I am a purebred Boer goat breeder. The Canadian Meat Goat Association’s Type Evaluation Program has only been in existence for two years, and I have participated in this program from the beginning. For me, classification (type evaluation) of my animals is an extra tool for the management of my herd. The animals are classified according to the Boer breed standards established by the CMGA and the final results for each animal are recorded on their original registration certificate.

First of all, I define classification as a “picture” of each animal. This picture is formed by rating all of the good qualities of each animal, as well as noting the faults which need to be improved. But even more importantly, classification gives me a picture of my herd in comparison to other goats on the provincial and national level. By compiling the results of does who have the same sire, I can select the best producing bucks. This system helps me to make shrewd choices when selecting which buck to breed to which doe.

Each year, the Canadian Meat Goat Journal publishes the results of all of the goats from each herd who score Very Good or Excellent, listing the best animals of the breed across Canada. This is very good publicity for my herd.

The costs relating to classification are easily compensated with the advantages that it brings me, namely the increase of the value of my livestock and the knowledge of the genetic potential of the other Quebecois and Canadian herds.

In conclusion, I believe that when we raise animals, we look at both high productivity and conformation. Conformation brings profitability to our herd as long as we can evaluate it and it is thanks to the support of the assessments resulting from classification that it can be achieved.

Programme de la classification
Par Pierre Marquis, Ferme du Sillon
St-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, QC

Je suis un éleveur de chèvres de boucherie Boer pur-sang. Le Programme de classification administré par l’Association canadienne de la chèvre de boucherie, existe seulement depuis deux ans. Dès le départ, j’ai adhéré à ce programme. Pour moi, la classification de mes animaux est un outil additionnel pour la gestion de mon troupeau. Les animaux sont classifiés selon les standards de la race établis par l’Association canadienne. Sur l’enregistrement de chaque animal est inscrit le résultat final comme pour la plupart des catégories d’animaux.

Au départ, je définis la classification comme une « photo » de chaque animal. Celle-ci détermine par des chiffres les qualités ainsi que les défauts à améliorer sur chaque sujet. Mais bien plus encore, la classification me donne également une photo de mon troupeau et ensuite de l’ensemble des chèvres au niveau provincial et national.

Aussi, avec la compilation obtenue du pointage de chaque fille d’un même géniteur, je peux sélectionner les meilleurs boucs d’élevage. Ce système m’aide à faire un choix judicieux dans la sélection d’un géniteur pour l’accouplement de chaque chèvre.

A chaque année, la Revue canadienne publie la liste des sujets très bons et excellents de chaque troupeau ce qui permet de faire connaître les meilleurs animaux de la race à travers le Canada. C’est une très bonne publicité pour mon élevage.

Les coûts se rapportant à la classification sont largement compensés par les avantages que cela m’apporte, soit l’augmentation de la valeur de mon cheptel et la connaissance du potentiel génétique des autres troupeaux québécois et canadiens.

Pour conclure, je crois que lorsqu’on élève des animaux, on peut voir d’un coté le rendement sur la balance et de l’autre la conformation. Cette dernière nous donne la profitabilité d’un troupeau à la condition d’y mettre des chiffres à l’appui et c’est grâce à la classification que je peux y parvenir.

Penny Murton
Legacy Dairy Goats
windancercollies@storm.ca

Classification was a complete mystery to me when I was first introduced to it. I have quickly come to see the advantages of a classification program.

Scored against the ideal goat
My primary interest in goats is in breeding and showing. It is not enough to have a goat that does well in the show ring. At a show, animals are judged only against what is there that day. When they are classified, they are scored against the ideal goat.

Increased productivity and longevity
In conversations with classifiers and judges over the several years I have owned and shown goats, it has been stressed that correct conformation of a dairy animal leads to increased productivity and longevity. If a doe stands on a good set of feet and legs, she will quite literally stand up over time, giving the dairy more milk over that longer lifespan. If she has body capacity, depth and width of heart girth and chest, she will want to nourish that extra size, and hence will make more milk. Openness of rib and flatness of bone are also linked to dairy character and productivity. Correct width and length through the loin and pelvis lead to easier kidding. It is essential that an udder be, not only capacious, but well attached so that it, too, will hold up over time. Correct teats make milking much easier!

The linear appraisal number - 9 being the ideal
Classifiers are trained to look at all of these aspects when classifying a doe. The report sheet is laid out with sections for structure, rump, feet & legs, body capacity, dairy character, mammary system, fore udder, rear udder, and teats. For each of these sections, type traits are marked as to how close they are to the ideal, any defective characteristics are noted, and the goat is given a linear appraisal number anywhere from 1 to 9, with 9 being the ideal. These scores are then used to arrive at a final overall score.

Money well-spent in keeping a breeding program on track
I firmly believe that breeders should set the bar high by breeding the best animals they can produce. One of a breeder’s greatest strengths is the ability to knowledgeably and accurately select the right animals to keep for future breeding stock. Classification is, in my opinion, an essential tool in this endeavor. It is money well-spent in keeping a breeding program on track for goats that are correctly put together and productive throughout their lifetime.