# Our first appraisal!



## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

We had a wonderful Linear appraisal! 
For anyone considering LA, I highly recommend it! It is a wonderful learning tool and it worth the time, effort, and cost. It went very smoothly, our appraiser seemed to appreciate having the does brought up on a milkstand for the initial tattoo reading and for some of the measurements 

This was our first year participating in LA, and we hope to have our herd appraised yearly from here on out.

While we are always evaluating our own goats, I really appreciate being able to have an appraiser confirm what we are seeing in our goats!

I am so proud of my "Golden Girls"!

L to R
Wings & Caprines IR Red Hot 2*M V+VV 87 @ 2-05
Wings & Caprines SunnyDay CLVR VEVV 88 @ 3-06
JNR Homestead Ruth 1*M VEEV 89 @ 6-03
Wings & Caprines CarolinaGirl VEVE 90 @ 3-06
























Wings & Caprines Foxy Lady VVVV 86 @ 3-06
Peaceful Thoughts Lucy VVV+ 86 @5-03 (Couldn't get any pics of this doe, she was unhappy and a bit "stale")
(Foxy Read udder) I am pleased with Foxy's score as she is still under conditioned from a late kidding this year.








*B CUATLILREDBARN Kiegh VVE 87 AS A YEARLING! 
Kiegh:









One Fine Acre FR Isaac VEV 87 @ 3-04








Wings & Caprines SCG Raleigh- Raleigh JUST turned one year old last month. He still scored +V+ 84. He is a handsome little buck and I think he will mature very nicely! I really don't have any use for this buck....he's related to my entire herd! But being the son of CarolinaGirl I couldn't wether him and send him for meat, he's jut too nice!


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

:great:


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## cristina-sorina (May 4, 2018)

Wow! Congratulations, what a nice looking herd! I love your buckling, I totally understand keeping him just because he's too nice to get rid of, he's a handsome one!


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## Nigerian dwarf goat (Sep 25, 2017)

Beautiful goats! Can someone explain linear appraisal to me?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Congratulations!


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> Beautiful goats! Can someone explain linear appraisal to me?


"The ADGA linear appraisal system evaluates individual type traits that affect structural and functional durability in order to take full advantage of the potential for genetic improvement through selection. ADGA's linear system:


Evaluates each animal & trait individually
Evaluates each trait from one observed biological extreme to the other
Includes traits that have economic importance and are at a minimum, moderately heritable
Applied uniformly
The linear appraisal system includes 13 primary traits, one secondary trait, a research trait as well as structural categories scored by the appraiser to evaluate functional conformation on mature does and bucks. An optional youngstock program is also available.

Producers have the information to make a more accurate selection of breeding stock than ever before. Because of this, the responsibility and the opportunity for breed improvement are directly upon breeders.

The seedstock breeder, hobbyist & the commercial producer can all benefit from selecting stock based on fact; not just guesswork as the "eye" sees it."


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

:neat:


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## PetLover (Apr 26, 2019)

(woot)


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

Congrats! Great scores and beautiful goats! We are doing LA next year for the first time, on our standards. I can't wait. I love it as a helpful tool in evaluating. I wish I could use it for our minis!


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

Jubillee said:


> Congrats! Great scores and beautiful goats! We are doing LA next year for the first time, on our standards. I can't wait. I love it as a helpful tool in evaluating. I wish I could use it for our minis!


Hopefully in the coming years a tool like this will become available for the minis, but in the meantime you can still apply the same knowledge towards your minis  LA is a wonderful tool, you will love it!!!


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

Thank you everyone for the kind words!


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Gorgeous goats and huzzah for the great scores!!!!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Awesome congrats.


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## Trollmor (Aug 19, 2011)

Nigerian dwarf goat said:


> Beautiful goats! Can someone explain linear appraisal to me?


Yes, please! Since "LA" seems not to mean Los Angeles!


IHEARTGOATS said:


> "The ADGA linear appraisal system evaluates ...
> The seedstock breeder, hobbyist & the commercial producer can all benefit from selecting stock based on fact; not just guesswork as the "eye" sees it."


Aha, thanks! I get a good idea of what it is. So someone comes home to you and "measures" your goats?

(What I think of this will certainly belong to another thread ...)


