American Lamancha goat
Encyclopedia
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
by Mrs. Eula Fay Frey. The Lamancha goat is a member of the Capra
Capra (genus)
Capra is a genus of mammals, the goats or wild goats, composed of up to nine species including the wild goat, the markhor and several species known as ibex....
genus, specifically Capra aegagrus hircus (sometimes called Capra hircus), like all domestic goats.
Lamancha goats are perhaps the most distinctive goat breed; easily recognizable by their very short ear pinnae. They are also known for their high milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
production, and the comparatively high butterfat
Butterfat
Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain.- Composition :The fatty acids of butterfat are typically composed as follows :...
content in their milk. The short-eared American Lamanchas first gained recognition as a distinct breed in the early 1950s, and the breed was registered formally on January 27, 1958 as "Lamancha or American Lamancha" goats. Approximately 200 animals were accepted at registration as its original stock. The first true American Lamancha goat registered was named Fay's Ernie, L-1.
Color
Lamancha goats may be any color known to occur in goats.They are white and brown and colorful
Ears
Modern Lamancha ear definitions, according to the American Dairy Goat AssociationAmerican Dairy Goat Association
The American Dairy Goat Association or ADGA is a United States not-for-profit corporation dedicated to dairy goats. Its purpose is to promote the dairy goat industry, by providing and circulating sound information about goats and goats' milk; maintaining and publishing herd books and production...
(ADGA) breed standard
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
are,
"Gopher ear: An approximate maximum length of 1 inch but preferably nonexistent and with very little or no cartilage. The end of the ear must be turned up or down. This is the only ear type which will make bucks eligible for registration."
"Elf ear: An approximate maximum length of 2 inches is allowed, the end of the ear must be turned up or turned down and cartilage shaping the small ear is allowed."
History of the ears
When first registered as a breed, there were four distinctly described types of ears cataloged as acceptable for Lamancha breed registry. These were two specific 'gopher' types; short and long, and two 'elf' types; regular Lamancha ears and Cookie ears. Short gopher ears were closest to the head, could have one fold (but no length), and gave a smooth appearance to the head. After 1960, these were the only ear-type that a registered buck could have. Long gopher ears were small and round-tipped, between one-half inch and one inch long, and accordion-folded, such that when pulled out flat and released, they would fold right back. The elf types were a little longer, but still very small compared to other breeds. Cookie ears, named by Mrs. Frey after the first goat born with such ears, were pointy-tipped and turned up and back toward the head; hugging closely to the head. Regular Lamancha ears were flat, stood out from the head, bent downward, and could be an inch or up to two inches long. Only Lamanchas with Swiss-type (long) ears were unregisterable.
Mrs. Frey's herd consisted mostly of regular Lamancha-eared and Cookie-eared goats, but the 1960 rule specifying only gopher-eared bucks did not disqualify pre-existing registered bucks, so her herd as it stood at the time remained registered, though later bucks born had to conform to the standard to be registered. In the early to mid-1980s, the breed standard was changed to define only two types of ears: gopher and elf.
Ancestral bloodlines and breed history
The precise ancestral heritage of the Lamancha goat is still unknown, though references to short-eared goats date back as far as records from ancient Persia. Earless goats from La ManchaLa Mancha
La Mancha is a natural and historical region or greater comarca located on an arid, fertile, elevated plateau of central Spain, south of Madrid, stretching between the Montes de Toledo and the western spurs of the Serrania de Cuenca. It is bounded on the south by the Sierra Morena and on the north...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, (probably what are now known as Spanish La Mancha goat
La Mancha goat
The La Mancha goat is an old breed of dairy and meat goat bred in the La Mancha plateau region of Spain. La Mancha goats were brought to Mexico by the Spanish and from there, imported to the United States, where they are believed to have formed part of the ancestral bloodline of the American...
s) were first exhibited at the World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1904, labeled simply, "La Mancha, Cordoba, Spain."
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
by Mrs. Eula Fay Frey. The Lamancha goat is a member of the Capra
Capra (genus)
Capra is a genus of mammals, the goats or wild goats, composed of up to nine species including the wild goat, the markhor and several species known as ibex....
genus, specifically Capra aegagrus hircus (sometimes called Capra hircus), like all domestic goats.
