COLORADO STATE FAIR
CHAMPION SPOTLIGHT
Grand Champion Market Goat – 2023 Colorado State Fair
Shown by Karyn Fetzer – Bred by Blue Team
What’s the pedigree of your champion?
BTW Russian Princess x Knock Out x Ronda
How many years have you been raising Goats?
We started BLUE TEAM WETHERS in 1999, which means we’ve been at it for 24 years!
How many head do you run?
We run approximately 1200 head
How has the new reproduction practices impacted your herd?
We flush 7 months out of the year, and during those 7 months we flush close to 250 donors. We AI all of our natural does, and beginning in 2020 we started doing some IVF work as well. All of these reproduction practices have drastically improved our herd and allowed us to utilize our herd sires more efficiently.
What buck or Doe has been most influential to your herd?
That is a hard question and one that we don’t take lightly, but the most influential buck for us was probably Soldier Boy. He added so many good things in his off-spring and we were strategic when keeping Soldier Boy bred does for our donor pen, along with several Soldier Boy bred bucks to our battery. His Legacy will continue to make an impact for years to come.
Who has impacted you on your operation the most?
The livestock industry, and especially the wether goat industry, have been impacted and influenced by some great individuals. For me personally my grandfather and dad raised and traded goats my whole life, which peaked my initial interest into the industry. Over the years there have been several individuals who have helped and even challenged me in our operation. I am forever grateful to those who have been a part of the 24 year process, like one of my closest friends, Chad Walker. He has offered his great eye, his honesty and opinions the last few years, which has brought a fresh and honest perspective to our breeding program at BTW. My wife and son have also had a huge impact on our operation, and without their daily input and efforts we would not have near the successes.
