Goat and Sheep Scales: How to Choose the Right Small Livestock Scale
Updated November 2, 2026
The short answer: for most goat and sheep operations, the best scale is a low, portable platform or a cage scale that holds one animal steady, with a readout fine enough to track lambs and kids and a capacity well above your heaviest ram or buck. A small open platform like the LS-920-2K or the LS-922 vet scale suits quiet animals and vet work; a cage like the LS-930 5' x 30" stops goats from jumping off; weigh beams under a crate suit larger flocks. Below: how to choose, Liberty's goat and sheep scales with current prices, and how to get a weight you can trust.
Why weigh goats and sheep?
Eyeballing a goat or a ewe is hard, especially under a full fleece or a winter coat. A scale turns guesswork into numbers you can act on:
- Dosing. Dewormers and other treatments are dosed by body weight. Underdosing is wasted money and can help parasites build resistance; overdosing is a risk to the animal.
- Growth and weaning. Birth, weaning and sale weights show which lambs and kids are thriving and which need attention.
- Feeding and condition. Regular weights, alongside body condition scoring, show whether rations are working before condition slips.
- Breeding and culling. Weight records help you pick replacements from the dams and sires whose offspring grow best.
- Selling. When lambs and goats sell by the pound, the scale sets the price.
What capacity and readability do you need?
Capacity is rarely the problem with goats and sheep. Even a big ram or buck is a small load for a livestock scale, so any of the scales below has plenty of headroom. Never load a scale beyond its rated capacity; a jumping animal briefly loads the platform harder than its standing weight.
Readability (the step the display moves in) matters more. A 1 lb step is fine for adult sheep and goats. For lambs and kids, a finer step, like the 0.5 lb accuracy of the LS-930 cage, makes small gains easier to see. For newborns, many producers weigh in a sling under a hanging scale, or weigh themselves holding the animal and subtract their own weight.
If the same scale will also weigh calves or grown cattle, read our calf scale buyer's guide and cattle scales buyer's guide first, since cattle push you to a bigger platform.
Types of goat and sheep scales
Open low platforms
A low, non-slip platform that an animal steps onto. Quick to set up, easy to move and easy to clean. Best with quiet or haltered animals, or when one person holds the animal on the deck. The LS-920-2K (50" x 20", up to 2,000 lb) and the LS-922 vet scale (43" x 20" stainless platform, 2" high) are in this group.
Cage scales
Side panels and gates around the platform keep the animal centered and stop it from stepping or jumping off. For goats in particular, this is often the difference between a reading and a rodeo. The LS-930 5' x 30" cage is rated to 2,000 lb, rolls on swivel casters and is made for hogs, sheep, calves and goats. The LS-920-2K is also sold with a cage system.
Weigh beams under a crate or platform
Weigh beams (load bars) sit under a platform, crate or handling box, so the weighing point can be built into the race your sheep already move through. The LS-WB weigh beam system comes in lengths from 24" to 60", with an indicator that runs on a rechargeable battery. Check the platform or crate fits your animals and your race before you buy.
Alleyway scales
A long, narrow scale that sits in a working alley so animals walk on and off in sequence. The LS-929-M aluminum alleyway (7' x 26", 2,500 lb) is built for larger livestock; it makes sense if you weigh sheep or goats alongside cattle or pigs.
Weighing goats vs weighing sheep
The same scale can do both, but the animals behave very differently on it.
- Goats climb and jump. Use a cage or high sides, and keep the deck low so they don't feel exposed. A goat that can put one foot off the platform will give you a wrong weight.
- Sheep follow the flock. They move best when the scale sits in the race with other sheep in sight ahead and behind. Weigh beams under a crate in the race suit larger flocks.
- Fleece holds water. Wet wool can add real weight. Weigh sheep dry, and compare weights taken in similar conditions, pre- or post-shearing.
- Horns and handling. Make sure gates and panels clear horned animals and that nothing can catch a leg.
Weighing pigs too? Pigs need a different setup, which our pig and hog scale guide covers.