Lamancha goats are perhaps the most distinctive goat breed; easily recognizable by their very short ear pinnae. They are also known for their high milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
production, and the comparatively high butterfat
Butterfat
Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain.- Composition :The fatty acids of butterfat are typically composed as follows :...
content in their milk. The short-eared American Lamanchas first gained recognition as a distinct breed in the early 1950s, and the breed was registered formally on January 27, 1958 as "Lamancha or American Lamancha" goats. Approximately 200 animals were accepted at registration as its original stock. The first true American Lamancha goat registered was named Fay's Ernie, L-1.
Color
Lamancha goats may be any color known to occur in goats.They are white and brown and colorful
Ears
Modern Lamancha ear definitions, according to the American Dairy Goat AssociationAmerican Dairy Goat Association
The American Dairy Goat Association or ADGA is a United States not-for-profit corporation dedicated to dairy goats. Its purpose is to promote the dairy goat industry, by providing and circulating sound information about goats and goats' milk; maintaining and publishing herd books and production...
(ADGA) breed standard
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
are,
"Gopher ear: An approximate maximum length of 1 inch but preferably nonexistent and with very little or no cartilage. The end of the ear must be turned up or down. This is the only ear type which will make bucks eligible for registration."
"Elf ear: An approximate maximum length of 2 inches is allowed, the end of the ear must be turned up or turned down and cartilage shaping the small ear is allowed."
History of the ears
When first registered as a breed, there were four distinctly described types of ears cataloged as acceptable for Lamancha breed registry. These were two specific 'gopher' types; short and long, and two 'elf' types; regular Lamancha ears and Cookie ears. Short gopher ears were closest to the head, could have one fold (but no length), and gave a smooth appearance to the head. After 1960, these were the only ear-type that a registered buck could have. Long gopher ears were small and round-tipped, between one-half inch and one inch long, and accordion-folded, such that when pulled out flat and released, they would fold right back. The elf types were a little longer, but still very small compared to other breeds. Cookie ears, named by Mrs. Frey after the first goat born with such ears, were pointy-tipped and turned up and back toward the head; hugging closely to the head. Regular Lamancha ears were flat, stood out from the head, bent downward, and could be an inch or up to two inches long. Only Lamanchas with Swiss-type (long) ears were unregisterable.
Mrs. Frey's herd consisted mostly of regular Lamancha-eared and Cookie-eared goats, but the 1960 rule specifying only gopher-eared bucks did not disqualify pre-existing registered bucks, so her herd as it stood at the time remained registered, though later bucks born had to conform to the standard to be registered. In the early to mid-1980s, the breed standard was changed to define only two types of ears: gopher and elf.
Ancestral bloodlines and breed history
The precise ancestral heritage of the Lamancha goat is still unknown, though references to short-eared goats date back as far as records from ancient Persia. Earless goats from La ManchaLa Mancha
La Mancha is a natural and historical region or greater comarca located on an arid, fertile, elevated plateau of central Spain, south of Madrid, stretching between the Montes de Toledo and the western spurs of the Serrania de Cuenca. It is bounded on the south by the Sierra Morena and on the north...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, (probably what are now known as Spanish La Mancha goat
La Mancha goat
The La Mancha goat is an old breed of dairy and meat goat bred in the La Mancha plateau region of Spain. La Mancha goats were brought to Mexico by the Spanish and from there, imported to the United States, where they are believed to have formed part of the ancestral bloodline of the American...
s) were first exhibited at the World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1904, labeled simply, "La Mancha, Cordoba, Spain."
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
by Mrs. Eula Fay Frey. The Lamancha goat is a member of the Capra
Capra (genus)
Capra is a genus of mammals, the goats or wild goats, composed of up to nine species including the wild goat, the markhor and several species known as ibex....
genus, specifically Capra aegagrus hircus (sometimes called Capra hircus), like all domestic goats.
Lamancha goats are perhaps the most distinctive goat breed; easily recognizable by their very short ear pinnae. They are also known for their high milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
production, and the comparatively high butterfat
Butterfat
Butterfat or milkfat is the fatty portion of milk. Milk and cream are often sold according to the amount of butterfat they contain.- Composition :The fatty acids of butterfat are typically composed as follows :...
content in their milk. The short-eared American Lamanchas first gained recognition as a distinct breed in the early 1950s, and the breed was registered formally on January 27, 1958 as "Lamancha or American Lamancha" goats. Approximately 200 animals were accepted at registration as its original stock. The first true American Lamancha goat registered was named Fay's Ernie, L-1.
