Australian Miniature Goat
Breed Standard of Excellence
(Conformation)
show goat standard

General Appearance, Style & Quality: 15 points
The Australian miniature goat is a genetically small sized, well-muscled, stylish animal with all parts of the body in balanced proportion relative to their size. The animal must exhibit a natural presence, alert attitude combined with balance, style and overall symmetry. Refinement of bone but not lacking in substance, especially in the chest, girth, shoulder and hip.
Fitting & Handling; top presentation of animal & handler. The coat must be well groomed and may be shown, naturally short or clipped, cashmere - soft & silky or sheltie coat - reasonably thick, evenly distributed throughout, length at least to the knees with face and legs free of fleece. Any colour, marking or pattern is acceptable, any skin colour acceptable, any eye-colour is allowed.
Size - Height Measurement is to be taken at the highest point of the wither to the ground with the animal standing squarely on all four feet with all legs in a vertical line to the ground, with the head held in an upright relaxed position. Heights as indicated on show schedule.

Head & Breed Type Character: 10 points
Head wide, medium in length with bright eyes set well apart. Any eye colour is accepted. Facial profile and ears in accordance with the type, polled or neatly disbudded. A relatively wide muzzle, with even bite (allowance for Nuwby) and broad lips. The neck should be in proportion to the size of the animal and must blend smoothly into all body junctions, feminine in does and masculine in bucks, showing appropriate muscling.

Forequarters: 10 points
Withers, wedge shaped, set prominently above tightly assembled shoulders. Points of shoulder and elbow should be tight and blend smoothly with body allowing the forelegs to move smoothly against the ribs. Refined bone with sturdy, clean molded joints. The crop should be full and the brisket moderately prominent & low. Chest floor deep and wide.

Body: 15 points
Long, deep, wide body increasing in width from heart girth to rear barrel; level top line and proportionately short, strong, broad back that is level along chine and loin; Full at elbow, Well sprung, open, long flat ribs with increasing width and angling towards the rear of barrel. Refinement of bone but not lacking in substance, especially in the chest, girth, shoulder and hip.

Hindquarters: 15 points
Slightly sloping long, wide rump dropping slightly from hips to pins; wide almost flat between thurls; pins and hip bones set wide apart and well defined. Thighs from rear, clean and wide apart, highly arched, curving outward into the escutcheon to accommodate udder and attachment.

Reproductive system: 10 points
Does: Udder should be deep, wide and capacious in relation to the size of the doe. Udder should be balanced and tightly attached, soft and pliable, blending smoothly as viewed from the side and the rear. Medial suspensory ligament strong, clearly defining udder halves, holding udder snugly against body and well above hocks.
From the side, udder ideally positioned one third forward of leg, one third under leg, one third behind leg. Udder pliable and elastic, well collapsed after milking, balanced and free of scar tissue. Teats proportionally shaped and evenly sized, ideally plumb when viewed from side or rear.
Bucks: must have two evenly placed rudimentary teats and a full, well attached, relatively even, appropriately sized scrotum and two evenly sized testicles. Sheath clean.

Feet & Legs: 10 points
Correct from all angles set wide apart, straight, strong and squarely underneath. Medium length, well angled pasterns front and rear. Cleanly molded hocks, nearly perpendicular from hock to pastern, well defined tendons. Feet short, neatly trimmed, compact, sloping hooves pointing directly ahead, heel as deep as toe.


Faults
Faults will be judged on their severity, folded ears (length wise), teeth protruding more than 5mm or visible, neck too long or thin, loose shoulders, shallow or narrow chest floor, roach or sway back, slab sided, shallow body, short rump, narrow or steep sloping rump, fleshy pendulous udder, unduly divided udder, pockets in udder, teats too small, too thin, bulbous, ill defined unbalanced, double teats, supernumery teats, double orifices. Bucks with divided scrotum, more than 5cm, scrotum small for age of animal. Cow or sickle hock, knock knees, posty leg, dropped pastern, feet pointing in or out, splayed feet, uneven gait.

Disqualifying Faults include; Nasty Temperament, severely overshot or undershot jaw, severely crooked face, Hermaphrodism (both male & female), monorchid/cryptorchid (retained testicle/s), serious emaciation, blindness, horns.

Please Note: only animals with characteristics of a TYPE can be shown in classes for that TYPE.



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