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Heights....
HEIGHT
VERIFICATION, we are happy to measure
your goat/s for you, 1yr, 2yr, 3yr etc, just contact
us to arrange a day to bring them around.
FREE of charge.
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Measuring Your Goat (extract from
AMGR website)
-Height
measurement is taken from the highest point of the wither
to the ground with the animal standing on a solid level
floor, preferably concrete.
- The measuring stick should be a right angle device
set perpendicular to the floor with a spirit level to
ensure accuracy.
- The
animal should be as relaxed as possible with its head
in a comfortable upright position, NOT
down eating off a bucket. The animal should
be standing squarely with all four legs comfortably
positioned straight up and down under the body.
- Height measurement must be done by a knowledgeable
Registered Breeder or Veterinarian. A
knowledgeable horse person may also be able to assist.
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- The height is measured in centimetres, to
the first decimal point eg/ 53.3cm or 57.0cm
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It is important to make sure that the animal is standing in
a relaxed position and not leaning backwards or forwards.
(Accurate measurement cannot be taken when the animal is held
by the horns),or the animal has it's
legs outstretched or legs are not evenly placed. The animal
should NOT be crouching, hunching or over stretching.
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Reducing
Maximum Heights Below 21"…. What We Think.
The
following is written in responce to a letter published
by the *AMGA in 2005...
*AMGA: Australian Miniature Goat Association Inc
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On
the 1st July, 2005 the AMGA dropped maximum heights for the
grades again, this time with Purebred Australian Miniature
Goat Bucks & Does, now not to exceed 50.8cm, or 20"
(as adults), with the AMGA preferring animals to be smaller
than this, measuring between 17" and 19".
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AMGA
(maximum height - bucks & does)
Grade D - 63.5cm (25")
Grade C - 58.5cm (23")
Grade B - 55.8cm (22")
Grade A - 53.3cm (21")
Purebred - 50.8cm (20")
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AMGR
(maximum height -
bucks & does)
Grade D - Bucks 63.5cm (25"), Does 63.5cm (25")
Grade C - Bucks 63.5cm (25"), Does 61.0cm (24")
*Grade B - Bucks 62.2cm (24.5"), Does 59.7cm
(23.5")
Grade A - Bucks 61cm (24"), Does 58.5cm (23")
Purebred - Bucks 60cm (23.6"), Does 57cm (22.4")
*MGBA
adjusted B Grade heights Feb 2008.
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By setting AMGA Buck heights (max) 20 inches, Does, being
naturally smaller, will (eventually) rarely exceed 18 inches
in height.
Mark Adkins (National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) Breed
Standard Chair), suggested we (the AMGR) aim for Bucks at
20 - 22 inches high and Does 18 - 20 inches high and said
that these are approximately the most sizes of (NPGA) mature
pygmy goats now.
Breeders said that both Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf goat Does
under 18 inches, commonly suffer with pregnancy and birthing
difficulties due to the reduction in overall body size. Studies
have shown that the size and proportions of a kid from a 17
inch doe is very similar to that from a 19-20 inch doe, (under
the same stud management). These super tiny does have difficulty
carrying kids and have a higher incidence of Ketosis (pregnancy
toxaemia) as the food intake reduces (and nutrient requirements
are not met), with the increased growth of the kid/s towards
the third term of pregnancy. Breeders also prefer not to breed
with such small females (especially when their tiny does have
required caesareans). The Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association
has 17 inches (and under) listed as a major breed fault.
The AMGA said, "the consensus
from the general public was that a 23 inch goat (the accepted
maximum height for other registries), which occurs naturally
in breeds such as Angora, Cashmere and Australian Feral, should
not be promoted as a miniature bred goat and sold as such".
Most people agree that 23 inches for a doe, is too big to
be promoted as a true miniature. 23" is considered to
be an average height for female Angora, Cashmere and Feral
goats with females from 23 inches to 26 inches being common.
Females around 21 - 23 inches in height are often found within
these breeds and these are among the animals that many miniature
goat breeders use as base stock in the endeavour to produce
the Australian miniature breeds.
A 23 inch Buck, however, is far from being a naturally occurring
height in any of the above breeds or any other types of Australian
goats for that matter, unless of course, he is measured at
two years of age or he has been stunted. Even a 24 inch buck
is considered to be extremely small with Angora, Cashmere
and Australian Feral bucks usually standing between 25 inches
to 28 inches.
The AMGA also stated that "it
sets the highest standards in the industry and therefore animals
registered with them are of a far higher quality".
There is no doubt that the committee has set the lowest height
standards in the industry.
We believe that the height of an animal has no bearing as
to the quality of the animal. The quality of an animal should
be based on, Conformation (how the animal is put together),
Temperament (how the animal behaves), Fertility
(being able to produce healthy viable offspring, easily and
naturally) and Hardiness (how the animal handles disease,
environment), standards that you will find listed under each
of the individual Australian Miniature Breed Types.
Breeders often "go back" a Grade by using a better
quality (slightly taller, lower Grade) animal with an animal
of a higher Grade that does not quite meet the requirements
of the breed, ensuring that future generations are not only
small, but they do indeed meet the "Breed Standard of
Excellence" at Purebred. At any livestock show, conformation
will always take precedence over height.
Quite a few AMGR Breeders that have been in the industry for
3 or more years have had the animals that could, with lots
of inbreeding, produce animals meeting these tiny heights,
but at what expense to the animals being produced? Some of
our smallest (Grade D & C) animals have less than perfect
conformation, most are of no real type, are less hardy and
are way too small (*structurally) to be used in inbreeding
programs. There are simply not enough tiny quality animals
available to us to maintain a relatively large, healthy gene
pool.
*Structurally - narrow hips and pins, shallow chest floor,
lacking body capacity, suspect mouth, pinched muzzle etc.
Lets face it, who wants to be breeding goats, generation
after generation and not be able to climb the Grade ladder?
We all aim for purebred, it is the ultimate "Breeders
Goal", even though some of us end up falling in love
with our lower Grade animals, then find it difficult to part
with them and end up selling our higher Grade babies instead!!
We all need to put time and careful selection into the animals
we pair. Any person can breed small goats, but it takes a
dedicated Breeder to be able to select small animals that
meet the type requirements and pair the right combinations
to produce healthy animals that they can truly be proud of,
ambassadors for their Studs and the Breed, advertisements
to their fellow Breeders showing all that they are the most
knowledgeable among us!
It is not an over night venture, you cannot produce 20"
animals from 21-25" stock, not in one or even two generations
and 99% of the bucks we are using today are or will mature
over 24-25".
We helped set up the Australian Miniature Goat Association
in 2004 and all information at that time had come directly
from our many years of research and data collection. Midway
through 2004 it became evident to me that Terry & Debbie
Watson and Jenny Went had very different ideas on how they
wanted the group to be managed, so I resigned from the Board
of Management and left the group.
We do not support the Australian Miniature Goat Association
Inc. (AMGA) while it is being managed by the above people
but we are happy to offer help and support to any Breeder
registered with them.
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