Liberty goat and sheep scales compared
| Model | Format | Platform | Capacity | Price* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LS-922 vet scale | Low-profile stainless platform, anti-skid mat | 43" x 20", 2" high | See product page | $299.00 | Vet work and small flocks, floor or tabletop |
| LS-920-2K | Low platform, cage optional | 50" x 20" | Up to 2,000 lb | $499.00; with cage $999.00; USA-made from $918.99 | Weighing in the pen, on battery power |
| LS-930 5' x 30" cage | Portable cage on casters | 60" x 30" | 2,000 lb, 0.5 lb accuracy | $1,699.00 | Goats and lively animals, one at a time |
| LS-WB weigh beams | Beams under your crate or platform | 24" to 60" lengths | 5,000 lb x 1 lb to 20,000 lb x 2 lb, by length | $573.99 to $1,148.99 | Larger flocks weighing in the race |
| LS-929-M alleyway | Aluminum alleyway | 7' x 26" | 2,500 lb | $1,999.00 | Mixed operations that also weigh cattle or pigs |
*Prices from libertyscales.com product pages on November 2, 2026. Prices and stock can change; the product page always shows the current price.
See every option in the livestock and agriculture scales collection, or ask our team which setup fits your flock and handling area.
Features worth paying for
- Sure footing. A tread-plate deck or rubber mat, like the LS-922's anti-skid mat, keeps hooves from sliding and animals calmer.
- Containment. A cage or side panels for goats and nervous animals.
- Portability. Handles and wheels on the LS-920-2K, casters with brakes on the LS-930, so the scale goes to the pen.
- Battery power. The LS-920-2K's LS-7515-C indicator and the LS-WB's LS-7516 indicator run on rechargeable batteries, so you can weigh where there is no outlet.
- Totals. The LS-930's indicator has an accumulation mode for totaling weights across a session, handy for a group of lambs going to sale.
- Data output. The LS-922 has an RS232 port if you want weights in a spreadsheet or flock software.
- Easy cleaning. Stainless and smooth decks hose off quickly between groups.
How to get an accurate weight
- Set up on firm, level ground, ideally concrete. On soft ground, put a solid base under the feet and level the scale.
- Zero the scale before the first animal and again whenever bedding, mud or manure builds up on the deck.
- Get all four feet on the platform and nothing else touching: no hand on the rail, no leg on the gate.
- Let the animal settle for a few seconds before you record the weight.
- Weigh at the same time of day and in similar conditions. Gut fill and wet fleece change live weight.
- Record every weight with the tag number and date so you can track gain over time.
- Check the scale now and then with a known weight, and clean the deck and keep the indicator dry after each session.
Selling lambs and goats by weight
If the weight sets the price, your state may require a legal-for-trade scale that has been inspected or sealed before commercial use. Rules vary, so check with your state weights and measures office before you buy, and have a qualified scale technician handle setup and certification. Several of the scales above are listed as non-NTEP, for internal weighing such as dosing and growth records. Our guide to NTEP certification explains the basics.
Goat and sheep scale FAQs
What kind of scale is best for weighing goats?
A cage scale or a low platform with high sides works best, because goats climb and jump. The LS-930 5' x 30" cage holds one animal at a time, and the LS-920-2K is also sold with a cage system.
What size scale do I need for sheep?
Any of our livestock scales has more than enough capacity for sheep. Focus on platform size, handling and readability instead: a low platform or cage for a few animals, or weigh beams under a crate in the race for larger flocks.
How much does a goat or sheep scale cost?
As of November 2, 2026, Liberty's goat and sheep options run from $299.00 for the LS-922 vet scale and $499.00 for the LS-920-2K up to $1,699.00 for the LS-930 5' x 30" cage. LS-WB weigh beams run from $573.99. Check each product page for the current price.
How do I weigh a newborn lamb or kid?
Many producers use a sling under a hanging scale, or weigh themselves holding the newborn and subtract their own weight. Use the same method every time so your records are comparable.
Do I need a legal-for-trade scale to sell lambs or goats by weight?
If the weight sets the sale price, your state may require a legal-for-trade scale that has been inspected or sealed. Check with your state weights and measures office, and have a qualified scale technician handle setup and certification.
Find the right goat and sheep scale
Browse the livestock and agriculture scales collection, or read our guides to calf scales and pig scales. For help choosing, call Liberty Scales at (661) 888-1919 or send us a message.