Can I get your opinion on my does

[Southern by choice]

Do you have any current pics? Udder shots?

Congrats on your new addition.

What do YOU like about her... that is really important... what is it that said to you- hmmm I really like this doe? What did you see that you said- I really like this, I really like that... and so on.

 

[Sweet horizon Nigerians]

I just got photos from the appraisal this year that was 7 days after kidding. Will be getting new photos hopefully tomorrow. She is staying at the farm to be bred, will be bringing home in December. Attached are photos from the appraisal.
I like her personality. Unfortunately I am not truly experienced enough in goats to know "oh this one's confirmation is good" or "these bloodlines are good" so I have been talking with a reputable breeder local to my area,(and here) I have explained that I am inexperienced and that I would like to breed quality over quantity to where if I decided I wanted to show any of my goats I could. She is the one where my does are currently being bred and where I have purchased my doeling from, to my eye she has good confirmation and a good udder (but again I am inexperienced) I am hoping to be able to get some paint kids out of her. She is being bred to gypsy moon shogun.
She is hunched up in the one photo

 

[OneFineAcre]

Is Gypsy Moon the breeder you are working with?

 

[Southern by choice]

It is really difficult to get a good accurate assessment of an udder that is just newly fresh.
The reason is because there is generally some edema, some goats have a lot of edema some less... but what you want to see is what that udder looks like a few months fresh generally around the 8 week mark you get to really see where that teat placement ends up and how well the attachment is. That is important because she is so fresh in the pic the teat placement is not desirable- BUT often those teats will kind of come into place within the first two months. (First fresheners)
Yeah, silly girl was hunched in the photo. We never get good pics in a stanchion either.

When working with your breeder it is a really good thing when the breeder can point out to you what the strengths and weaknesses of the goat are and help guide you in understanding why they have chosen a particular buck to breed to. Since they have selected the buck already it would be good for you development of understanding the "whys".

It looks like your breeder has brought in a lot of different genetics from some very well known farms.

Gypsy Moon has some very nice goats.

 

[Sweet horizon Nigerians]

@OneFineAcre I am not working with gypsy moon, I am working with a good friend of hers. I am working with mh5t farms

@Southern by choice thank you, I had already asked if she would do that for my does. I will ask her why she suggested Shogun for opera (new doe) to be bred to. She really likes the udders and teats that come from him that much I know. For teat placement you want them towards the middle right?
She (the breeder) did say that the only reason she is selling her is because she does not work with these bloodlines, said that when she purchased her she was spot on confirmation wise and had a lovely udder (her words exactly) I will be going to the farm the 25th and we will be going over all 3 does strengths and weaknesses (I might even be able to get good pics lol)

I will be getting at least 2 of my does appraised this year, will be using her farm for it, any suggestions of what the goats need to be able to do (i.e. stack, walk correctly on lead ect.) I would like to be able to start doing what needs to be done now, my does (not sure how opera does and Lillie needs trained) all walk on a lead, not like a show goat (not right beside me) also do they need to know how to tie? The breeder said it would be good if they walk on a lead for the appraisal but I don't know if they take points off for not walking,standing behaving well or not.

Thank you

 

[Southern by choice]

Learning how to read a LA takes time but can be a useful tool.

IOW lets say you have a doe with a + rump ... you would really want improvement on that rump or whatever you feel you what to work on first... so you look for a buck that is going to improve those areas. Because rump is important it would not be advantageous to breed to a buck that only has a + rump.

We haven't done LA's - hasn't been a priority for us. We may do them this year- depends on the expense...
GoatWhisperer has been to a few LA's... but One Fine Acre has had 2 years I think of La's so he can tell you what would be most advantageous.
LA's are a tool but they are not the end all be all IMO.
I would imagine being able to walk them up nicely would be of benefit and having them stand nicely while also being touched will only help.

The chart below might help you see more about udders.

 

[Sweet horizon Nigerians]

@Southern by choice thank you

 

[Southern by choice]

Have you seen what a LA read out looks like?

 

[Sweet horizon Nigerians]

I'm not sure, I know on her website she had la scores for some of her goats which is where I got what I put in the original post about her. I attached it

 

[Southern by choice]

Because we haven't done LA yet I can only put up an example of the dam of our doe Mariah (Lamancha)
I am looking for the charts for understanding- I can't find them. It will help you understand the points etc


This doe is an exceptional doe- but for example you wouldn't take this doe and put a mediocre buck over her.