Goats

Each year, approximately 1,200 goats are shown by their exhibitors at the Wisconsin State Fair.

Our Open Boer Goat Shows are sanctioned by the American Boer Goat Association and our Open Dairy Goat Shows are sanctioned by the American Dairy Goat Association.

Stop by the Sheep & Goat Barn, the Swine & Goat Barn, or the Compeer Financial Discovery Barnyard to see goats throughout the Fair.

Read on below to learn more about goat terminology and the type of competitions they are shown in during their stay.

Goats at the Wisconsin State Fair

Boer Goat Breed

Quick Goat Facts

Key Goat Terminology
  • Caprine: the scientific name for animals in the goat family
  • Buck: a male goat
  • Doe: a female goat
  • Kid: a young goat less than one year in age
  • Wether: a castrated male goat
  • Tribe: refers to a group of goats
Common Breeds Shown at State Fair
  • Meat Goats:
    • Boer (shown in photo above)
  • Dairy Goats:
    • Alpine
    • LaMancha
    • Nigerian Dwarf
    • Nubian
    • Oberhasli
    • Recorded Grade
    • Saanen
    • Sable
    • Toggenburg
Goat Event Showmanship

Goat Event Description

All goat shows are held in either the Sheep & Goat Barn Show Ring (opening weekend) or the Swine & Goat Barn Show Ring (closing weekend). Click through the boxes below to learn what happens in each of these judging events.

The judge selects an overall champion across all breeds of dairy goat does.

Boer goats are evaluated on the overall correctness of their body proportions and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

Each dairy goat doe that has given birth is evaluated on whether they have full and balanced udder, the overall correctness of their body proportions, and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

Each dairy goat doe that has not yet given birth is evaluated on the presence of desired maternal attributes, the overall correctness of their body proportions, and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

In this event, the exhibitor is evaluated on their knowledge of and their ability to handle and maneuver their animal.