The LaMancha dairy goat was developed in the USA from goats that originated in Spain. The general appearance is angular and compact. Their distinctive breed character is their ears. There are two types of ears; one is the gopher ear. The gopher ear is a maximum of 1 inch, but preferably non-existent. The ear contains very little or no cartilage and the end turns up or down. This is the only type of ear allowed in bucks. The other type of ear, the elf ear, is a maximum of 2 inches in length and may contain a little cartilage. The end of the ear must be turned up or down. The body is wide, deep with a straight back and wide long rump only slightly sloping. The legs and feet are, strong, straight, squarely set and wide apart. The head is wide and long with a wide muzzle and a straight face. Any color or combination of colors is accepted.

The height at the withers is 28 inches or more for does and 30 or more for bucks.

Evaluation of Defects

Part 1 -- Slight defects

Broken or wry tail

Part 2 -- Defects that could be slight to serious depending on degree
(These are all more serious in bucks than in does)

Does less then 28 inches tall at withers
Bucks less then 30 inches tall at withers
Wry jaws or face on doe
Weak horns that break easily, are thin-walled, or circular in section
Non-symmetrical horns
Winged or loose, open shoulders
Bowed front legs
Closely spaced front legs, pinched heart girth
Swollen stifle joint/s
Closely spaced hind legs
Close or touching hocks
Feet that turn in or out
Malformed feet--splayed, sloping, overgrown
Narrow, shallow, or short body
Steeply sloped rump
Poor udder attachment front, side, or rear
Udders uneven in the size of the two halves

Part 3-- Moderate Defects

Swollen hocks and/or enlarged knees, not sufficient to cause lameness
Teats too close together, bulbous and/or poor defined at the udder juncture
Teats pointing together or outside, disproportionate in size (too small or large.)
Teats hard to milk due to misplaced or small orifice.
Spur (non-functional) teats on does
Multiple teats on bucks
Large teats on bucks

Part 4 -- Serious Defects

Roman nose
Undershot or overshot jaws
Lameness, especially combined with badly swollen knees and/or hocks
Leaking teats
Thin udder skin that allows seeping of milk or serum
Pendulous udder
Double orifices in teats
Double teats
Functional spur teats, and those close to primary teats
Disproportionate bodily parts, such as a large head, or a thick body on short
legs, especially in young animals

Part 5 – Disqualifications

Anything other than gopher ears on bucks
Anything other than true Lamancha ears on does
Crooked face on bucks
Blindness, unless the result of accident
Blind primary teat or teats on does
Lack of one or both primary teats (blind udder)
Lack of half or functional half of udder, unless the result of accident or mastectomy
Hermaphroditism or evidence thereof; failure to breed
Undescended testicle or testicles
Permanent physical defect such as navel hernia
Does less than 26 inches or bucks less then 28 inches