Breeds of Ruminants – Goats, Sheep, Cattle & Water Buffalo

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing origins, types and key distinguishing features of major goat, sheep, cattle and water-buffalo breeds discussed in the lecture.

Philippine Native Goat

Small, low-set meat goat native to the Philippines; red, white, black or mixed coat.

Boer Goat

South African meat breed; red head and neck, white body; prominent horns, short–medium hair.

Kalahari Red Goat

South African meat goat distinguished by its solid red coat colour.

Alpine Goat

French dairy breed; medium-large, erect ears, straight face; coat ranges white to fawn.

British Alpine Goat

British dairy goat; black coat with distinct white/cream markings; short, glossy hair.

La Mancha Goat

U.S. dairy breed noted for very tiny elf or gopher ears; straight face; varied coat colours.

Anglo-Nubian Goat

English dual-purpose goat; long pendulous ears, Roman nose; black, tan, cream, reddish-brown etc.

Saanen Goat

Swiss dairy breed called “Queen of Dairy Goats”; cream-to-white coat with black nose/udder spots; erect ears.

Toggenburg Goat

Swiss dairy goat; light fawn–dark chocolate coat with white facial & limb markings; semi-erect ears.

Oberhasli Goat

Swiss dairy goat formerly “Swiss Alpine”; medium size, solid bay colouring.

Nigerian Dwarf Goat

West African miniature dairy goat; 3–4 lb milk/day at 6.1 % butterfat; many colours/patterns.

Kiko Goat

New Zealand meat goat; name means “flesh”; hardy, fast-growing.

Tennessee Fainting Goat

U.S. meat goat that stiffens and falls when startled (myotonia); usually black & white.

Angora Goat

Asia Minor fibre goat producing ~5.3 lb mohair per shearing; 12–15 cm staple length.

Cashmere Goat

Central Asian fibre goat yielding up to 2.5 lb of fine, soft cashmere annually.

Pygmy Goat

Cameroon dwarf fancy/meat goat; very small body, agouti (grizzled) coat pattern.

Gembrong Goat

Endangered Bali meat breed; males carry 15–25 cm hair; mostly white, some light brown.

Upgraded Goat 50 % Nubian

50 % Philippine Native × 50 % Anglo-Nubian; meat type; taller & heavier than native, various colours.

Upgraded Goat 75 % Nubian

25 % Philippine Native × 75 % Anglo-Nubian; dual-purpose; larger than 50 : 50 cross, varied colours.

Three-Way Crossbred Goat

12.5 % Native, 37.5 % Nubian, 50 % Boer; meat type; mostly white with brown/black spots, droopy speckled ears.

Dorper Sheep

South African meat hair sheep; black-headed or white-headed; hardy, adaptable, good mothers.

Katahdin Sheep

U.S. meat hair sheep; no shearing needed; heat & parasite tolerant.

St. Croix Sheep

Virgin Islands meat sheep; climate adapted, fertile, strong parasite resistance.

Barbados Blackbelly Sheep

Caribbean meat sheep; prolific, heat tolerant, parasite-resistant; both sexes polled.

East Friesian Sheep

German dairy sheep; top producer (500–700 kg milk, 6–7 % fat); white wool & face; polled.

Awassi Sheep

Middle-Eastern dairy breed; white body with brown head/legs; rams horned, ewes often polled.

Guzerat Cattle

Indian Zebu; very large, powerful draft & moderate milk; long drooping ears; light gray to black.

Gir Cattle

Indian dual-purpose Zebu; domed forehead, long pendulous ears; red-to-white mottled coat.

Nelore Cattle

Brazilian/Indian Zebu; white coat, black skin; long legs, short ears, upward brown horns.

Krishna Valley Cattle

Indian Zebu composite; massive loosely built body, gray-white coat; small pointed ears, up-curved horns.

Red Sindhi Cattle

Indian/Pakistani Zebu; heat hardy, high milk; deep red coat varying yellowish-brown to dark brown.

