The Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications for Fresh Goat, Series 11 (IMPS; USDA, 2001) can be used to report live animal selection criteria. Selection criteria for live animal ranges, from No. 1- superior meat type conformation that is thickly muscled throughout the body, No. 2- average meat type conformation that is moderately muscled throughout the body, to No. 3- inferior meat type conformation, narrow in width and very angular in appearance.

This is a two-step grading procedure conducted on live animals. First, a live animal is assigned a selection criteria number of 1, 2 or 3. Then, a percentage value (> 0.0 and < 100 as a decimal) is assigned to the selection criteria. This value will determine how well (as a %) the animal fits that selection criteria number. Animals are evaluated on general frame and appearance; animals with longer and thicker or deeper bodies will be more desirable as meat animals. Animals should be heavily muscled at hindquarters and legs with wide chest floor and the back and loin area must also be fully muscled.

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