# Vertical ear folds



## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Just wondering what everyones opinion on this as I am seeing a lot of these in pictures of other's kids. I have always heard horizontal folds are okay (the tips folded up), but verticle (tube ear) is not. We had one this year with a vertical fold, he lucked out and is going to go to the neighbor as a pet, otherwise he would have been food. But I am seeing others keeping them as breeding animals. Is this not a cull fault anymore?


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

HEAD
A prominent, strong head with brown eyes and a gentle appearance. Nose with a gentle curve, wide nostrils, and well formed mouth with well-opposed jaws. The jaws must have no over or under bite from birth to 24 months of age. After 24 months no more than a ¼ of an inch under bite is allowed. Correct fit is preferred. Teeth should erupt in the proper sequential positions. The forehead should be prominent and form an even curve linking the nose and horns. Horns should be dark, round, strong, of moderate length, positioned well apart and have a gradual backward curve before turning outward symmetrically. Ears should be smooth of medium length and hang downward. 
Faults: Concave forehead, straight horns, jaw too pointed, overshot or undershot jaws
Disqualifications: Blue eyes, ears folded lengthwise, short ears, parrot mouth or more than ¼ of an inch under bite


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I wouldn't breed or keep a goat with Vertical ears. Selling as a pet or for meat is what I would do. Then, I wold wonder, now where did that come from? 
Was it a first time buck with that Dam that caused it. Don't rebreed the pair.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

Thank you! I've had people ask me and I was hoping I was not leading them in the wrong direction telling them is was a fault lol.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Agree with everything above. 

Its actually a fault because its a risk of infection and parasites. At one of our wether shows a kid had a wether with a folded ear and gthe judge asked him if he knew why that was a fault in breeding animals in SA. He told us they have a type of tick that will get between folds and cause all sorts of problems. Well, since the farmers in SA are fairly hands off it will cause extra expense and loss of good animals. So over there it is a definate cull. I had never thought about it until he explained that to everyone... Before then I had just thought its an ear, whats the big deal


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

I was told tube ear is caused by the kids being crammed into the uterus and they just grow that way. A way you can fix it is by messaging it everyday or just tape some cardboard to the ear. That's about all I know, other than it's not excepted by the registries.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

I used to have doe with vertical folded ear. She never passed the trait. She DID however, need that ear cleaned out every few months.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I don't fully buy the crammed in the uterus. I bought a bred mature FB Boer doe. She had a single kid, a doeling, with a vertical fold. That doe had had triplets and a set of twins before she had this singleton, so I doubt she was crowded. I heard later on that her sire had several kids with at least 1 vertical folded ear, some had 2. I tried to flatten the ear on that doeling from birth, cause she was pretty spectacular otherwise, but it just wouldn't work. I also had the horizontal fold on a couple of kids. The ear had to be carefully cut in order to pull the tips down. Those did flatten with duct tape and cardboard.

I can see why the vertical fold is a disqualification. All sorts of infections set in when moisture and dirt collect in the fold. Once the moisture stays in, flies can lay eggs and maggots develop. In a big herd, that would go un-noticed. Since I only have a tiny place, I was in with each goat daily and could keep an eye out for problems. I did not register the doe that had the vertical fold.


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