# assessing width through hips on ND buck



## Sans Gene Goats (Jul 2, 2010)

My ND buck is just over a year now. Overall, I like him a lot, but right now he's looking a little more narrow over hip-bones than I would like. When he was younger he looked plenty-wide through the pelvis, and being that he's only a year old, I'll wait to reserve judgment - he really looks like a teenager right now lol. 

But that got me to thinking - how do folks evaluate this trait in their ND bucks? At what age do you feel your boy should be all filled out to his manly potential? 

Inquiring minds want to know!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I think the filling out and muscling doesn't really competely come in until they're 2 to 4 years from my experience...each is a bit different. I had one completely muscle up and thicken out as a 2 year old last year...really changed his baby like appearance and this year he's much wider and thicker looking as a 3 year old.

I have three yearling bucks that are still pretty lean and haven't really gotten that muscle and width yet. With young goats I rely heavily on the sire and dam to help predict conformational characteristics. So if you look at the sire and dam of your buckling and you aren't seeing that width on either or both of them then you probably wouldn't expect the buckling to be much different than them even as he ages. Of course...a prediction is a prediction and sometimes these young goats will really surprise you and come out differently than you had expected.


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## Sans Gene Goats (Jul 2, 2010)

KW Farms said:


> I think the filling out and muscling doesn't really competely come in until they're 2 to 4 years from my experience...each is a bit different. I had one completely muscle up and thicken out as a 2 year old last year...really changed his baby like appearance and this year he's much wider and thicker looking as a 3 year old.
> 
> I have three yearling bucks that are still pretty lean and haven't really gotten that muscle and width yet. With young goats I rely heavily on the sire and dam to help predict conformational characteristics. So if you look at the sire and dam of your buckling and you aren't seeing that width on either or both of them then you probably wouldn't expect the buckling to be much different than them even as he ages. Of course...a prediction is a prediction and sometimes these young goats will really surprise you and come out differently than you had expected.


Thanks Kylee - I figured he would fill out more, but it sure is nice to hear it from someone in the know! Right now he reminds me of a goofy teenage boy lol.

I've seen his sire and dam in person (or is that "in goat" onder: ) and looked good to me. They both have good LA/type evals, with good scores overall and acceptable in that particular area. But like you said - they don't always come out like you think!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

You're welcome. :thumb: And you'll also find that some goats will grow looking really nice and well proportioned and never go through that gangly look. While others look like ugly ducklings the first year or two and then mature beautifully so going by sire and dam and even further back will really help with determining what you could have vs. what they look like in the moment before they hit maturity. I've found that most go through a gangly stage though.


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## mnspinner (Aug 13, 2008)

I've had many bucks passing through the awkward "teenage" stage that I was tempted to sell. But then into their second year they just blossomed. I'd see if it happens to your guy too.


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

You can also measure them from thurl-to-thurl with a basic ruler to get their measurement in inches. During an LA, all Young stock are measured in basic inches like this... Unlike the adults which are measured in inches and then it's translated into the number you see on an official LA, suchas you seen on the ADGA genetics/pedigree pages.


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