Udder Conformation
Side by side (1x1) teats are a fundamental mandatory requirement for any
West Michigan Kiko breeding stock! It has taken 5 years of growing out the herd and selecting for teat structure that we have now sorted through many of our does multiple biddings of seeing how they develop one year to the next. In the main barn we are kidding 35 does in their 4th and 5th freshening that are still showing tight udders with small short teats hanging above their hocks. This trait is desired so that udders are not stabbed and torn as the goats may leap over sharp sticks or entangling brush. Blown out teats and bags that pass below the hocks are culled.
West Michigan Kiko breeding stock! It has taken 5 years of growing out the herd and selecting for teat structure that we have now sorted through many of our does multiple biddings of seeing how they develop one year to the next. In the main barn we are kidding 35 does in their 4th and 5th freshening that are still showing tight udders with small short teats hanging above their hocks. This trait is desired so that udders are not stabbed and torn as the goats may leap over sharp sticks or entangling brush. Blown out teats and bags that pass below the hocks are culled.
This 3 year old doe has had already 3 freshenings and you can see that her udders have retained perfect shape as she itches her back end.
The guide below is borrowed from the American Boer Goat Association as a reference to what others may deem "acceptable". The only acceptable West Michigan Kiko teat structure would be figure P1. Any other figure in the chart below is culled by our standard. If your herd is of mixed breeds and do not mind Boer standards for teats, please ask about our commercial does available as a few culls for this reason pop up every year.
| abga_breed_standards.pdf |