Color
Lamancha goats may be any color known to occur in goats.They are white and brown and colorful
Ears
Modern Lamancha ear definitions, according to the American Dairy Goat AssociationAmerican Dairy Goat Association
The American Dairy Goat Association or ADGA is a United States not-for-profit corporation dedicated to dairy goats. Its purpose is to promote the dairy goat industry, by providing and circulating sound information about goats and goats' milk; maintaining and publishing herd books and production...
(ADGA) breed standard
Breed standard
A breed standard in animal fancy and animal husbandry is a set of guidelines which is used to ensure that the animals produced by a breeder or breeding facility conform to the specifics of the breed....
are,
"Gopher ear: An approximate maximum length of 1 inch but preferably nonexistent and with very little or no cartilage. The end of the ear must be turned up or down. This is the only ear type which will make bucks eligible for registration."
"Elf ear: An approximate maximum length of 2 inches is allowed, the end of the ear must be turned up or turned down and cartilage shaping the small ear is allowed."
History of the ears
When first registered as a breed, there were four distinctly described types of ears cataloged as acceptable for Lamancha breed registry. These were two specific 'gopher' types; short and long, and two 'elf' types; regular Lamancha ears and Cookie ears. Short gopher ears were closest to the head, could have one fold (but no length), and gave a smooth appearance to the head. After 1960, these were the only ear-type that a registered buck could have. Long gopher ears were small and round-tipped, between one-half inch and one inch long, and accordion-folded, such that when pulled out flat and released, they would fold right back. The elf types were a little longer, but still very small compared to other breeds. Cookie ears, named by Mrs. Frey after the first goat born with such ears, were pointy-tipped and turned up and back toward the head; hugging closely to the head. Regular Lamancha ears were flat, stood out from the head, bent downward, and could be an inch or up to two inches long. Only Lamanchas with Swiss-type (long) ears were unregisterable.
Mrs. Frey's herd consisted mostly of regular Lamancha-eared and Cookie-eared goats, but the 1960 rule specifying only gopher-eared bucks did not disqualify pre-existing registered bucks, so her herd as it stood at the time remained registered, though later bucks born had to conform to the standard to be registered. In the early to mid-1980s, the breed standard was changed to define only two types of ears: gopher and elf.
Ancestral bloodlines and breed history
The precise ancestral heritage of the Lamancha goat is still unknown, though references to short-eared goats date back as far as records from ancient Persia. Earless goats from La ManchaLa Mancha
La Mancha is a natural and historical region or greater comarca located on an arid, fertile, elevated plateau of central Spain, south of Madrid, stretching between the Montes de Toledo and the western spurs of the Serrania de Cuenca. It is bounded on the south by the Sierra Morena and on the north...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, (probably what are now known as Spanish La Mancha goat
La Mancha goat
The La Mancha goat is an old breed of dairy and meat goat bred in the La Mancha plateau region of Spain. La Mancha goats were brought to Mexico by the Spanish and from there, imported to the United States, where they are believed to have formed part of the ancestral bloodline of the American...
s) were first exhibited at the World's Fair
World's Fair
World's fair, World fair, Universal Exposition, and World Expo are various large public exhibitions held in different parts of the world. The first Expo was held in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom, in 1851, under the title "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
in 1904, labeled simply, "La Mancha, Cordoba, Spain."> According to Goats for Dummies, Lamanchas were originally developed from Spanish Murciana
Murciana goat
Murciana, also called Murcian, Murcien, Murciene and Royal Murciana is a dual-purpose breed of goat originally bred in the Murcia province along the Mediterranean coast of southeastern Spain....
and Spanish La Mancha ancestors imported to the U.S. from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
as dairy and meat goats. Mason's World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds speculates that the Spanish short-eared goats in their lineage may have been the Spanish-American Criollo
Criollo
Criollo is a Spanish term that may refer to:-Groups of people and animals:* Criollo people, a caste in the Spanish race-based colonial caste system* Criollo horse, a South American horse breed...
goats; bred for both meat and milk and found principally in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, which were imported to South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
during the 16th century.
