Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
live animal visual determination of body fat deposition.
Scores range from 1 to 5, with a score of 1 being very
lean, thin, emaciated, or fat defi cient, and a score of
5 being extremely fat or obese. The full range of BCS
is presented in Figure 5.11. The ideal BCS is between 2
to 3, with an average of 2.5. Richardson (2004) found
that does with a BCS of less than 1.5 were nine times
more likely to abort compared to other does. They con-
cluded that to maintain pregnancies, BCS at mating time
should be above 2. A high-energy diet producing a higher
BCS at mating time will help overcome a lowered concep-
tion rate.
Ideal
THE SHOW - RING JUDGING AND
GOAT SHOWS
In the United States, for more than 150 years, the show
ring has been a “major infl uencer” of breeding programs
in all species of livestock. The opportunity to showcase
the best animals that an exhibitor owns or produces,
and having the animals evaluated by a competent and
unbiased professional judge compared with contempo-
raries in the show ring, is an important part of the livestock
show scene of animal agriculture in the U.S. and around
the world.
A goat show is an event usually associated with a fair
or livestock exposition where goat breeders and exhibitors
display their animals for evaluation and comparison by a
professional judge. Goat shows can have three distinct and
different components—breeding animals, market animals,
and showmanship where the exhibitor is judged.
The majority of shows are for breeding animals. Judges
use specifi c scorecards to evaluate animals (Table 5.1).
Scorecards are numerical guides used by professional
judges to evaluate animals in the show ring. They are
especially important for evaluation of dairy- and fi ber - type
goats. These shows are for does and bucks, and the animals
are evaluated on their merits as replacement animals for
the goat herd to be placed into production as meat, milk,
or fi ber animals.
Some goat shows are for market animals for sales and
dispersals at which the animals are evaluated on their merit
as being ready for harvest and consumption. Traditionally
wethers (nonintact males) make up the majority of animals
in these shows, although other animals often are allowed
to compete.
The remaining component, showmanship, is a sport and
is traditionally limited to youthful exhibitors (usually
members of 4-H, Future Farmers of America [FFA],
or junior members of national breed registries). In this
Parrot mouth
Monkey mouth
Figure 5.9
Different conditions in jaw alignment
(mouth).
channels, should be discriminated against. Retaining off-
spring for production purposes of bucks or does with teat
or udder defects may not be in the best interest of the
breeding program. Evaluation of the teat structure of the
buck's offspring (and his dam) cannot be overlooked
because the buck will have a signifi cant genetic infl uence
on the does retained for replacement purposes.
BODY CONDITION SCORE
Body Condition Score (BCS) is another tool used in the
evaluation and management of goat herds. It is based on
