Animal Evaluation - Goat Science and Production - page 80

Kid Yearling

2-year-old

Ideal Sickle-hocked

3-year-old 4-year-old

Figure 5.4 Determination of age based on dental
growth.

Weak rear pasterns Post-legged

soundness or lack thereof. For this reason, selection for
sound and functional breeding animals is very important
to goat producers and especially to seed-stock or purebred
breeders. On the judge's show - ring scorecard, structural
correctness is the major component used to assess general
appearance.

Figure 5.5 Side-view rear leg evaluation.

pasterns. ” Animals that are “ post - legged ” have little or no
angulations to the curvature of the hind legs. Post-legged
animals are prone to suffer stifl e-joint problems and disor-
ders. Usually this trait is associated with steep or straight
pasterns. Animals that are “ post - legged ” are prone to
become unsound much more quickly than animals that are
“ sickle - hocked. ”

Side - View Evaluation
The best way, visually, to evaluate structural correctness
of an animal is from the side view. The length and depth
of the body and the volume (to a lesser degree) of the
animal, as well as both front and rear leg structures can be
evaluated at the same time from the side view. For longev-
ity of service, it is imperative that bucks be especially
sound in rear leg and hip structure. Movement or ability
to travel can be evaluated by observing the length of stride
or step; placement of the rear foot in relation to the front
foot; and the fl uidity of motion.

F RONT L EGS
The side view of front leg evaluation is presented in Figure
5.6. A goat that has the “ideal” angulations at its front legs
will be approximately straight down from the shoulder to
the knee and the dewclaw. Common front leg structural
problems include the condition of “ buck - kneed ” or “ over
at the knees,” a condition when the knees are pitched
forward. This is a serious defect and is associated with
steep shoulders and steep pasterns and, quite frequently,
the post-legged condition, which limits the ability to travel
and graze effi ciently. Steep shoulders refer to the slope of
the scapula or shoulder blade. Too steep of an angle places

R EAR L EGS
The side view of rear leg evaluation is presented in Figure
5.5. A goat that has the “ideal” angulations at its rear legs
will be approximately straight down from the pins to the
hock and the dewclaw. The sickle-hocked condition is
when an animal has too much angulation to the set or angle
of the hocks. This trait is often associated with “weak rear