Goat Breeds

• excellent milkers and usually have large, well-shaped udders with well-placed teats of desirable shape

• both sexes are generally short haired, but bucks usually have a roach of long hair along the spine

french alpine

• distinguished by very short, or the total lack of, external ears

• crossing of short-eared goat of Spanish origin with purebreds of the Swiss breeds

la mancha

• characterized by long drooping bell-shaped ears, convex (roman) noses and a short, glossy hair coat

• relatively large, proud, and graceful dairy goat of Oriental origin, known for high quality, high milk fat percentage

anglo-nubian

• markings: two black stripes down the face with the forehead nearly all black, black legs below the knees and hocks, and ears black inside and bay outside

• color preferred is chamois but may be black

oberhasli

• white or light cream in color with white preferred

• erect ears

• tendency toward a roman nose is discriminated against

saanen

• markings: two white stripes on the face from eye area to nose, around the outer edge of the ear, from foot to knee, from foot to hock and as a triangular patch on each side of the tail, covering the pin bone area

toggenberg

• similar to the Saanen in appearance, pure white, shorthaired without any colored hair allowed

• upright ears

• most are hornless

white shorthaired goat

• horned breed with lop ears and showing a variety of color patterns

• low maintenance animal that has sufficient milk to rear a kid that is early maturing

boer

• when they are frightened or excited they "lock up" and often fall over (faint) and lie very stiff for a few seconds

• heavy rumped, deep chested animals.

• most are black and white but multi colors are not uncommon

myotonic (wooden leg)

• sheared once a year and a full grown adult buck will yield as much as 2.5 pounds of fleece

• not jumpers

• easy to raise, healthy animals and take only minimal care

cashmere

• usually sheared twice a year

• both sexes are horned, bucks usually have a pronounced spiral to the horn, which comes back and away from the head

angora