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## Oliveoil (Sep 3, 2019)

How do you sign up for LA? I only have 1 doe that I could appraise in 2020 if I wanted to, but it is something I'm interested in. If I don't in 2020 I would like to in the future. There is a minimum number of goats that you have to have isn't there? I saw something about host farms too. Is there a place where you can see who and where host farms are?


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## Moers kiko boars (Apr 23, 2018)

Beautiful does! I liked your buckling. He is nice. Congratulations! Alot of hard work! It paid off nicely!


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

Oliveoil said:


> How do you sign up for LA? I only have 1 doe that I could appraise in 2020 if I wanted to, but it is something I'm interested in. If I don't in 2020 I would like to in the future. There is a minimum number of goats that you have to have isn't there? I saw something about host farms too. Is there a place where you can see who and where host farms are?


Yes, you can look on the ADGA website and they have a list of host herds in each state. You contact them and ask if they'll let you bring your doe. Then once you have a host herd, you fill out the ADGA linear appraisal application for that year and send it in with the proper fees. As it gets closer, they'll tell you the date and time of the appraisal. If you do not use a host herd, the minimum is 16 adult animals.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

As someone who hosted, be prepared for showing disease testing for your doe. Biosecurity is very important to most serious breeders. Also know that ADGA will ask for date preferences, but they assign the date - if you can't make it you still have to pay for the appraisal.


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## Oliveoil (Sep 3, 2019)

goatblessings said:


> As someone who hosted, be prepared for showing disease testing for your doe. Biosecurity is very important to most serious breeders. Also know that ADGA will ask for date preferences, but they assign the date - if you can't make it you still have to pay for the appraisal.


 Thank you. I haven't tested before but that is something that I want to do in 2020. What diseases do they want tested for? I was planning on testing for CAE and Johnes. What are the minimum ages for those tests?


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## Morning Star Farm (Sep 26, 2018)

goatblessings said:


> As someone who hosted, be prepared for showing disease testing for your doe. Biosecurity is very important to most serious breeders. Also know that ADGA will ask for date preferences, but they assign the date - if you can't make it you still have to pay for the appraisal.


Yes, absolutely!! I was going to add that, but had to run.


Oliveoil said:


> Thank you. I haven't tested before but that is something that I want to do in 2020. What diseases do they want tested for? I was planning on testing for CAE and Johnes. What are the minimum ages for those tests?


I'm pretty sure 6 months is the minimum, but only senior does in milk and senior bucks over one year can be appraised next year as the young stock program continues to be suspended so that won't be a problem, but you need to test for CL as well as CAE & Johnes. When I tested my does, I got them all done on the same test.


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## Oliveoil (Sep 3, 2019)

Ok. I'm in Wisconsin and was planning to us UW-Madison for CAE and Johnes testing. I don't see any CL testing on their website. What are good labs for CL testing?


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

Moers kiko boars said:


> Beautiful does! I liked your buckling. He is nice. Congratulations! Alot of hard work! It paid off nicely!


Thank you! It certainly has been a lot of hard work. These does we're still recovering and were a bit under conditioned at the time of LA, I think we could do even better next year!

@Oliveoil, what @Morning Star Farm said  I'd start talking to local breeders and see if you can find others doing LA. Check the website too, but many haven't sent in their info yet. Even if you can't have your goat appraised this coming year, maybe you could go and watch someone else's appraisal. That's what I did  It was good info and nice to know what to expect.

As far as testing, I really like UC Davis for CL testing. They'll do CAE and Johnes too.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

You can get in contact with your host and see what they require - might be a good starting point, and there is usually plenty of time between ADGA posting host herds and appraisal dates.


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## Oliveoil (Sep 3, 2019)

Thank you all for your help! I think I will test in 2020 and find an appraisal to watch around me. Then in 2021, I will have 2 milkers I could appraise. That is what I'm thinking I will shoot for. I think it would be a good learning experience.


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## IHEARTGOATS (Jun 14, 2016)

Oliveoil said:


> Thank you all for your help! I think I will test in 2020 and find an appraisal to watch around me. Then in 2021, I will have 2 milkers I could appraise. That is what I'm thinking I will shoot for. I think it would be a good learning experience.


We've let people come to our appraisals as observers.
If you come to our place be prepared to be put to work.


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## Goat Whisperer (Dec 3, 2018)

You sure have....


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## Oliveoil (Sep 3, 2019)

Lol. As much as I would love to come to your place you are a little far away for me!


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