# Question about the thurl?



## Pats_Perfect_Boer_Goats

Hello,

Here are my questions: What is the thurl? I've heard it is the muscle between the hips and the pins (one on each side), but not 100% sure. 

Is there a "weak thurl" and a "strong thurl"? If so what would that do to the goat (make him/her slant more from hips to pins)? 

Lastly, is the thurl a dairy goat part? What I mean by this is like the "chine" on a dairy goat is the "rack" on a meat goat.

Thanks,

Patrick


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## KW Farms

The thurls should stick out at the top of the thigh. I don't know much about meat goat conformation so can't really help you there, but here a photo of where the thurls are located:


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

The thurl is the muscle that runs from the hips to the pins. I don't think boers are judged on thurls like dairy goats are. There is a lot of things boers aren't judged on, and a lot of different terms they use on boers. 

Depending on if the thurl is too high or too low it can make the rear leg angle posty or sickle (too much angle).


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## Dani-1995

Is that the same thing as a stifle muscle? I can't tell from the angle of the picture


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

Not exactly, the thurl is the muscle that sticks out at the top of the thigh when looking from that view, from a side view, the thurls runs right from the hip bones straight to the pin bones. 
Here is a chart that will show you where it is on a boer. Although the lines that directs to the thurls on this chart is a little low.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

On this chart, the thurl is right where the lower end of the shaded part is, inbetween the hips and pins.


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## VincekFarm

Since we are on the subject, is a prominent thurl considered good when compared with one that isn't?


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## Dani-1995

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> Not exactly, the thurl is the muscle that sticks out at the top of the thigh when looking from that view, from a side view, the thurls runs right from the hip bones straight to the pin bones.
> Here is a chart that will show you where it is on a boer. Although the lines that directs to the thurls on this chart is a little low.


Alright thanks! We had Dr. Homeyer judge a show for us last year and he mentioned the thurl a lot. Nobody had any idea what it was!


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

Well, they shouldn't be too prominent, but noticable. There isn't really a function for them size wise, just as long as they are in the correct spot.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

Dani-1995 said:


> Alright thanks! We had Dr. Homeyer judge a show for us last year and he mentioned the thurl a lot. Nobody had any idea what it was!


The thurls do get forgotten a lot, they just aren't mentioned enough in the 4-H meetings about conformation, or even when training to be a judge. I was watching the ADGA nationals this year, and hardly any of the judges there mentioned the thurls, I kept waiting for it, but they never said anything about them :lol:


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## Cadence

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> Not exactly, the thurl is the muscle that sticks out at the top of the thigh when looking from that view, from a side view, the thurls runs right from the hip bones straight to the pin bones.


Actually it is the joint - not the muscle.

It is akin to your hip joint (where the leg and hip join) with iliac crest being what we call the "hip" on a goat.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces

Cadence said:


> Actually it is the joint - not the muscle.
> 
> It is akin to your hip joint (where the leg and hip join) with iliac crest being what we call the "hip" on a goat.


The actual thurl is the joint, yes, but what is judged on the outside is the muscle. How high or how low the muscle over the thurl is, tell's you how high or low the joint is. From the hips to pins , it should be as level as you can get them without having to punch the doe down in a show stance. Now from thurl to thurl it should be flat, some have backbones raised higher than the thurls, which should only be seen right before and right after kidding, it is also why you do not really want to show or appraise just fresh does. 
The thurl is 2/3 of the distance from the hip bones to the pin bones. When the thurl is too close to the pin bones it makes them short rumped.


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