# Tape measure to weigh goats



## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I just wondered who all has used this method??? I did my girls today and according to the tape measure, they are bigger than I thought. thanks


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

It usually works pretty well with dairy breeds but not meat breeds.


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## NubianLover (Sep 19, 2010)

Glad you asked, Peggy! I was wondering that, too. 
I bought one the other day, haven't tried it yet.


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## Goat Crazy (Feb 8, 2010)

Does it work for nigerians? I tried it on them and cut the weight in half, but it didn't seem right....


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

I've used it before, but I think I was doing it wrong for my saanen... according to the tape she weighed nearly 160 at a little bit over a year old. The LaMancha buck was at about 70, though, so I probably got him done right, since he was still a baby.


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## Lexibot (Jul 27, 2010)

I did it on my little meat kids. I would think it's more accurate than guessing.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

the dairy weight tape does work on the standard dairy goats but not on the miniature diary goats. There is a meat goat weight tape but I dont know its accuracy though


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

I taped and weighed my Lamancha kids and the tape reading was always within 5lbs of the actual weight...so yes it is a good estimation tool.


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## pelicanacresMN (Dec 29, 2009)

I agree with Stacey, it doesn't work with the Nigerians


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

How far off is the dairy tape when using it on the Nigerians? I use it for my Nigies and my Mini-Manchas, that is the weight I use to copper bolus, worm and just about everything else.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> It usually works pretty well with dairy breeds but not meat breeds.


 I agree.... :thumb:

I don't trust the tape method..... as it isn't spot on and differs from breed to breed..... :wink:


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Thanks a bunch guys, my girls are alpines. How do you weigh them if you don't use the tape method?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your welcome.... :thumb: 

well... I invested in a digital scale....expensive... but worth it's weight in gold ......even weighs in ounces.... I can be sure.... the soda I am about to drink. has the ounces that it says it does.... on the can...LOL  :wink:


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have a hanging scale and sling...takes 2 to get the goat hooked up but it's accurate. I had in the past just picked up my goats and stood on a scale, got a bit awkward tho. I had also used a seamtress tape and a math equation to figure weight...the hanging scale and sling were definately worth the $60


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

i just used the weight chart on fias co farms to measure my alpine cross doe. she's approx 7 months old and that says she weighs 45 lbs. is that normal weight for her breed & age? how much should she weigh before being bred to my pygmy buck?


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Hi minibarn. What was the measurement for your doeling???? I measured my alpine doelings using the Fias co farms chart and here is what I got. 
Sabrina- 9 months- 32" which makes her about 99 lbs.
Chelsea- 5 months- 29" which makes her about 82 lbs.
Charlotte- 5 months- 27" which makes her about 68lbs.

I thought these numbers seemed high to me because they don't look that big. But if I compare them to my big dogs then it could be pretty close. So I would say that your alpine doe is on the small side.


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

her measurement was 23 1/2 inches. she's my only standard size goat, the rest are pygmies and i thought she might be bigger by now than she is. i bought her at an auction and was told she was a runt. do you think she'll always be smaller than average? at what weight could she be bred to my pygmy buck?


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Not sure about breeding her to a pygmy buck. I have never had small goats, only standard size. But I think that the rule of thumb with standard size goats is 8 months or 80 lbs. Are you sure of the age of the doeling??? If you bought her at auction, how would you know??? I'd love to see a picture.


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## minibarn (Jul 20, 2010)

i bought sarah in july and a guy said she was a spring kid so i don't know if it was early or late spring. this pic was the day after we got her and she's definitely filled out a lot since then. i don't have a good recent pic. i had hoped maybe she could kid by june or july. she's a real sweetheart and would rather be with us than the herd. she's the lowest in the pecking order and i feel sorry for her. :sigh:


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

She is a really pretty girl. she looks very delicate. Maybe she has some nigerian dwarf mixed in. I am no expert on the small breeds so if anyone else has a thought on this....... 
My little alpine doeling, the smaller one, is also low on the pecking order and gets picked on a bit. But they have a way of working it out. Just make sure that she is getting enough to eat. I used to feed grain to both the small girls together but noticed that she was a slow eater and wasn't getting her share. Now I give her grain seperate and I also build an extra hay feeder so if she gets pushed out of the one she can always go to the other one. It seemed to really help.


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