Sheep and Goat Breeds

Breed selection

-Purpose or use

-Environmental conditions and adaptability

-Reproductive efficiency

-Growth performance

-Carcass characteristics

-Productivity

What are meat goat breeds selected for?

-Growth rate

-Feed efficiency

-Total edible % of animal

-Dressing %

-Carcass traits

Boer goats

-Meat breed

-Extended breeding season

-Good carcass

-Very prolific

-Excellent growth rates

Kiko goats

-Meat breed

-Hardy

-Leaner carcass

-Good maternal qualities

Kalahari Red goats

-Meat breed

-Tougher/more robust than boer

Spanish goats

-Meat breed

-Very prolific

-Breeds well out-of-season

-Not very rapid growth rates

Myotonic goats

-Meat breed

-Fainting goats

-Excellent out-of-season breeding

-Desirable maternal qualities

Alpine goats

-Dairy breed

-Selected for uniformity, large size, and high milk production

LaMancha goats

-Dairy breed

-Good temperament and hardy

-Lower milk production and higher fat

Nubian goats

-All purpose - meat, milk, hide

-Extended breeding season

-Suitable for hot environment

Saanen goats

-Dairy breed

-Good milk production, avg butterfat

Toggenburg goats

-Dairy breed

-Hardy

-Productive milker, avg butterfat

Angora goats

-Fiber breed (mohair)

-Does not shed out naturally

-Not prolific and lack good maternal qualities

-Very susceptible to internal parasites

Cashmere goats

-Fiber breed

-Luxurious fiber

-Easy to raise and manage

Nigerian Dwarf goats

-Pet

-Gentle/docile

-Very prolific - breed year round

Pygmy goats

-Pet/meat

-Small with short legs, large torso, and broad head

Cheviot sheep

-Meat breed

-Resistant to worms and foot rot

Dorset sheep

-Meat breed

-Medium sized with high quality white wool

Hampshire sheep

-Meat breed

-Mild demeanor

Suffolk sheep

-Meat breed

-Most popular breed in US

-Produce large amounts of meat and heavy milking but poor fleece

-Grow fast, lean muscular carcass

-Not good maternal instincts

Merino sheep

-Wool breed

-Very fine fleece (20lbs of wool per year)

-Used in textile industry

Rambouillet sheep

-Dual purpose breed (meat and wool)

-Acceptable growth and carcass traits

Columbia sheep

-Dual purpose (wool and meat)

-Produce medium wool and large amounts of meat

-More susceptible to foot rot and worm resistance

Targhee sheep

-Dual purpose (meat and wool)

-Midway between Fambouillets and Columbias in wool fineness

Lincoln sheep

-Long wool

-heavy fleeced

-Heaviest breed in the world

Katahdin sheep

-Hair breed

-Emphasis on production not appearance

-Meat-type conformation

-High fertility

-Flocking instinct

Dorper sheep

-Hair sheep

-Hardy