Africander Cattle

South African red Zebu derivative; long lateral creamy horns with amber tips; beef-only breed.

Charolais Cattle

French temperate beef breed; large white body, pink muzzle; horned or polled.

Limousin Cattle

French beef breed; strong-boned, golden-red coat; muscular.

Simmental Cattle

Swiss beef breed; gold-to-red body with white head and markings; horned or polled.

Chianina Cattle

Italian giant beef breed; white coat, black skin; forward-curved short horns; heavy muscling.

Beef Shorthorn

British beef breed; red, white or roan coat variants.

Hereford Cattle

British beef breed; dark red body with white face, crest & underline; down-curving horns.

Angus Cattle

Scottish naturally polled beef breed; black or red; high-quality marbled carcass.

Brahman Cattle

U.S. composite of Indian Zebus; huge hump, loose skin; light grey to almost black; pendulous ears.

Santa Gertrudis

U.S. 3/8 Brahman × 5/8 Shorthorn; solid red, slick coat; broad, well-muscled—America’s first beef breed.

Indu-Brazil

Brazilian Guzerat-Gir-Nelore mix; very large pendulous ears; white-to-dark grey, taller than Brahman.

Beefmaster

U.S. ½ Brahman ¼ Hereford ¼ Shorthorn; light–dark red; bred for six essentials (fertility, milk, weight, conformation, hardiness, disposition).

Brangus

3/8 Brahman 5/8 Angus composite; black or red, polled; sleek coat.

Braford

3/8 Brahman 5/8 Hereford; red with white underparts/head; superior maternal traits.

Charbray

3/8 Brahman 5/8 Charolais; creamy white, minimal hump; heavily muscled.

Droughtmaster

Australian ½ Shorthorn ½ Brahman; red/golden to dark red coat; majority polled, short sleek hair.

Murray Grey

Australian Shorthorn × Angus; silver-grey, polled; noted for marbled beef.

Belmont Red

Africander × Hereford × Shorthorn; smooth red coat; heat & tick adapted.

Mandalong Special

Composite (Charolais, Chianina, Polled Shorthorn, British White, Brahman); light cream-to-dun; small at birth, rapid growth.

Simbrah

3/8 Brahman 5/8 Simmental; red or black with white face markings; slight hump, large ears.

Beefalo

3/8 American Bison × 5/8 domestic bovine; dense fine coat; hardy in extreme climates.

Holstein Friesian

World’s highest-yielding dairy cow; black-white or red-white; up to ~34 kg milk/day; low heat resistance.

Jersey Cattle

Small Channel Island dairy breed; light brown coat, black nose/feet; butterfat-rich milk.

Guernsey Cattle

Channel Island dairy breed; yellow-to-reddish brown with white; milk high in beta-carotene (golden colour).

Brown Swiss

Old Swiss dairy breed; light brown coat, dark muzzle; dual purpose; blue eye pigment; horned/polled.

Sahiwal

South Asian Zebu dairy breed; highest milking Zebu; reddish brown; thrives in hot climates.

Tharparkar

Indian dual-purpose Zebu; white/grey with darker backbone stripe; semi-pendulous ears, horned or polled.

Philippine Native Cattle

Small grey-to-brown cattle used for draft, meat and some milk; males have small hump.

Murrah Buffalo

Indian river-type water buffalo; jet black, tight curved horns; top milk producer among Indian breeds.

Nili-Ravi Buffalo

Pakistani/Indian river-type; black wedge-shaped body; small curly horns; white markings & wall eyes.

Jafarabadi Buffalo

Indian river-type; black; very large flat horns that drop along neck then curve up.

Surti Buffalo

Indian river-type; black/brown with hook-shaped horns and white jaw/brisket streaks.

Buffalypso

Trinidad river-type composite; black or brown; horns curve back/up; noted tuberculosis resistance.

Philippine Carabao

Swamp-type buffalo; light grey–slate grey; sickle horns; low, wide build with chevron mark.