# Moonspots



## KijahWolfe (Jan 31, 2013)

So I am trying to learn about goat patterns and colors, I am pretty familiar with horse patterns but the goat colors and patterns are now obviously my area of interest. Moonspots are sort of confusing me because I have read that moonspots are not white, yet see people say they have moonspotted goats and are calling the white spots moonspots. A big reason I wonder this is because my little buck Nick has cream colored spots and I have no clue if he is just spotted or if they are moonspots. Its more for my own curiosity as I have no way to register him since the breeder stopped doing registration papers years ago even though all her goats are capable of being registered. She apparently showed her goats years ago and says she has champion bloodlines but without registering the goats for three or so generations I am stuck on that I guess.

Anyhow being on my phone I am going to try and put links to pics of Nick until I can get better pictures for you with my hubby's phone since he has a better camera.

http://m263.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/kassdc/Goats/021513171209_zpsfe71fe44.jpg.html?o=0

http://m263.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/kassdc/Goats/021513164950_zps9657b475.jpg.html?o=5 Nick in the yellow collar

http://m263.photobucket.com/albumview/albums/kassdc/Goats/021513165132_zps6ac0d918.jpg.html?o=3 You can see part of Nick's rump behind Bailey.

So do I just have a goat with spots or....?


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## lasergrl (Nov 24, 2007)

They look like moonspots to me. You can see the difference in shade because he doese have an actual white spot on his head.
Some moonspots get pretty light so a silver moonspot can be tricky and look white.


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## dozedotz (Dec 12, 2012)

Our big boy Noble has both white and moon spots on him. It took those moon spots a long time to "come out." Early on they look like shadows. Sometimes you think it is a trick of the light...especially on a very shiny coated baby...looks like a sheen created by the sun or light. White spots or splashes are VERY white. They stand out from day one.


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## KijahWolfe (Jan 31, 2013)

I have also seen people talk of clipping their goats, I know about the udder and pre kidding clipping but some do a whole body clip, is there a reason for this, such as kerping them cool in the summer?


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

Moonspot question - what are the dark spots called? I have seen several goats with moon-type spots but instead of being lighter, they are darker in color. My Stormy, a blue roan, has an oval black spot on his shoulder. Just the one, and not very noticeable with his color, but a perfect oval, like someone drew it. You don't see the darker spots often, but I've seen a couple and they're pretty striking.

Are those also moonspots, or is there another name?


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## yarrow (Apr 27, 2004)

When we talk moonspots we are talking about the dark (almost hidden..non-white) spots at birth (think DARK of the moon) ... as the goat matures and the baby coat changes to adult coat the hair under those dark spots will start to lighten (you can lift it up and see the changes by ruffling the hair backwards)... here we get moonspots that will turn white, silver or cream... our moonspots start out as dark brown, light brown, tan or grey ...depending on the base color of the kid and what color the spots end up at *FULL* moon..
here are a few pictures of newborn kids.. then as they have matured (can't find many of the black & white moonspotted ones.. the demand is so high, I rarely get the chance to keep/grow any of them out.. LOTS of baby pics, but not adult coat pics
first pics are of Jewel (note on Jewel the really dark spots are the ones that went the lightest.. this is the usual way it happens).. next is baby Bones (she is almost a year old..she is still getting lighter ((okay.. just realized the middle pics I had posted were a baby pic of nadine and an adult of lottie.. will try to find the right pics to put together...BUT.. it removing them.. Bone is now the top pics and Jewel is pictures number two.. sorry about that LOL) and sometimes you have a HARD time telling there is even any moonspots there! the last 3 pics are Lottie (she's the frosted ear baby on the left.. spot-less, a week or so later spots starting to show (the middle girl) then as an adult.. she had a light buckskin moonspotted doe last spring.. she is bred to a black and white spotted buck this year.. hoping for LOTS of color.

susie, mo ozarks


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## mammabooh (Sep 1, 2004)

Wow...I think Baby Bones has the coolest coloring I've ever seen!


