ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, May 8, 1996 TAG: 9605080013
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KAREN ADAMS
Ed Kinser says that striving for ``perfect'' animals enables breeders to reduce and, ideally, eliminate health problems down the line.
A healthy Nigerian dwarf goat should have:
* Proper alignment of teeth and jaws, and wide jaws for food capacity and easy chewing.
* Straight front legs and toes that don't turn out (for proper walking and comfortable joints).
* A wide area between front legs for adequate lung space, which makes breathing easier, and ample heart room.
* A large and well-formed ``barrel'' (abdomen), which provides good storage space for food and digestion and, for females, ample room for babies; judges determine this by feeling the ``spring of rib'' - the roundness of the rib cage.
* Back legs that are straight when viewed from behind and whose hocks are gently angled when viewed from the side.
* A smooth blending of body parts.
* Strong muscles.
* Good skin.
* For females, a well-attached udder that is high on the body, is clearly divided in the middle, has large capacity, and has well-placed teats for easy milking.
Kinser, who is fond of all his goats, notes that every one is different. ``And no two people will see the same thing in an animal.''
LENGTH: Short : 36 linesby CNB