# why is pigment important



## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I have a pretty dumb question though, why is pigment important? And how is actually determined?


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## 13887 (May 3, 2013)

I'm not sure why it is important but it's the skin under the tail and it's suppose to be fully dark and full with no pink or spots it's suppose to me at least 75% pigmented


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

75 % is OK.

It is important because: they can get sunburned and may develop cancer ect.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Alrighty. 
Hey, has anybody noticed that paint kids, and colored kids are born with full pigment? Almost all my tradtitionals were born with full pigment too...


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

Boer goats were bred to be white bodies with dark heads. The dark head is to protect their skin and ears better from the sun. They wanted to keep their skin safe, even though they had white hair so they designed them to have dark skin pigmentation. Well, Not sure I am using the exact right words. But essentially, the white body was easier for the shepherd to see the goats out on the land, and the dark skin pigmentation and the dark hair on the head and ears is desired(as already mentioned) to prevent skin cancer.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yes, all paints and solids come fully pigmented. 

Traditional's usually fill in later.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

what are you guys talking about?


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

The darkness of the skin on Boer goats. Its supposed to be black or close to it.
So if they have black skin they have full pigment.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

ah... that would explain why I had no idea


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Sounds like Arabian horses, aren't they all supposed to have black skin, even when white, to protect them from the sun?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Im gonna take your post over a little sorry  But I was just thinking about this the other day. I noticed some people, with boers, thats one of their selling points is that their pigment is correct, but then I look at other peoples goats and they dont seem to care about it, so do you guys think that is really a important thing to have when buying a animal or is it kinda a added bonus? I noticed a good handful of my goats have nice pink tails lol


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

Has to be at least 70 or 75% pigmented in the show ring or the goat can be disqualified. But does not have to be close to black pigmentation, just needs to show any shade of pigmentation and not be baby bottom pink.


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I guess the answer would be because it's part of the breed standard. If breeding animals as close to standard as possible it your goal, then it's important. If you don't carem, then I guess it's not.

Since S. Africa/NZ/Australia is so hot and tropical, it is probably a much bigger issue over there than here.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with what has been said.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok, so as long as they are not like a light pink? So the ones that are like a red color with some black, thats still ok. None of mine are like real light pink like what my white dairy goat is but I was thinking it had to be black.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> I have a pretty dumb question though, why is pigment important? And how is actually determined?


I'm thinking that pigment is important because it prevents sunburn, therefore the possible development of skin cancer. I don't know that for a fact, however. Lack of pigment used to be a major problem in Hereford cattle as it was a big contributor in cancer eye, sunburned udders, and several other problems as well. I have no idea how it is determined.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

Makes sense. I have a mare that gets sunburned on her white eyelid every summer, and my whiter goats get sunburned when I clip them. Have to sunscreen and put a shirt on them.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

Jessica84 said:


> Ok, so as long as they are not like a light pink? So the ones that are like a red color with some black, thats still ok. None of mine are like real light pink like what my white dairy goat is but I was thinking it had to be black.


 not really sure what you mean by "like a red color with some black" I have attached some examples of does that have full pigmentation and some that are splochy looking, 
Edited: One of these would not pass for fullblood, she does not have 75% pigmentation, Some of the other splochy ones would pass.


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## goatgirl132 (Oct 18, 2012)

ThreeHavens said:


> Sounds like Arabian horses, aren't they all supposed to have black skin, even when white, to protect them from the sun?


Pretty much


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

I agree... pigment may not be that important here ( at least in my area!) , but it is the breed standard and you will most likely be DQ'd in the show ring for less than 75% pigmentation. 

However... I must say that one of our new girls Dandi had about 50-60% pigmentation when we first bought her. I was DQ'd with her the first time I showed her, but the judge *almost* let it slide. She had shown extremely well before then, and still shows extremely well currently, so it isn't an issue to some judges I've found. I think she may be getting close to 75% under there... now that she's been out in the sun quite a bit!


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 28, 2011)

I was told shaving the hair under the tail, or keeping it trimmed short and keeping them out in the sun can for sure improve the pigmentation. Although you can see the difference in pigmentation in some of my girls and they are all in living in the same sunlight conditions. 
I for sure have noticed with the traditional colored kids they may not have a lot of pigmentation at birth, but will grow into it and can become very dark pigmented in a few months time. 
I believe ABGA know states that kids under a certain age, I think 6 months are acceptable as long as they show some signs of some pigmentation starting, used to be they all had to be pigmented, even the kids.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

20kidsonhill if you look at your last picture I have a good hand full of those.....its not black but a red color and a very small amount of that baby pink. I have been inspecting butts lol and they do seem to be getting much darker and filled in. I know one doeling I'm keeping was not all that dark at birth and some black to her and just looked at her and she is all dark and some spots of very very dark. So I guess my kids are better off then I thought????? I mainly thought it had to be a black color


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