# What exactly are "moon spots?"



## DaisyMayFarm (Jan 19, 2013)

I've heard it several times on here, and have no idea what it means!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

x 2!!


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## Wlschwallenberg (Jan 4, 2013)

Yes someone pls explain I am curious also


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

moon spots are just spots on your goat...for ex: a brown goat with white spots is considered moons spots..here is a pic of a girl I had a few years ago...


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

they can be like her or real heavy spotted...any color combo : ) Black with white moon spots, red with tan, white with black : )


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## Wlschwallenberg (Jan 4, 2013)

So then what constitutes a paint?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

This is My Gretchin and her buck kid...she has since passed on but a good ex of moon spots as well : )


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Paint is usually colored head color bum white middle ....let me see if I have a pic lol


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Here is Thaddeus..he is pygmy : ) but consider a bold paint







Paint can have just a touch of color on the bum or a lot..can have more or less on head..but is broken by a white middle


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## Wlschwallenberg (Jan 4, 2013)

Cute!


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## KymberLeAnn (Sep 16, 2012)

I think of it more as moon spots being flecks of lighter color, and a paint is large splotches of color,..


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

thats incorrect - white spots are NOT able to be moonspots

Moonspots can not be white or black. They are a lighter or darker color on any other background but white. Let me give you a link to some great examples. One moment please


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

scroll down a bit *
http://nigeriandwarfcolors.weebly.com/coat-patterns.html

What are moon spots?

*Moon spots are irregular, somewhat round spots of color on top of the coat pattern. They are randomly placed on the coat and have no order or pattern. Moon spots vary in color from light creme to dark brown. They can come in many different colors, but will never be true white or black.

Moon spots are a dominant gene, meaning either sire or dam has to have them in order to pass them onto the offspring. They will not randomly pop up, however, sometimes moon spots can be hidden on the coat. A moon spot can be just a few hairs, hidden under white (since white is not a color, but absence of color), or even so close to the goat's color that it's hard to notice. Some goats seem to easily pass on their moon spots, while others could be heavily moon spotted, yet never or rarely throw moon spots on their kids. Moon spots on kids often will start out dark and lighten up as they grow.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

true...they are off white...or more grey than black...


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

happybleats said:


> they can be like her or real heavy spotted...any color combo : ) Black with white moon spots, red with tan, white with black : )


this is what Im correcting as you said black with white -- thats just spotted not moonspotted

white with black -- that again is not a moon spot.

now your black doe with the baby - pictured in your comment - is a moonspotted doe. Especially in nubians the dark moonspots as the baby in the picture has do lighten up and then look more white. But they originated as dark gray/brown. So therefore are moonspots.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Thanks for linking to the website Stacey! :thumb:

If you're interested in learning more about moon spots...that page says it all and has lots of examples!


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Understood : ) Thank you


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

aha....so Daisy Mae is a moon-spotted goat?


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

So they are called moonspots on other breeds too? (Nubians/LaManchas ect.) I have only seen them called spots or something on breeders sites and such.. where as any ND's they are called moonspots...


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Stacey~are those colors for ND's only? Or are they for any goat breed?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

moonspot explanation would be for all breeds. The color patterns and names for them may vary from breed to breed.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Yes, Daisy Mae is moon spotted.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

wether or not a breeder calls them moonspots or not doesnt change the genetic factor of the difference they are from regular "spots" on a goat. 

yes Daisy is moonspotted.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I think in Boers, they're called dapples, but otherwise, in every other breed I do believe they're called moon spots.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Thanks guys~good to know!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

Thank ladies!!


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## DaisyMayFarm (Jan 19, 2013)

So it's like dappling/merling in dogs?

Does my doeling Vinca have them? She's white with a cream neck area, and has a few cream spots (on her side, foot and back leg) as well as 3 small, grey splotches on her neck, all in a line. You'll see in the below photo they look like dirt smears, but they're not.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

its similar to merling I suppose -- but Im not up on the genetic naming and typing of what goes into moonspots or merels (sp?)


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