# Thoughts on my goats’ conformation.



## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

My goats don’t have the best conformation so I would like to know what y’all think of them. @Wild Hearts Ranch told me if the goats aren’t used to being set up then it’s best to just snap a picture of them when they square up. I took probably like 50 pictures today and only got a few good ones 🤦‍♀️ I’m gonna post pictures of each of my goats for y’all to critique.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Here is Andi. 
































And a bonus pic of her beautiful eye.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Please let me know if you need better pics of one of the goats.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Heidi. 
































Her FF udder a few hours before she kidded. 








Bonus pic


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Audra. She was the hardest to get any good pictures of, she moves too much. 
































Bonus photo


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Heath. He was probably the easiest to get pics of. 






























Sorry, no bonus pic.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

@Dandy Hill Farm


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## Goatastic43 (Jun 11, 2021)

Dairy Goat Conformation + Stacking Tips!








Dairy Goat Conformation + Stacking Tips!


Hey guys! @littleheathens had a great idea for starting a thread about conformation and many of you strongly encouraged the idea so here it is! The purpose of this thread is to talk (or ask) about anything that relates to stacking and how to analyze conformation!




www.thegoatspot.net





Here’s a thread that helped me with stacking. (Courtesy of Dandy Hill Farm)
















Here’s the best stacking we could get done with Dottie. The secret is food and a flat surface 

Your goats are beautiful btw!


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Thank you so much Goatastic43!


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

I’m gonna try and get better pics tomorrow! I’ll do it in the barn since the floor is concrete. Where I was trying to take pics today it was pretty hilly and uneven.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

Goatastic43 said:


> Dairy Goat Conformation + Stacking Tips!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I tried doing it once with mine with the help of a friend that was experienced at showing and my goats looked horrible so I've never attempted it again, lol. And I don't usually have help anyway.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Wild Hearts Ranch said:


> I tried doing it once with mine with the help of a friend that was experienced at showing and my goats looked horrible so I've never attempted it again, lol. And I don't usually have help anyway.


I’m gonna try to get my 4 year old nephew to help me. 🤣 He’s the only one I can think of that isn’t busy.


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

Beautiful goats! 

If they aren't cooperating for stacking pictures, it can help to spend a few minutes each day just getting them used to being stacked. They probably won't have show worthy behavior but they should at least be well enough behaved to snap a few pictures.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Rancho Draco said:


> Beautiful goats!
> 
> If they aren't cooperating for stacking pictures, it can help to spend a few minutes each day just getting them used to being stacked. They probably won't have show worthy behavior but they should at least be well enough behaved to snap a few pictures.


I’ve tried stacking them a few months ago (I didn’t know what I was doing) and the whole time I was like “How do people who show their goats do this?”  Most show goats are so well behaved and then there’s mine…….


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## Rancho Draco (Sep 29, 2021)

KY Goat Girl said:


> I’ve tried stacking them a few months ago (I didn’t know what I was doing) and the whole time I was like “How do people who show their goats do this?”  Most show goats are so well behaved and then there’s mine…….


The trick is starting early and practicing often 😉

If you watch a show though you will see that people are constantly setting their goats up. The goat may stand for a minute or so before she starts moving around and then has to be stacked again.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

Yes, getting them used to being led by the collar, setting them up etc. It takes daily practice, even 10-15 minutes a day helps. Walk them around, stop randomly, set them up, make them stand a minute or so, repeat. They get used to it. We start with our babies. We don't do a lot of showing, only 1 or 2 at most a year, but we do virtual showing in which we still have to stack them and take pics. But it does help to tame them more and to be able to get them around where you need without issues.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

They all lead very well with leashes. I’ve been working on that since they were only a few weeks old. They all leave quite a bit of slack in the leash and walk somewhat right beside me so that should help a little bit.


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## Jubillee (Dec 22, 2017)

That's great! So then take them on a walk, stop them, stack them, make them a short bit then release and give them a treat. Walk for a bit and repeat. When they move a foot just keep putting it back. They get a treat when they stand nice for a few seconds. Eventually they'll stand good for you!


