How to Measure Height
It is important to learn to stand your animals the right way to measure their height correctly. If you are measuring incorrectly you can easily add on or take off an extra inch or so.
- It is important to make sure that the animal is standing in a relaxed position and not leaning backwards or forwards.
- Height Measurement is to be taken at the highest point of the wither to the ground with the animal standing squarely on all four feet with all legs in a vertical line to the ground & head in relaxed upright position. Hooves should be neatly trimmed.
- Measurement Device should be an official measuring stick. Many feel the best measuring device is a miniature horse stick. It has a level on it to help with accuracy. Placement of the measuring stick is very important. Place the stick just behind the front leg. NOT BESIDE IT! Now raise the level over the withers until the bubble is in the center, while the animal is standing correctly on a solid surface. No pressure should be applied to hold the device down on to the wither.
- Measurement Surface must be a flat level surface, concrete, wood, solid level ground, pavement.
Dirt floors/solid ground may be off by at least 1/2 inch. Concrete or wooden floors work best.
The measurer must take particular care to ensure that the surface on which the goats are to be measured is solid and level. - Make sure that the goat’s head is just a little above level. Too high or too low will give you a wrong measurement. A total of three measurements may be taken, then added together and divided by three. This will give an overall average and the result shall be deemed to be the height of the goat. Unless all three measurements are the same, then there is no need to add and divide.
