ANML SC - Goat Breeds

Picture with characteristics of 11 kinds of goat breeds

Toggenburgs

• Toggeburg Valley, Switzerland

• Does: 100-135 lbs, Bucks: 150-175

• Light to dark chocolate

• Oldest dairy goat breed

• Usually polled

• Wattles

• >2000 lbs/yr

• Record - 7, 965 lbs

Anglo Nubian (Nubian)

• Most numerous dairy in the U.S.

• British x Egyptian x Indian breeds

• Does: 130 - 135 lbs, Bucks: 175 - 180

• Any combo of colors

• Pendulant ears, Roman nose

• Usually short haired

• Polled ( hornless, de-horned )

  • ~1770 lbs/yr

• Low quantity, Hi BF

French Alpine

• Pure white to black

  • many varied color patterns

• Does: 125 - 135 lbs, Bucks: 170-180 lbs

• Erect ears

• No dewlap (chin sacs)

• Polled or horned

• ~2,000 lbs/ year

• Roach of long hair on back and beard in males

Saanen

• Saanen Valley of Switzerland

• Largest dairy goat breed

• Does: ≥ 135 lbs, Bucks: 185lbs

• White or cream colored

• Erect ears

• Polled

• Bucks and does can be bearded

  • Tuft on hair on bucks

• Holsteins of dairy goats

  • large amounts of low fat milk

• 2, 116 lbs/ yr

• 1997 World Record - 7,714 lbs

La Mancha

• New (1958) So Ca

  • Short eared Spanish x Swiss breeds

• Any color

• Gopher ear: 0-1 inch with little or no cartilage, end of ear must be turned up or down

• Elf ear: Max of 2 inches, end of ear must be turned up or down & cartilage shaping ear is allowed

• 1,797 lbs/ yr

• Does: 130 lbs, Bucks: 155 lbs

Oberhasli

• Switzerland

• Chamois (Bay —> Reddish)

• All purebreds

• Dorsal black stripe

• Two black stripes down the face to a black muzzle, forehead nearly black, black stripes from the base each of ear coming to a point just back of poll, black belly and udder, black legs below knees and hocks

• Does: 120 - 130 lbs, Bucks: 100 - 150 lbs

• Originally called Swiss Alpines

• High altitude goats

Angora

• Ancient breed from Angora, Turkey

• Horned White (sometimes black)

• Open - faced

• Both sexes horned

• Fleece = Mohair

• Avg: 5.3 lbs of Mohair per shearing and sheared 2x a year 7-13 lbs a year

• Young fleece softer

  • more valuable

Cashmere

• No true genetic breed or registry

• Cashmere - soft down or winter undercoats of fiber

  • begins in late July and stops in late December

  • will shed if not harvested

• Most of supply from: China, Afghanistan, Iran, Indian, Australian and New Zealand

Boer

• Eastern Cape Province of S. Africa

• White color, red head, white blaze

• Horned and roman nose

• Does: 200-265 lbs; Bucks: 240 - 380 lbs

• Ovulation rate: 1-4 eggs per cycle

• Non - seasonal breeders

  • 3 kidding every 2 years

• 0.3 - 0.4 lbs / day in a feedlot

Spanish

• Spanish explorers (Coronado, De Soto) brought goats as a meat source on ships b/c agile, friendly, easy diet. These goats were released or escaped in the Americas when other source of meat were found

• Brush clearance

• Feral Goats

  • Small udders, b/c big udders were cut by thorns, rocks, etc…

• Body, shape, horns not consistent

• Meat production

• Highly prolific

Pygmy

• W. Africa

• Achondroplastic dwarf

• Resistant to tsetse fly

• < 20 inches tall

• High BF

• 4H, FFA, Pets