The registered Murciana whose bloodline ran through Mrs. Frey's herd was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gordon. The Murciana goat breed originated in the Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
province along the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast of southeastern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and while it is shorter eared than many goats, its ear is shaped like the Swiss breeds, such as Alpine
Alpine (goat)
Alpine is a breed of domestic goat known for its very good milking ability.They are multi-colored and have no set markings. They have erect ears, horns, and have a dish-face....
s, Oberhasli
Oberhasli
Oberhasli may refer to:* Oberhasli, a historical region in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Berne, Switzerland* Oberhasli District, a former district* Oberhasli , a breed of goat named after the Bernese district...
s and Saanens
Saanen goat
Saanen goats are a white or cream-colored breed of goat, named for the Saanen valley in Switzerland. Saanens are the largest of the goat dairy breeds. Does typically weigh 150 lb or more, with bucks weighing over 200 lb . The Saanen breed also produces the most milk on average, and tends to have a...
, and carried horizontally. This breed may have actually originated in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Display ads in The Goat World of the time indicate that the Murciana goats were in the U.S. by 1920, referred to as the "Royal Murciana." Dr. C. P. DeLangle, in his article The Murcien Goat, printed in the August 1921 issue of The Goat World wrote of them, "The Murcien goat is one, if not the handsomest goats known." By 1936 the Murcianas may have become scarce, as the January issue of the Dairy Goat Journal called for help to reestablish the breed, noting that there did not seem to be a pure-bred buck in America and that a Mrs. Katherine Kadel had the only purebred does at that time. The same article noted also that a reliable supply of Murcianas could be found in Mexico, in a herd imported from Spain that also contained Granada goats.
Spanish missionaries who colonized California
Spanish missions in California
The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious and military outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to...
brought with them a short-eared breed of goat suitable for either milk or meat production
Goat meat
Goat meat is the meat of the domestic goat . It is often called chevon or mutton when the meat comes from adults, and cabrito or kid when from young animals...
, which was very similar to the Lamancha goat. They referred to these as "cuties," "monas," and "monkeys"; nicknames used affectionately by the Spanish
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
for their "freaks." Seed animals from the initial herd were transplanted to each new mission, thus distributing these "monkeys" throughout the West. This strain of short-eared goats is generally assumed to be the progenitor of today's LaMancha goats.
At the end of the 19th century, a Mrs. Phoebe Wilhelm, of Mokelumne Hill
Mokelumne Hill, California
Mokelumne Hill is a census-designated place in Calaveras County, California, United States. The population was 646 at the 2010 census, down from 774 at the 2000 census. It is commonly referred to as "Moke Hill" by locals...
, in the Sierra foothills of northeastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, kept a herd of descendants of this tribe of imported short-eared goats; propagating them only with purebred Toggenburg bucks from the herd of Jane S. White. Other registered-breed bucks became available in the US during the 1920s, such as Alpines, Nubians, and Saanens. After 1930, Mrs. Wilhelm bred her short-eared does using purebred Alpine and Nubian bucks from the Blue Ribbon herd of Mrs. C.R. John.
Phoebe Wilhelm died between 1935 and 1940 and Edith Goodridge, known for her RioLinda herd, purchased 125 short-eared goats from her estate, which she noted were about half gopher-eared and half elf-eared. After 30–40 years of breeding short-eared does with long-eared bucks, the distinctive Lamancha-type ear had proven to be a strongly inherited trait.
Breeding type-to-type, using short-eared bucks, did not begin in earnest until the late 1930s. Until the early 1940s there is no other reference to anyone attempting to breed type-to-type to try to establish a true-breeding short-ear goat.
The small ears evolved from a goat named 'Peggy' in Mrs. Eula Fay Frey's herd. Mrs. Frey and her husband bought Poplar Dairy in Bell, California
Bell, California
Bell is a city in Los Angeles County, California. Its population was 35,477 at the 2010 census, down from 36,664 in the 2000 census. Bell is located on the west bank of the Los Angeles River and is a suburb of the city of Los Angeles...
in September 1937, after she had subscribed to and studied every 1937 issue of the Dairy Goat Journal seeking information about the health benefits of goat milk. Her husband, Jene, had developed stomach ulcers and she was determined to cure him, which she did, on a strict diet of goat milk and tomato juice, although he died just a few years later in an automobile accident.
