Datadoo claims grand champion dairy doe at Springsure Goat Show

The doe called R142 Datadoo Playboy's Champ *Q*3 EX92, also won Champion Udder, 24hr and Herd Recording Type & Production, and Champion Anglo Nubian exhibit.

This is Champ's fourth lactation, after she kidded in July 2021, and has milked more than 1500kg this lactation. She is due to kid again in October this year.

The champion doe is the daughter of US buck J&R Spirits Dakota Playboy and was exhibited by Leo Thompson and Kylie Hopkins of Datadoo Anglo Nubians in Rockhampton.

Leo said they were extremely humbled by the win.

"This has been one of our best shows we've had in a long time," Mr Thompson said.

"She's a four and half-year-old doe with four lactations, so every year of her life so far, she's kidded and produced for us.

"The judge admired her udder, her heart and chest room and she liked the depth, length and the height of her."

Mr Thompson said Champ was one of Datadoo's first cross American genetics.

"She's 50pc American genetics by the first buck we bought into the country," he said.

"We went to America and had a look at quite a few goat shows over there and we were fortunate enough to go to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

"The thing we noticed with the US-bred Nubians was the quality of the udder and the production side of the udder.

"They had very well attached udders, smaller teats and the milk production was phenomenal compared to what we have here in Australia.

"We've found semen from Playboy has made a big difference in our herd."

The pair have invested a lot of money in bringing US bloodlines, but Mr Thompson said the decision has paid of for their business.

"We've found the quality of doe's udders have increased and it has increased the length of their lactation and the volume," he said.

"Traditionally, they had a high spike and then a sharp drop, where as with the Americans, what we're finding is a longer bell curve, so it's not a highest peak and then a quick drop.

"Over the length of a lactation, we increase our volume over the length."

Datadoo was one of the first Australian breeding operations to send US goat genetics into the Philippines and direct to the UK.

Both Kylie and Leo also retail their own Goat soap, which they sell locally and online across the country.

Starting from scratch almost six years ago, Mr Thompson said they saw a niche market there that had a fair bit of potential.

"We process and make goat milk soap, which is made in our farm kitchen, from the milk produced from our does," Mr Thompson said.

"We have a soap targeted for men in the workshop that have dirty greasy hands and it's called 'Your filthy animal'.

"It's surprising how many blokes actually buy it. When I was working in WA, I use to take over 10 kilos of goat soap each week because the water over their was so harsh and they used to whinge about how it dried their skin out.

"Goat soap is a lot softer on the skin and it doesn't dry the skin out as much. Each one of soap bars has 40pc fresh goat's milk in it.

Each bar is 100 grams minimum, with at least 40 grams of milk in each bar.