Contact Information

Dr. Tony Pescatore, Ph.D.
Interim Department Chair

900 W.P. Garrigus Building Lexington, KY 40546-0215

+1 (859) 257-2686

Judging Meat Goats

Judging Meat Goats

Judging Meat Goats


Key Points for Judging Meat Goats

  • Evaluate meat goats first from the ground up and then from the rump (rear) forward.
  • Rank the traits for their importance.
  • Evaluate the most important traits first.
  • Eliminate any easy placings.
  • Place the class based on the volume of the important traits.

Ranking of Traits for Judging Meat Goats

  1. Degree of muscling.
  2. Soundness and structural correctness.
  3. Degree of finish (fat cover).
  4. Capacity (volume).
  5. Balance.
  6. Style.
  7. Freshness.

Evaluating Muscle

Evaluating Degree of Muscling

Degree of muscling in meat goats is best evaluated by considering:

  • Thickness through the center of the leg.
  • Width between rear feet when the goat stands and walks.
  • Width, depth, and length of the loin.
    • Wide topped goats with a long hind saddle in relation to front saddle is desired.

Evaluating Degree of Muscling Center Leg Width

Evaluating Degree of Muscling Center Leg Width

Evaluating Degree of Muscling Width of Loin

Evaluating Degree of Muscling Length of loin

Evaluating Soundness

Evaluating Soundness/Structure

Soundness and structural correctness in meat goats is best evaluated by considering:

  • Feet and toes
  • Knees
  • Hocks
  • Pasterns
  • Levelness of top

Evaluating Soundness Structure Feet and Toes

Evaluating Soundness Structure Pasterns

Evaluating soundness structure knees

Evaluating Soundness Structure Hocks

Evaluating Soundness Structure Levelness of Top

Evaluating Finish

Evaluating Finish

  • Unique characteristics of meat goats:

    • Goats deposit fat from the inside to the outside.
    • Goats do not marble (do not deposit intramuscular fat).
  • Meat goats should be lean and trim.
    • They should also have bloom.
    • Lean meat goats that are untrifty are discounted.

Evaluating finish Goats

Evaluating Finish Lean with Bloom

Evaluating capacity goats

Evaluating Capacity or Volume

  1. Body width.
    • Open rib shape and good base width desired.
  2. Body depth.
    • Good depth desired.
  3. Body length.
    • Good length desired.

Evaluating Capacity or volume body width

Evaluating Capacity or Volume body depth

Evaluating Capacity or Volume Body length

Evaluating Balance

Evaluating Balance

Balance in meat goats refers to having the correct proportions of:

  • Body width
  • Body depth
  • Body length

Evaluating Capacity of Volume Unbalanced Alert

Evaluating Capacity or Volume nicely balanced

Evaluating Style

Evaluating Style

Meat goats with style will exhibit the following:

  • A long, level top line.
  • A long neck that sits high on the shoulder.
  • A clean breast.
  • A smooth, neat shoulder that blends smoothly from neck to forerib.

Evaluating Style Poor vs Nice Style

Evaluating Style Poor vs Nice Style

Evaluating Style Poor vs Nice Style

Evaluating Style Excellent Style

Evaluating Freshness

Evaluating Freshness

Freshness in meat goats refers to having:

  • An appearance of being healthy (not unthrifty)
  • A smooth, slick hair coat.

Evaluating Freshness not fresh

Evaluating Freshness - fresh

Final Tips for Judging Meat Goats

  • Remember the important traits.
  • Know what "correct" looks like.
  • Look at lots of meat goats.
  • Practice your judging skills

Contact Information

Dr. Tony Pescatore, Ph.D.
Interim Department Chair

900 W.P. Garrigus Building Lexington, KY 40546-0215

+1 (859) 257-2686