Goat Glam: May/June 2025

Goat Glam: May/June 2025

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Goat Glam will feature two goats for assessment each Time. We’ll discuss each doe’s good traits, what could be better, and what to look for in a buck to improve her kids

As it gets warmer outside, we’re all taking a hard look at our goats and getting excited to clip hair and get them ready for the show ring. This time, we’re assessing a Nubian and a Nigerian Dwarf goat to explain just how glamorous their conformation is!


Miya, 9-year-old purebred Nubian doe,

Submitted by Chloe of Morning Mist Dairy Goats.

Photo credit: Chloe of Morning Mist Dairy Goats
Photo credit: Chloe of Morning Mist Dairy Goats
Udder picture taken when Miya was 3 to 4 years old. Photo credit: Chloe of Morning Mist Dairy Goats

The first picture I received of this doe is of her head-on, facing the camera, and I have to say I love the angle on this doe! She has wonderfully long ears, which are important to the breed character of Nubian goats. Her chest is so wide, and she has nice front legs. I’d like to see her tighter-toed, but she’s also 9 years old!

Moving on to the profile picture of this doe, she’s wonderfully dairy and is pretty deep-bodied. I like her long neck, that Roman nose (again, breed character), and the strength of her back. She’s a little shorter-rumped than I’d like and a little soft on those rear pasterns, if I were to nitpick. At 9, I’d want to see a little more brisket extension in the chest, but she’s quite lovely, and I like her.

Moving on to her udder, which is pictured from when she was 3 or 4, she definitely produces well. I like her rear udder attachment; it sits beautifully under that escutcheon. As you can see, it’s maybe an inch under her vulva. You want an udder that sits that high and tight against the body. That kind of udder support helps a doe live a long, comfortable, and productive life. While I wish there was a little more delineation in the teats, and they weren’t quite so blown out, I’m sure she’s easy to hand-milk. I’m not sure what her foreudder looks like, as she’s milked out in the side profile picture.

Overall, this is a nice doe that you should be proud to have in your herd.

Breed her to the best buck you can and keep a daughter!


Poppy 2.0 Nigerian Dwarf Doe

Photo credit: Owner submitted

It seems Poppy 2.0 is expecting in this picture. Although I don’t generally try to judge a doe’s conformation when she’s heavily bred (the picture is from 3/2, and she was due 4/4), I’ll point out some things to help you get a good idea of what you’re working with.

First of all, ignore her feet and pasterns. She’s expecting, and just like humans, they can get a little sore on their feet toward the end of their pregnancy. If she still looks soft on her pasterns and straight in the rear legs after kidding, then you can decide if those are things that need to be addressed.

She appears to have a nice, long neck, which is something you want in a dairy goat. I wish she were a little stronger in her back, especially in the chine area (behind the shoulders). I’d like her to have a little longer rump as well. She seems like she’s deep-bodied, but again, she’s pregnant.

When I look at Miss Poppy 2.0, I see a goat enjoying pregnancy. I don’t see anything alarming with her as far as needing to be cut from your herd. If I were you, I’d let her freshen and bounce back from having those kids and then reevaluate. I hope this helps. As of the time of writing this, she should have kidded. I hope all went well! If you want to get an insight into how some of your goats stack up conformationally, don’t hesitate to send us some pictures and a little information. We’d be happy to help. Happy goating, everyone!

Want your goats in Goat Glam?

Send in your photos for a chance to have Jon Kain, dairy goat showman and co-host of The Ringside dairy goat podcast, assess where your goat shines and where to strengthen her kids! email: goatjournal@gmail.com.


Jon Kain lives and breathes goats, literally. By day, he’s a superintendent of a goat and cow dairy. By “night,” he and his family raise a small herd of Oberhasli goats while chasing his 3-year-old daughter or talking about goats on his podcast, Ringside: An American Dairy Goat Podcast.


Originally published in the May 15, 2025 digital issue of Goat Journal

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