# Conformation



## Mrndly

Hi I know there is a similar question out here , but I thought I would open a new topic.
I always have trouble understanding good vs poor conformation. And being new to Nigerians it is hard to visualize the meaning of some terms.

Would anyone be willing be willing to put up pictures with explanations of good and bad features?

For example good and bad fronts, back legs, top line ,rumps and udders etc...


Thanks


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## goatiegurl*Oh

I'm interested to  Especially fronts, rumps, and back legs. I think some of my goats may have slightly steep rumps and they could use better rear leg placement


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## ThreeHavens

Time for the handy dandy score sheet! I'm posting how the ADGA judges conformation. The numbers below are how you rate your goat compared to the sheet.

Stature - meet standard for breed at 4 years of age
Strength* - 27 to 33
Dairyness* - 33 to 38
Teat Diameter - 18 to 28
Rear Legs - 25 to 30
Rump Angle - 30 to 35
Rump Width - 30 to 35
Fore Udder Attachment - 35 to 42
Rear Udder Height - 40 to 45
Rear Udder Arch - 32 to 40
Udder Depth - 22 to 27
Medial Suspensory Ligament - 28 to 32
Teat Placement - 25 to 30

*animals outstanding in Dairy Character are a combination of these ranges in strength and dairyness.










If it may help, I'll do a quick critique of my doe to show some of the things we look out for.


























Good points: Gypsy is a very powerful doe. She is strong and hardy. She has deep capacity, a long neck, good brisket, and relatively level topline. Her back is strong and does not sway when she's pregnant. She is wide in the rear with a high escutcheon. She has great udder attachment and wide teats with large orifices. Her udder floor and medial definition is beautiful.

Points to improve: Gypsy's rear legs are very straight, what we call "posty". The legs should be more angular. Her rump is also somewhat steep. Her front legs could stand to be straighter, and her back legs toe out (her hooves point to the sides instead of the front).

The "ideal" dairy goat:










Hope that helped! :thumb:


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## Mrndly

This is great - thank you for posting it Woodhaven.

Probably a silly question but how are you using the numbering system? Is the list at the top just an example or is that the optimum you are trying to achieve? Is the are the higher numbers better? or are you trying to conform to the median? 

Thanks again


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## goatiegurl*Oh

Thank you for all the information. I'm confused though on the linear traits, what do the scores mean of 5, 25, 45? I take it that 25 is ideal but not sure what the other two mean. Then as for the score sheet, the higher the better right, so for Teat Placement, 25 is poor while 30 is ideal?


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## ThreeHavens

If you look at the scoring sheet it will explain that.

For instance with strength there are three pictures: 5, 25, and 45. On the sheet it says that the ideal dairy goat will be between 27-33. Meaning the "perfect" goat will be somewhere between the second and third picture.


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## goatiegurl*Oh

Ok, makes more sense. I'll have to look that up


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## Cali

Thank you for posting this! Super helpful!!


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## DavyHollow

goatiegurl*Oh said:


> Thank you for all the information. I'm confused though on the linear traits, what do the scores mean of 5, 25, 45? I take it that 25 is ideal but not sure what the other two mean. Then as for the score sheet, the higher the better right, so for Teat Placement, 25 is poor while 30 is ideal?


I was gonna say, if a poor doe had all 45s in the udder department, I'd feel kinda bad for her lol Itd be a lot to lug around!


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## liz

Thank you Woodhaven :hug:


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## Zarafia

Great thread!


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