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## dbarjacres (Feb 2, 2004)

yarrow, I love your nubians!

Here's my moonspotted Nigerian from January, she's dark spots on lighter base. White spots, even little ones, are NOT moonspots!!!!!


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## mrstillery09 (Jul 12, 2012)

yarrow said:


> When we talk moonspots we are talking about the dark (almost hidden..non-white) spots at birth (think DARK of the moon) ... as the goat matures and the baby coat changes to adult coat the hair under those dark spots will start to lighten (you can lift it up and see the changes by ruffling the hair backwards)... here we get moonspots that will turn white, silver or cream... our moonspots start out as dark brown, light brown, tan or grey ...depending on the base color of the kid and what color the spots end up at *FULL* moon..
> here are a few pictures of newborn kids.. then as they have matured (can't find many of the black & white moonspotted ones.. the demand is so high, I rarely get the chance to keep/grow any of them out.. LOTS of baby pics, but not adult coat pics
> first pics are of Jewel (note on Jewel the really dark spots are the ones that went the lightest.. this is the usual way it happens).. next is baby Bones (she is almost a year old..she is still getting lighter ((okay.. just realized the middle pics I had posted were a baby pic of nadine and an adult of lottie.. will try to find the right pics to put together...BUT.. it removing them.. Bone is now the top pics and Jewel is pictures number two.. sorry about that LOL) and sometimes you have a HARD time telling there is even any moonspots there! the last 3 pics are Lottie (she's the frosted ear baby on the left.. spot-less, a week or so later spots starting to show (the middle girl) then as an adult.. she had a light buckskin moonspotted doe last spring.. she is bred to a black and white spotted buck this year.. hoping for LOTS of color.
> 
> susie, mo ozarks


Ok, seriously, those goats should not even be legal! They are SO beautiful! I've yet to see moonspots as striking as those! I do not know why I like those moonspots, but I do believe I see some in my future!


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## KijahWolfe (Jan 31, 2013)

Ok so if I am understanding this right, his little cream spots are just spots rather than moonspots? I so can't wait until I can add more lines in and get all the pretty colors in my guys!


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## dbarjacres (Feb 2, 2004)

In the nigerian world, a moonspot is a color, other than white, that is spotted onto a different color base coat. Example, the buck my above doeling is out of was dark gold/light red with silver and taupe spots, his daughter I'd call tan with chocolate moonspots. I've had kids that are black with tan spots, and the above doeling's brother was black with chocolate spots all over (looked really cool in person, hard to see on pics as he was covered in them, big patches) and had two little taupe spots as well. A white goat with black spots, not moonspots or a black with little white spots, not moonspots.


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## GoatJunkie (Dec 26, 2012)

I think Bones looks exotic! Such an unusual color pattern. He is truly breathtaking! I lime the kid in the fourth pic down too. I've never seen goats like either of them!

Moonspots are awesome!


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## CageFreeFamily (Jul 19, 2012)

So are these moonspots? when you push the cream/taupe colored hair aside the roots of the hairs are the same red or blackish color that is on her other areas, so the light spots are only caused by the tips of the hairs.


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## yarrow (Apr 27, 2004)

CageFreeFamily said:


> So are these moonspots? when you push the cream/taupe colored hair aside the roots of the hairs are the same red or blackish color that is on her other areas, so the light spots are only caused by the tips of the hairs.


No.. those are spot, spots. (white spots you can see at birth, are just regular spots, not ones that will be changing color). Moonspots are the opposite.. dark spots on the ENDS of the hair (so all you see are the dark areas) as the goats get older the adult coat comes in with it... the dark of the moon spots begin to lighten until they are bright and light, like a full moon.. I personally think ALL the different types of spotting that is possible.. just adds to things. I like that you can have regular spots on one kid and moonspots on their litter brothers or sisters.

susie, mo ozarks


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