By Cindy Bene, Moonlight Farms 2009 A printer friendly version of this article is available here. You may also download the instruction sheet and Performance Ratio Workbook to go along with this article. The purpose of using Performance Ratios is to identify animals that are "above average" in each kidding season. They are also helpful in ascertaining which females are … [Read more...] about Understanding Performance Ratios
Myotonic Goat Buyers Guide
By: Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PHD 2009 Myotonic goats are a wondrously varied breed, so varied that they can; in essence, serve nearly all facets of goat ownership. Whether you're a seasoned breeder looking for a "new" addition or a buyer just looking for a pet you're almost certain to find what you're seeking within the realm of the Myotonic goat world. Goat … [Read more...] about Myotonic Goat Buyers Guide
Understanding Breed Percentages
By Cindy Bene, Moonlight Farms For those of us that feel math is not our strong suit, there is a certain mystique regarding the calculation of breed percentages in crossbreeds. It is actually not as complicated as it might appear. First, let's keep it simple by considering the breeding of one full blood (100%) Myotonic to other goats of various percentages of … [Read more...] about Understanding Breed Percentages
Understanding Goat Defects
By: Phillip Sponenberg, DVM, PHD The issue of conformational defects in goats can be a confusing one - and can become especially controversial when different philosophies of goat breeding and rearing come into contact with one another. What one breeder considers a defect may well be considered a harmless variation by another. A few of the more common variations are outlined … [Read more...] about Understanding Goat Defects