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Jubillee said:


> That's great! So then take them on a walk, stop them, stack them, make them a short bit then release and give them a treat. Walk for a bit and repeat. When they move a foot just keep putting it back. They get a treat when they stand nice for a few seconds. Eventually they'll stand good for you!


Thank you for the tip. I’m exciting to start working with them!


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## daisymay (Feb 13, 2017)

off topic- but what do you have on your wood posts? all your goaties are cute...


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Cute goaties!! 💕 

Yep, we need better pictures to be able to critique them. If you are able to get them to stand like @Goatastic43 showed, that would be excellent! Stacking really is a two person job - one person stacks the goat while the other takes pictures. If your nephew could take pictures, things may work. You've gotten some great stacking tips! Hope you are able to get some better pictures soon! 

Here's an awesome link with info on goat conformation: https://cornerstonefarm.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Easy-Dairy-Goat-Conformation.pdf


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

daisymay said:


> off topic- but what do you have on your wood posts? all your goaties are cute...


The ones in the pics with Heath?


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Dandy Hill Farm said:


> Cute goaties!!
> 
> Yep, we need better pictures to be able to critique them. If you are able to get them to stand like @Goatastic43 showed, that would be excellent! Stacking really is a two person job - one person stacks the goat while the other takes pictures. If your nephew could take pictures, things may work. You've gotten some great stacking tips! Hope you are able to get some better pictures soon!
> 
> Here's an awesome link with info on goat conformation: https://cornerstonefarm.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Easy-Dairy-Goat-Conformation.pdf


Thank you for the link. I worked with the 2 little doelings for a little bit earlier. Andi is doing pretty good. I even was able to get a few pictures. Not the best though. Audra is another story. 🤦‍♀️ Whenever I try to use treats she goes crazy and when I don’t have treats so doesn’t cooperate AT ALL. It’s gonna take awhile to get her to where I can get good pics. Heidi was too scared with everything going on around her to do anything I asked. She’s still skittish with anybody but me so it’s hard to have other people out there when I’m trying to work with her. I might end up setting a timer to take pics of her.


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## daisymay (Feb 13, 2017)

yes that photo, looks like really thick paint or?


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

I’m not sure what it is. I think it’s kind of an oil paint.  We just moved here a few months ago so I don’t know for sure.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

KY Goat Girl said:


> My goats don’t have the best conformation so I would like to know what y’all think of them. @Wild Hearts Ranch told me if the goats aren’t used to being set up then it’s best to just snap a picture of them when they square up. I took probably like 50 pictures today and only got a few good ones 🤦‍♀️ I’m gonna post pictures of each of my goats for y’all to critique.


I probably have a few thousand goat pics by now 🤣 Using burst mode works best since they never hold still. My stupid phone takes forever to open the camera too, so if they happen to be posing I can never get it ready in time 🤦‍♀️ I only try to get square pics of ones that stack up naturally (which tends to indicate they have good balance.) The rest I do burst mode as they're moving from different angles. Getting down on their level helps. I have 30 goats right now and it's likely to double when kids hit the ground - most of which get sold - so trying to get them all trained just for a pic would be a waste of time anyway. I've found they're much easier to leash train when they're at least a year old so I don't bother fighting with kids. I either carry them where I need or have them follow mom. When they're older I just drop it on when I need to move them somewhere and they usually figure it out in a minute or two without all the drama. Unless they're Boers 😆


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Here is the best pic we were able to get of Andi. It’s still not very good though. 








She moved her leg right when the pic was taken. 🤦‍♀️ I did have it where it’s supposed to be. 

This was the only one I tried with Heidi. She was so scared that I couldn’t get her to stop crouching.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Here's my critiques for Andi and Heidi.

Andi:

Pros:

High withers
Straight topline (except for rump)
Strong chine
Strong loin
Rump length
Body length
Body depth (for her age)
Strong pasterns
Level brisket (it's not slanted)

Cons:

Lack of blending through neck and shoulders
Short neck
Steep rump
Lacks angulation in rear legs
Front legs placed too far forward
Lacks brisket extension

Can't judge her width form any of the pictures.

