This website is made possible by the members of the Mountain States Meat Goat Association
Mountain States
Meat Goat Association
Mountain States Meat Goat Association Show Page by Erica Ashby
2010 Tattoos
meat Z
dairy A
meat Z
dairy A
When Selecting a "show " goat it is very important to make sure that it does not have any cull faults .
By this I mean that there are standards that are set down by the ABGA and other associations to which you have to adhere to .
There is nothing worse than being in the show ring and a judge puts you last or more embarrassing extraditing you out of the show ring !!
Here are a list of faults to look for :
1. Low Pasterns, some judges let this go, others really pick up on it.
This is a picture of low pasterns see how the heel is low to the ground, sometimes it is possible to raise them by trimming the toes really short and if the toes splay out duck tape them together.
Make sure they have minerals that are high in copper. Sometimes extra vitamin E helps.
2. Horn set is important. On bucks look out for bare skin on the back of the neck. This means the horns come down too low and tight .
They should lift up and around and out at the every ends when they get old. Horns too close at the base are not good. You should be able to get the width of your hand in between them when they are yearlings. Horns that flare out and horns that grow straight back are not desirable .
This buck picture below has a great horn set .
3. Bite: This means they could have what is called a parrot mouth when the top of the gum is forward or monkey mouth when the bottom of the mouth juts out so there is a gap between the top pad and the lower teeth.
In older goats they allow 1/4" gap .
4. Pigment, there must be at least 75% under the tail, some pigment is what they call "rose" which is ok its just lighter that the ideal black .
When kids are first born they may not always have a lot of pigment but as they get older and are exposed to sun light it usually darkens.
5. Teats: They should ideally have one on each side but often they have four, two on each side which is acceptable.
Below is a guide to help you see the difference between incorrect, acceptable and ideal/correct teat structure.
By this I mean that there are standards that are set down by the ABGA and other associations to which you have to adhere to .
There is nothing worse than being in the show ring and a judge puts you last or more embarrassing extraditing you out of the show ring !!
Here are a list of faults to look for :
1. Low Pasterns, some judges let this go, others really pick up on it.
This is a picture of low pasterns see how the heel is low to the ground, sometimes it is possible to raise them by trimming the toes really short and if the toes splay out duck tape them together.
Make sure they have minerals that are high in copper. Sometimes extra vitamin E helps.
2. Horn set is important. On bucks look out for bare skin on the back of the neck. This means the horns come down too low and tight .
They should lift up and around and out at the every ends when they get old. Horns too close at the base are not good. You should be able to get the width of your hand in between them when they are yearlings. Horns that flare out and horns that grow straight back are not desirable .
This buck picture below has a great horn set .
3. Bite: This means they could have what is called a parrot mouth when the top of the gum is forward or monkey mouth when the bottom of the mouth juts out so there is a gap between the top pad and the lower teeth.
In older goats they allow 1/4" gap .
4. Pigment, there must be at least 75% under the tail, some pigment is what they call "rose" which is ok its just lighter that the ideal black .
When kids are first born they may not always have a lot of pigment but as they get older and are exposed to sun light it usually darkens.
5. Teats: They should ideally have one on each side but often they have four, two on each side which is acceptable.
Below is a guide to help you see the difference between incorrect, acceptable and ideal/correct teat structure.
MSMGA