BREED STANDARDS

Purpose of Standards

  Without Breed Standards there can be no cohesiveness within a breed.  When somebody purchases a Mini-Alpine, or a Mini-Nubian, they need to have an idea of what they are getting. 

  We need structure and boundaries as breeders, even though our “ideal” animal is different for each of us, in which to create, so, that when the breed is represented a quality and design can be seen.  The proposed breed standards below have come from years of hard work and input from breeders who have been with the Mini’s since the Mini’s began.  These are the proposed standards for MDGA and will stand as “The” standards until a time and desire by the majority of the membership to change them.   Please remember, when the “Mini” breed was first designed it was with the purpose and intent to develop a “multi-purpose” animal blending the best traits of the Nigerian and Standard, to make a “MID-SIZED” goat that could function on the farm, homestead, milk parlor, and show ring with style, grace and good temperament.  

  Without standards though there will be no consistency within the breed or accountability from the breeder.  Our destination is not to reproduce the standard of just a slightly smaller-sized standard animal, but a true blending of type, with definite smaller/mid size to make it easier to manage and milk, and give a variety of choice to goat enthusiasts.  Breed character is to be strived towards, but is not always achieved, and it is up to the individual breeder to decide what height, size, or breed characteristics they want to cull for as they try to achieve their ideal.
An animal with any parentage of standard to Nigerian can be registered within an experimental breed, but only the animals with the right percentages of standard to Nigerian blood, *(no animal will be entered into the American or Purebred books that has more than 70% of either standard or Nigerian blood), size, height, and breed character will be advanced to the American and Purebred books, to ensure quality, consistency, and endurance of the breed

Please note: Not making breed character will not affect your ability to register animals within the experimental registry.  When it says discriminated against, it means just that, it is not considered a desirable trait of that breed, but may not affect the usefulness of the animal within a breeding program.  In experimental shows, it may cost some points, but not many and if the animal is still very nice should not affect its standing, but if all things are equal, then height must be taken into account.  In American or Purebred show, the height will be a factor, and too tall animals may be discriminated against for not making breed standard.  For this reason, all champion and Reserve Champion animals will be measured before contestants leave the ring and any animal the judge questions for sanctioning purposes.

*Many more animals are being presented for registration with percentages of standard reaching into the 90% range, this defeats the purpose of the Mini breeds.  Using this high of a percentage of the standard produces an animal that lacks the influence from the Nigerian Dwarf   It will also work in reverse if a higher percentage of Nigerian is represented in the animal.  Many breeders that have been raising minis since they were first developed feel that a 60-40 cross of standard to Nigerian produces the best cross.