The Poplar Dairy had consisted of 130 goats; two of them short-eared Lamancha-style goats: a small roan-colored doe and her rich golden-brown son; an early 1937 kid named 'Tommy'. Mrs. Frey milked that doe just once, and was astonished by the quantity of milk produced by such a small doe. The Freys called the two 'short-ears'; not knowing what breed they might be. Several years later, they learned that the short-eared goats were descendants of a Spanish breed called La Mancha
La Mancha goat
The La Mancha goat is an old breed of dairy and meat goat bred in the La Mancha plateau region of Spain. La Mancha goats were brought to Mexico by the Spanish and from there, imported to the United States, where they are believed to have formed part of the ancestral bloodline of the American...
, brought to the US from Mexico, having earlier been brought to Mexico from the La Mancha
La Mancha
La Mancha is a natural and historical region or greater comarca located on an arid, fertile, elevated plateau of central Spain, south of Madrid, stretching between the Montes de Toledo and the western spurs of the Serrania de Cuenca. It is bounded on the south by the Sierra Morena and on the north...
plateau in Spain.
Mrs. Frey was more interested at that time in two first-fresheners in the herd; both Nubian-French Alpine does: tri-colored 'Rose' and smaller black-and-tan 'Toy'. The Freys agreed to use Tommy on the does whose kids they were not planning to keep. Rose was the last doe bred to Tommy and before she freshened on May 23, 1938, Tommy, his mother, and all of his offspring up to that point had been either sold or destroyed. Rose's kids by that breeding to Tommy were a Nubian-French Alpine looking buck, like his mother, and a beautiful short-eared doeling with curly golden-brown hair and very large eyes. The Frey's decided to keep her and named her 'Peggy'. Peggy was the first kid born into the Frey's herd with such ears and she turned out to be an outstanding milker, though a small doe. Unofficial milk production records kept by Mrs. Frey showed that Peggy produced ten to twelve pounds of milk a day, with fourteen pounds on her record day; just shy of two gallons. She was Fay Frey's pride and joy and was taught several tricks. Louise Erbe of K-Lou ranch remembered seeing Mrs. Frey parading Peggy around on a leash. Rose lived to be sixteen years old and was then put to sleep.
Peggy was bred to 'Jim', another Nubian-French Alpine cross, yielding a short-eared buckling, a short-eared doeling, 'Pauline', and a doeling that looked like Jim, 'Paulette'. They destroyed the buckling and kept the does. At two months old, Pauline, the short eared doe, was badly injured by some of the other goats and destroyed. Paulette, the Nubian-French Alpine-looking doe, was bred to 'Christopher', a bright red Nubian-Murciana cross buck. That pairing yielded 'Redette', a doeling that looked like her father and later, with a buck named 'Scamp' gave birth to 'Gilda', a beautiful short-eared LaMancha that died young from over-production of kids and milk. Paulette's second freshening, with her father Jim, yielded three bucklings, of which the Freys kept one, naming him 'Rascal'. Rascal was paired with a purebred Toggenburg doe, producing Scamp, Peggy's grandson, who was bred to his older half-sister Redette and fathered Gilda. Peggy's third freshening, with her daughter Paulette's previous partner, Christopher, yielded three red short-eared Lamancha bucks, of which none were kept; a mistake, Mrs. Frey wrote later, that she regretted.
About 1940, Mrs. Frey purchased a short-eared doe from the Goodridge herd, and called her 'Nesta'; a small, beautiful doe with big milk production. Nesta yielded many of the goats in Mrs. Frey's herd of 1960; extant when she wrote her detailed history for Dairy Goat Journal. Nesta and Peggy were the matriarchs of the Frey herd and the mothers of the entire breed.
The second of the two original short-eared goats, Toy, was bred to Rascal, yielding 'Wretha', a short-eared doe, who was bred to a purebred Nubian buck to produce 'Cookie', the namesake of one of the original ear-names. Cookie was bred to a purebred French Alpine, producing 'Wafer', the first cou blanc Lamancha. Cou blanc is a breed color designation for Alpine goats, the standard for which is "literally "white neck"; white front quarters and black hindquarters with black or gray markings on the head." Wafer was bred to Scamp, yielding daughters Polly & Jolly, who also contributed many goats to Mrs. Frey's 1960 herd. Polly died before the Lamanchas were recognized as a breed, but Jolly, formally known as Fay's Jolly L-2, lived to become one of the original 130 goats in the American Lamancha foundation herd.
