Are you measuring your Kinder goats? Are you measuring them at withers? In general Kinder goats are getting too tall and are losing their dual purpose status. Below is what Harvey Considine says about shorter and longer legged Kinder. Harvey formulated a scorecard specifically for our Kinder breed. If we are to breed a dual purpose goat then we need to follow this scorecard. By breeding taller we are losing the meat aspect of our Kinder goat and this is not good. Because of this many of the Kinder that we are seeing are just a smaller version of a dairy breed that have lost all the meat qualities. The picture below shows a yearling Kinder doe that is the right height and carries some fleshing.
Following is an excerpt from an article by Harvey Considine done for the Dairy Goat Journal in February of 1994.
SCORECARD for the Dual Purpose Goat
To promote this aspect of the Kinder required that more attention be paid to the general appearance, hence the allowance of a full 40 points to that category. Since they are ‘mid-sized goat, “the maximum wither heights of 26 inches for mature does (and 28 inches for mature bucks) will tend to keep them a little shorter legged and this is good. Shorter legged animals tend to be easier to maintain in good flesh than longer legged animals.
Disclaimer: The opinions, views, and thoughts expressed by newsletter and blog contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Kinder® Goat Breeders Association. Goat husbandry advice found in the newsletter and blog is not meant to substitute a valid veterinary relationship. Please request permission to share or reprint newsletter and blog posts.