Heidi (little hard to judge her since she's squatting so my critique may be off in some areas):

Pros:

Good blending through neck and shoulders
Neck length
High withers
Straight topline (except for rump)
Strong chine
Strong loin
Rump length (would prefer it to be a bit longer though)
Body length
Body depth
Strong pasterns
Width
Brisket

Cons:

Steep rump
Lacks angulation in rear legs
Front legs placed too far forward (better than Andi though)
Slanted brisket

Hope this helps!


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

It’s does. Thank you! I’ll try to get even better pictures when the goats get better about being stacked. I know all my goats have very steep rumps. I’m also gonna try to get better pics from behind. I’m honestly surprised Heidi has so many pros. She didn’t like there being other people in the barn which is why I couldn’t get her to stop squatting. I might have to set up a timer and just get her pictures by myself that way she’ll loosen up. And Heidi’s depth is one thing I’ve noticed about her because when she was pregnant she didn’t look like it. Even within the last week or so you couldn’t tell she was pregnant. She carries very low. 
Also, I forgot to mention earlier, Andi and Heidi are half sisters. I don’t have any good pics of their dam or Andi’s sire and I don’t even know who Heidi’s sire is. The sires are probably the ones who made the differences in their conformation. It sounds like Heidi has a pretty good sire.


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## Wild Hearts Ranch (Dec 26, 2011)

KY Goat Girl said:


> It’s does. Thank you! I’ll try to get even better pictures when the goats get better about being stacked. I know all my goats have very steep rumps. I’m also gonna try to get better pics from behind. I’m honestly surprised Heidi has so many pros. She didn’t like there being other people in the barn which is why I couldn’t get her to stop squatting. I might have to set up a timer and just get her pictures by myself that way she’ll loosen up. And Heidi’s depth is one thing I’ve noticed about her because when she was pregnant she didn’t look like it. Even within the last week or so you couldn’t tell she was pregnant. She carries very low.
> Also, I forgot to mention earlier, Andi and Heidi are half sisters. I don’t have any good pics of their dam or Andi’s sire and I don’t even know who Heidi’s sire is. The sires are probably the ones who made the differences in their conformation. It sounds like Heidi has a pretty good sire.


Steep rumps are common in ND. They're working on it in the newer dairy style but it's inherent to the breed. Speaking as someone who started with dairy and moved to meat cross, it's not the end of the world. You don't want them to be severely steep, but the natural shape for a goat is a moderate angle, not flat enough to use as a table. They aren't cows. I'd rather see more length than short and level. But if you're planning to show then you have to aim for what the judges want 🤷‍♀️


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Wild Hearts Ranch said:


> Steep rumps are common in ND. They're working on it in the newer dairy style but it's inherent to the breed. Speaking as someone who started with dairy and moved to meat cross, it's not the end of the world. You don't want them to be severely steep, but the natural shape for a goat is a moderate angle, not flat enough to use as a table. They aren't cows. I'd rather see more length than short and level. But if you're planning to show then you have to aim for what the judges want 🤷‍♀️


I don’t have any plans to show. I don’t like being I front of people.  None of my goats are registered either.


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

@Dandy Hill Farm, I got a good pic of Andi from behind. She’s very fluffy with her winter coat so I’m not sure if you can tell much. Does she look very wide to you? I’m still learning so I’m not sure what is considered very narrow yet.


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## Feira426 (Dec 11, 2019)

She looks nice and wide to me - at least compared to my narrow Mini Nubians.


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## Dandy Hill Farm (Aug 5, 2021)

Andi seems to have pretty decent width! I also should have mentioned that because Andi is younger, her conformation will mostly likely change (for good, bad or both) as she continues grows and matures.

Another con I notice from the rear pic is that her front legs toe (turn) out. Her back legs might be turning out a touch too, but it's kind of hard to say for sure.

When looking for width, the main things I (personally) like to look at is the distance between their front legs, rump width, and the distance between their rear legs.

Here's a picture on front end width:


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## KY Goat Girl (12 mo ago)

Good to know! I know their conformation can change. As much as I would love them to stay little forever, I kinda want them to grow up quick so I can see the changes.


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