Goat Breeds and Selection

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Goat Breeds and Selection
Capra hircus
Original Power Points Created by Sherri
Wiggs Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education
Curriculum Office June 2002
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Goat Breeds and SelectionOverview

• Major Breeds of Goats (Dairy, Meat and Mohair)
• Parts of a Goat
• Judging Goats
• Dairy
• Mohair
• Meat
• Assignment

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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 GoatsAngora (Asia Minor)

• Both sexes are horned
• Pronounced spiral to the horn
• Utilized in Mohair Production
• White in color

Mohair Production
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Major Breeds GoatsBoer (South Africa)

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

Meat Breed
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Major Breeds GoatsGolden Guernsey (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 GoatsLaMancha (Oregon)

• Face is straight
• Gopher ear - max one inch in length preferably
  non-existent
• 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

Dairy 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 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

Dairy Breed
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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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Major Breeds of GoatsSaanen (Switzerland)

• 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

Dairy Breed
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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 of GoatsToggenburg (Switzerland)

• 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 of GoatsQuiz 1
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2
4
3
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Major Breeds of GoatsQuiz 1
6
5
8
7
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Major Breeds of GoatsAnswers to Quiz 1
Angora
1
2
Boer Goat
4
3
Nubian
Alpine
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Major Breeds of GoatsQuiz 1
6
Pygmy
LaMancha
5
Toggenburg
8
Saanen
7
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Goat Breeds and SelectionParts of a Goat
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Goat Breeds and SelectionJudging Dairy Goats

• Correct conformation of dairy goats is essential
  for a productive and successful operation.
• It is important to evaluate the differences of
  goats as they related to each other as well as
  how they relate to the breed ideal.

American Dairy Goat Association Standard Score
Card General Appearance - 30 Mammary System -
30 Dairy Character - 20 Body Capacity - 20
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Goat Breeds and SelectionJudging Dairy Goats

• General Appearance Impressive style and
  carriage, possessing attractiveness and feminity.
  
• Mammary System Strongly attached and high
  quality udder, indicating high production and
  longevity.
• Dairy Character Angularity and general openness
  throughout.
• Body Capacity Relative to the size of the
  animal, providing ample capacity for feed intake
  and production.

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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,absence of kemp,
  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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Goat Breeds and SelectionAngora Goat Selection

• Selection based on quantity of fiber is
  accomplished by
• size of the animal
• completeness of cover
• length of fiber (four inches minimum)
• diameter of fiber (finer fibers preferred)
• differences in density (desirable lock formation)
• Selection based on fleece weight
• grease (oil)
• dirt
• Selection based on age
• Weaning or first shearing is a poor time
• Select the animal at second and third shearing
  (12-18mts. Old)

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Goat Breeds and SelectionJudging Meat Goats

• Conformation
• Rectangular in appearance from the side
• Straight level top and belly
• Length of rump, body, and leg are important
• Legs should be straight and placed squarely under
  the body and should show evidence of muscling.
• Width between front legs
• trim brisket
• hindquarter should be muscular with loin and
  rumbp being of uniform width.
• Legs should be square and wide from the rear view

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Goat Breeds and SelectionJudging Meat Goats

• General Appearance
• Stature Overall Skeletal Size
• Head Both Strength and refinement
• Front End (combination of chest and shoulder
  features) wide chest smooth blending shoulder
  with sharp withers
• Front Legs Sound
• Back Straight, wide, long and level
• Rump long, wide and level from thurl to thurl
• Hind Legs wide and straight well muscled stifle
• Feet strong pasterns with even tight toes

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Goat Breeds and SelectionJudging Meat Goats

• MUSCLE
• Hindquarters long deeply attached muscle, thick
  high stifle, muscle over the thurl and rump
  should be obvious.
• Loin should be wide with a symmetrically oval
  shape on each side of the backbone which should
  carry over the rack.
• Shoulders muscling should increase from the
  withers to the point of shoulder with the
  thickest muscle being above the chest floor.
  Forearm muscle should be prominent.
• Neck Neck and shoulder should be free of waste.
  Smoothness and quality are important. A long
  clean neck with muscle and balance is desirable.

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Goat Breeds and SelectionJudging Meat Goats

• Condition refers to the amount of fat the animal
  is carrying. The ideal condition is thin but
  uniform. The external fat thickness over the
  loin at the 13th rib should be between .08 to .12
  inches or an average of .1 inch.

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GoatBreeds and SelectionSuggested
Activity(Breeds of Goats Collage)

• 1. Divide the class into pairs.
• 2. Distribute old livestock magazines and
  periodicals among the class. Encourage them to
  share.
• 3. Direct the students to compile 15 different
  pictures in which they can identify the breed.
  (They must find atleast 8 different breeds)
• 4. After the students have collected their
  pictures, distribute a piece of poster board to
  each pair.
• 5. Provide colored pencils, markers and glue for
  them to arrange, number and identify their
  pictures in a creative way.
• 6. Display the projects in the classroom.
• 7. Have the students, after viewing all
  projects, make a list of the different breeds
  found.

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Goat Breeds and SelectionSuggested Assignment
Sheets

• Assignment - Use resource materials to locate
  information about goat breeds.
• -Use the Internet to locate the information and
  then have the students present their report in
  the form of a power point presentation.
  (ansi.okstate.edu)
• Use the local computer instructor for a team
  teaching project.

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Goat Terminology Other Items of Interest

• Female goat doe
• Male goat buck
• Young goats kids
• Twins are most common
• How long is pregnancy (gestation) in
  goats?Gestation lasts five months in goats. The
  range is 146-155 days.
• Meat goat production is one of the
  oldest and the most widespread of
  animal enterprises in the world.