Goat Breeds and Selection

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Goat Breeds and Selection
Capra hircus
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Goat Breeds and SelectionOverview

• Major Breeds of Goats (Dairy, Meat and Mohair)

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Dairy Goat Breeds

• More people in the world drink goat milk
• than cow milk, although in the US the
• opposite is true.
• Goat milk is similar nutritionally to cow
• milk, but it contains smaller fat globules
• and as a consequence it is easier for
• some people to digest and it does not
• require homogenization.

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Major Breeds of GoatsAlpine (French Alps)

• Medium to large sized
• only breed with upright ears
• all colors and combinations of colors.
• Hair is medium to short
• straight face with roman nose.

Dairy Breed
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Major Breeds GoatsGolden Guernsey (Channel
island British)

• color varies from cream to brown
• usually polled
• lower in milk production than most Swiss breeds
• higher in butter fat and protein

Dairy Breed
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Major Breeds of GoatsSaanen (Switzerland)
Dairy Breed

• Usually yields 3-4 milkfat
• medium to large in size
• white or light cream in color.
• Ears are erect and carried forward.
• Face straight or dished
• Are popular with dairies due to the quantity of
  milk they produce.

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Major Breeds GoatsNubian (Oriental)

• Large framed
• face being convex between the eyes and muzzle
• ears are long, wide and pendulous. They flare
  out in a bell shape.
• Any color or colors, solid or patterned
• Their milk tends to be higher in protein and
  butter fat than other breeds.

Dairy Breed
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Major Breeds GoatsLaMancha (Oregon)
Dairy Breed

• Face is straight
• Gopher ear - max one inch in length preferably
  non-existent
• They have ears that are so small that it looks
  like they don't have ears (no cartilage)
• Elf ear-max. length of two inches with tip being
  turned up or down
• Any color or combination is acceptable.
• Hair is short, fine and glossy
• high butterfat

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Major Breeds of GoatsToggenburg (Switzerland)
Oberhasli kid with wattles

• Medium in size
• Hair is short or medium in length
• Ears are Erect and Forward
• Face may be straight or dished
• Color is solid varying from light fawn to dark
  chocolate
• Distinct white markings
• white ears with dark spot in middle
• two white stripes down face from above each eye
• white legs below knee and hock
• white triangle on either side of the tail.
• some have wattles

Dairy Breed
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Major Breeds GoatsAngora (Asia Minor)
Mohair Production

• Both sexes are horned
• Pronounced spiral to the horn
• Utilized in Mohair Production (Mohair is a silky
  textile produced from the hair of the angora
  goat).
• White in color

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Goat Breeds and SelectionAngora Goat Selection

• In selecting for fiber, one is interested in both
  quantity (weight) and quality of fiber (length,
  fineness, style, character, etc.).
• In addition to fiber, one must be concerned with
  traits that contribute to the survival or
  viability (soundness, fertility, etc.) of the
  individual.

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Major Breeds GoatsBoer (South Africa)
Meat Breed

• Also known as the Africander
• Early maturing
• Predominantly white with red head but some solid
  red exist.
• Fertile

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Major Breeds of GoatsSpanish (Spain)

• Feral goat or brush goat native to U.S.
• Descended from the goats that were released or
  escaped from the early Spanish explorers
• Utilized for meat.
• Fat content is less than beef.

Meat Breed
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Major Breeds GoatsNigerian Dwarf (West Africa)

• Main colors are black, chocolate and gold with
  random white markings.
• Breed year round
• They give 3-4 of milk per day at 6 to 10
  butterfat
• They make great pets

Misc.
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Major Breeds of GoatsPygmy Goat (Africa)

• Full coat of straight, medium-long hair.
• All colors are acceptable
• muzzle, forehead, eyes and ears are accented in
  tones lighter than the dark portion of the body.
• Make good pets

Misc.
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• Questions

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Major Breeds of GoatsQuiz 1
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Major Breeds of GoatsQuiz 1
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Major Breeds of GoatsAnswers to Quiz 1
Angora
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Boer Goat
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Nubian
Alpine
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Major Breeds of GoatsQuiz 1
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Pygmy
LaMancha
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Toggenburg
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Saanen
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