Fair-ly cute baby animals

Mathis Winkler

Less than a week old, Kid already has more admirers than your average

goat can dream of in a lifetime.

But the snow white newborn seemed fairly blase about the squeaks of

excitement coming from the other side of the fence Saturday at the Orange

County Fair’s Maternity Barn.

“It looks cute,” said Devan Cazares, 10, adding that she’d love to

take the baby goat home with her.

Devan’s half brother, Chase Camacho, 8, agreed that Kid was his

favorite animal so far, but offered a more sober reason.

“It’s the smallest,” he said.

As part of the fair’s livestock exhibition, visitors can check out

tiny water buffaloes, chicken and donkeys, all of whom have been born

within the last couple of weeks.

Ed Buck, who helped put together the exhibition, said the Maternity

Barn is an extension of the year-round Centennial Farm, which tries to

expose urbanites to agriculture.

“We have a lot of people who have never had exposure to a farm

environment,” Buck said.

Bill Akers, who brought his 3-year-old daughter, Nika, and his

6-year-old son, Tommy, to the barn, said farm animals aren’t too common

in the family’s hometown of Seal Beach.

“We don’t see many donkeys,” he said. “Maybe some members of our City

Council.”

Usually, piglets get most of the attention, said Alex Smith, 17, who

monitors, feeds and cleans the animals as a summer job.

But the 465-pound pregnant sow, breathing heavily, is still keeping

folks on their toes. She’s not expected to give birth until later this

week.

“People come and say, ‘Last year she had them earlier,”’ Smith said.

When one of the animals in the barn goes into labor, the area gets

crowded with everyone trying to catch a glimpse of the birth, Smith said.

He’s also helped to deliver animals himself.

“At first, I was kind of nervous,” Smith said. “It gets hot and

there’s lots of blood.”

But he still likes working with animals and said he’s even considering

becoming a veterinarian when he’s done with school.

And piglet fans don’t have to be disappointed. A sow in the Centennial

Farm’s animal corner gave birth to six young ones a week ago.