does this goat have good conformation?

[hornless]

http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...ly/chocdoe.jpg
what are her strengths and weaknesses?

[Oldntimes]

She is a pretty girl... Can you get a pic of her rear?? Also a picture of her looking straight to better show her neck, and top line and it will also show how her withers blend into her topline.

[Laura Workman]

Right. Try to get her in a show stance on hard ground (so we can see feet and lower legs), then take pictures from directly to the side, directly to the front, directly to the rear, and from above to the rear. These will show just about all there is to see, particularly since she isn't fresh. If she were fresh, closeups of rear and foreudder would also be good. By the way, "directly" means at goat level.

The way she looks right now, in this shot, to me for what that's worth - nice, slender neck of good length; shoulders look nicely sharp, but that's hard to tell for sure; good spring of rib; good width and body capacity. I would like to see a straighter topline from behind the withers to the hips, a less steep rump angle, a longer hip, more levelness from thurl to thurl. Can't tell a thing about rear legs the way she's standing. Her brisket lacks definition, but that could easily be camera angle, possibly combined with a little extra weight. )

[hornless]

Oh, she's in the early stages of pregnancy. That's why she has an udder. It started storming right after these pics were taken, so..
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...y/DSCN0634.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...y/DSCN0632.jpg
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...y/DSCN0631.jpg

[hornless]

Anyone?

[Oldntimes]

Hornless
Do you own this goat or are you thinking of buyer her....I just had someone else e-mail me pictures of her saying she was for sale?????

[Laura Workman]

Well, shoot. If no one else is going to chime in . . .

First, she's still in grass, so we can't see feet and lower legs. Those are important because a doe can go down on her pasterns as she ages. I have one whose pasterns started to give out when she was only six. Standard Oberhasli, retired the past two kidding seasons. She's ten now, and this summer, she's so arthritic she stands around trying to decide which foot hurts less to put weight on. So even though she's not really very old, she's all done. I just haven't figured out a way to let her go.

For the rest, about what I said before. In addition, her rear legs do have nice angulation from the side, and they're nice and straight from the rear. I would like to see quite a bit more height and openness in the escutcheon area, as she seems to be carrying quite a bit of flesh on her inner thigh. Earlier comments about rump and topline still stand. Shoulders look nice. Neck can be imagined to look nice, though we can't tell about her throatlatch because of the abundant coat and partial clip. Good depth of body, good body capacity for a younger doe. Not thrilled with udder placement or attachment so far, and don't have the experience to say with any assurance how it will turn out in the end, though I'd guess you'll lack rear udder height and fullness. I did see a nice brisket peeping out front in one shot, and still think she has good width overall.

[allenslabs]

I like her for a nigie. HAHA! But she could have a higher escutcheon area for my taste and you can't tell much of her udder of course. I think she has a nice topline as she's just standing and doesn't look to be scrunched down. Her rear leg angulation is nice but can't see the pasterns so who knows on them. Seems to have good front legs. Nice body condition right now. I think she's a cute little girl but I don't know a lot about nigies. I've got the big girls LOL! Saanens and obes. And for udders I like overall attachment but can't tell much on her right now. But that will come.

[chamoisee]

My opinion? She's a nice goat overall. Were she mine, I'd want her to be a little sharper, carry less flesh, but this is my preference. Her withers are sharp, but IMHO she is carrying more flesh over the back and rump than (my personal) ideal. Her rear leg angulation is very good. She's slightly hocky. She toes out in the front, and it looks like her pasterns might be a little long or weak, not 100% sure on that. My biggest gripe though, is over her loin being high, not level, but to be perfectly honest, most show goats are like that and just have their back coaxed or pinched down by the handler. Her rump could be more level, but again, most goats are pinched down to look more level than they actually are.

How old is she, how many times has she freshened?

I guess if there were one trait I'd like to see improved in her, it'd be dairy character- a more highly arched flank, a little longer flatter bone, a little more refinement, and little more angularity.

[hornless]

I don't own her- I'm thinking on it. She only freshened once before. How do you think she would do in a show?

[chamoisee]

Her performance in a show will depend on her competition and on whether or not you fit her out and show her well.