Goats Market Goat Selection Criteria Muscle Correctness of Finish Weight/Pounds of Product Skeletal Correctness Balance Structure Breeding Goat Selection Criteria Functionality Structure Skeleton Productive Rib shape Maternal Balance and Design Performance Width and dimension Muscle Skeletal width Areas to Evaluate Muscle Fore-arm Chest floor Rack (Rib shape) Loin Hip Leg Base Width Heavy Muscled Light Muscled Muscle Comparison Powerful Chest Optimal Finish Goats that are too lean are usually hard and flat ribbed, causing them to handle stale Goats that are too fat will have cutability issues on the rail Remember, goats deposit fat from the inside out Areas to Evaluate Finish Chest Floor Fat goats will typically be deeper chested Fore-Rib Study for indentation behind shoulder Lean goats will show indentation Flank and Lower Body Cavity Heavy finished goats will be extremely deep sided and appear wasty in their lower third Correctly Finished Heavier Finished Too Lean and Hard Handling Muscle and finish can be determined from the outside Handle rack and loin for muscle content and freshness Handle middle and lower rib for fat content Weight Weight is an important placing point Goats that are too small will not offer enough product on the rail to be profitable Remember weight is three-dimensional Production Fore rib should be round and shallow Should get progressively deeper back to their flank Remember fleshing ability will be a dictator of production Production Structure Areas to evaluate structural correctness Hocks Pasterns Topline Hip design Knee Shoulder blade Balance and Design The basic principles of balance and attractiveness apply to goats too. An attractive front end design Correct topline strength and length Attractive and youthful chest and rib cage Note: Goats are browsers and most will be slightly off in their hip Nice Balanced Poor Balanced