8, 2024

Dairy Goat Show

Superintendents

Lance Newman, MSU Extension–Interim Northwest Regional Extension Coordinator

Jennifer Williams, MSU Extension–Lincoln County

Tracy Robertson Boone, MSU Extension–Carroll County

Ownership/Entry Dates

2023 State Fair Show Dates

2023 State Fair Deadlines for Entry at Show Using Check-in App

At the time of check-in at the Fair, all jointly owned animals must be changed to a single entry in the app so that the FFA or 4-H youth in that joint ownership will be declared as the individual who will show each animal in that show. The following list summarizes when weights are to be declared for all Commercial Dairy Goats, when Registered Dairy Goats are to be checked in using the app, along with uploading the 60-day 4-H Animal Health Record Form:

2024 Dixie National Jr. Round-Up Show Dates

2024 DNJR Deadlines for Entry at Show Using Check-in App

At the time of check-in at DNJR, all jointly owned animals must be changed to a single entry in the app so that the FFA or 4-H youth in that joint ownership will be declared as the individual who will show each animal in that show. The following list summarizes when weights are to be declared for all Commercial Dairy Goats, when Registered Dairy Goats are to be checked in using the app, along with uploading the 60-day 4-H Animal Health Record Form:

Dairy Goat Showmanship

All showmanship rules listed in Extension Publication 3814-1 2023 Mississippi State Fair and 2024 DNJR: General Rules apply for Dairy Goat Showmanship in addition to the ones listed below.

Exhibitors will check in for Dairy Goat Showmanship on the dates and times listed above.

Exhibitor in showmanship classes must show their own animal.

Order of Show for Dairy Goat Showmanship:

Dairy Goat General Rules

Nominations

Exhibitors can nominate the number of registered and Commercial Dairy Goats they desire. At the Fair and DNJR, the number of animals that one can check in and exhibit is six dairy goats (combination of Registered Dairy Goats and Commercial Dairy Goats), not to exceed three entries per class. Nomination forms are due in the MSU Extension county office by the dates listed below. Nomination forms must be submitted by the Extension agent or agricultural education teacher verifying all goats are under their supervision.

Exhibitors in the registered and Commercial Dairy Goat shows may enter dairy goat showmanship classes at the time of entry and confirm participation in showmanship using the online check-in app at the show.

Animal Health

In addition to the State Health Requirements found in the front part of this premium list, goats will be examined by the Fair/DNJR veterinarian, committee, or personnel for signs of infectious/contagious diseases, including but not limited to: sore mouth, pink eye, ringworm, and any evidence of abscesses, including enlarged lymph nodes or evidence of incised lymph nodes. Any of the above will be grounds for dismissal of the animal from the fairgrounds.

Horns

Does must be polled, dehorned, or disbudded with no scur re-growth to exceed 1 ½ above the skin line. Removal of horns is not allowed on the show grounds.

Eligibility of Animals

Registered Dairy Goats

All purebred dairy goats exhibited must be registered with the American Dairy Goat Association, American Goat Society, or Canadian Goat Society. The original registration or recording certificates for all purebred animals of all ages is required.

Recognized dairy goat breeds include Alpine, LaMancha, Nigerian Dwarf, Nubian, Oberhasli, Saanen, Sable, and Toggenburg.

Registered dairy does are not eligible for the Commercial Dairy Doe Show.

Any doe 24 months of age or over that has never freshened shall not be shown.

All animals must be accompanied by an original registration certificate showing the junior exhibitor owns that animal. Grade and Experimental animals must have the original nomination form listing the animal’s tattoos and other permanent identification signed by the Extension agent or agricultural education teacher.

Refer to original show rules regarding pending dairy cattle registration.

Commercial Dairy Goats

Animals eligible shall be a Non-Registered Grade Doe offspring of purebred dairy goats or dairy breed crosses. No does registered by a recognized breed association or with crosses of dairy and meat breeds are eligible to show in the Commercial Dairy Doe Show. Does exhibiting breed characteristics other than those of the major dairy goat breeds will not be allowed to show.

Does under 24 months of age who have never kidded are eligible for the junior Commercial Dairy Goat show. Does less than 24 months that have ever freshened, aged does that have ever freshened, or any does that are in milk will show in the senior Commercial Dairy Goat show.

Does shown in the Commercial Dairy Doe Show are not eligible to be shown in any other division at the Fair and DNJR.

Age of commercial does will be determined by the two pairs of permanent incisor teeth. Commercial does that have lost their four incisor teeth, but have no visible permanent incisors, are eligible to show as a Junior Doe.

Commercial dairy goats must be identified with a clearly visible ear tag by the dates below.

Weigh Limits for Commercial Dairy Goats

Certified scales will be available for weighing Commercial Dairy Goats as outlined in the schedule. Minimum weight requirement for Commercial Dairy Goat does is 30 pounds with no maximum weight.

Weight Classes for Commercial Dairy Goats

Commercial junior dairy goats will be assigned to one of three classes based on weight (Lightweight; Mediumweight; Heavyweight) and commercial senior dairy goat does will be assigned to one of three classes based on weight (Lightweight; Mediumweight; Heavyweight). Show management will divide does into classes to distribute the weights in a practical manner. [There will be a Best Udder award for the Commercial Dairy Goat Show.]

Attire

All exhibitors showing animals in individual classes in the ring should wear white show uniforms. All other general attire rules in the general rules section are to be followed as well.

Stalling

Only animals entered in the show will be allowed to be penned in the barn.

Senior Doe Shows

Does less than 24 months that have ever freshened, aged does that have ever freshened, or any does that are in milk will show in the senior doe show. No mandatory milk out. However, over-distended udders will be discriminated against.

Fair and DNJR Breeds for Registered Dairy Goat Shows

Classes

Junior Doe Shows

Does under 24 months that have never freshened.

Fair and DNJR Breeds for Registered Dairy Goat Shows

Classes

Publication 3814-4 (POD-08-23)

By Dean Jousan, PhD, Associate Extension Professor, Animal and Dairy Sciences, and Cobie Rutherford, Extension Instructor, Extension Center for 4-H Youth Development.