Mrs. Fry described her breeding program as follows:
"The goal that I aimed at in breeding American La Manchas was a breed that was able to produce 3½ to six quarts of fine-flavored milk with 3.5% or more butterfat over a period of one to four years between freshenings. They should have the w-way wedge body, strong legs well-placed, udders well-attached, both front and back, good barrel, short sleek hair, any color or combination of colors, horned or hornless, and head the size of Toggenburgs."
After breed recognition, the Lamanchas became known as American Lamanchas.
M. A. Maxwell and Ted Johnston helped Mrs. Frey pick out the members of her herd that would become the foundation herd for the breed. American Milk Goat Record Association (AMGRA) officials set up the American LaMancha herd book.
Polly was bred to 'Max', an unregistered Saanen, son of 'Hercules of Wasatch' and 'Della Cream Puff', which brought Fay's Pollyette L-63 and three brothers. As of 1960, Fay's Polyette was owned by Mr. & Mrs. R. W. Soens. The Soen's goats, called the Bomar herd, were the first Lamanchas east of the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
and the first herd on test.
Another daughter of Wretha, and granddaughter of Toy, was 'Crocus'. Crocus and all of her descendants carry the Murciana bloodline prominently, which makes them excellent producers of milk that is especially rich in butterfat.
One of Rascal's daughters, and granddaughter to Christopher, was paired with a purebred Swiss Alpine, to produce a fine line of American Lamanchas, one of which was 'Mickey'. Mickey gave birth to Fay's 'Mickey' L-64, who was then bred to Fay's Ernie L-1, which yielded both Fay's 'Erna' L-76 and Fay's 'Myrna' L-77. As of Mrs. Frey's 1960 writing, Myrna was owned by a Mr. Amos Nixon.
Scamp was paired with a grade Saanen, to parent another good strain of Lamanchas and several other strains also branched off. One of Scamp's pairings yielded Rhonda, who was paired with Ernie L-1 to produce Darlene, born May 16, 1950. Darlene was bred with Scoundrel to produce Sharon, born in late 1952.
Mrs. Frey kept several of her bucks born in 1954, some as wethers. The same year, she bought 36 Lamanchas from an Ira D. Peel, who had procured them at a sale. That small herd was culled; keeping just a few and only one of the seven bucks. Said Mrs. Frey of this acquisition, "There were some real good animals in this group."
When her LaMancha herd had increased to several does and two or three bucks, Mrs. Frey carefully paired other breed bucks to her Lamancha does, and the best does of the other breeds as well as the cross-breeds were paired with her Lamancha bucks. Christopher, the Nubian-Murciana cross, figured prominently in these pairings, distributing the Murciana heritage across the emergent herd. Her approach to breeding was to always select the best purebreds and grades to breed into her herd and she selected from many distinguished herds. Some of these were the Chikaming, Decor'OChevonshire, Del-Norte, Delta, Hurricane Acres, MacAlpine, Oakwood, Rio Linda, Silver Pine, and Silvergate herds; to the breeders of which Mrs Frey expressed deep gratitude." 1957 was the last year that she used other breeds in her breeding program; from that point forward, she bred American Lamanchas to American Lamanchas. "
She harnessed a pair of her wethers
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
as a team to pull her in a miniature covered wagon
Covered wagon
The covered wagon, also known as a Prairie schooner, is an icon of the American Old West.Although covered wagons were commonly used for shorter moves within the United States, in the mid-nineteenth century thousands of Americans took them across the Great Plains to Oregon and California...
in the Oregon Centennial Parade at Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on June 20, 1959. Mrs. Frey's main breeding buck in the early 1960s was Fay's Brit.
AMGRA, in Springfield, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, bestowed upon Mrs Frey its Mary L. Farley Award on October 15, 1960, recognizing her years of work in developing the American Lamancha breed. Mrs. Frey died in 1968.
Accolades
In 1960, the first Advanced Registry LaMancha does were listed in AMGRA Handbook AR6. These were five does from the Bomar herd, belonging to Mr. & Mrs. Soen:- Fay's Blondie L-35, age 5 yrs - 301 2544 118.5
- Fay's Saucy Flossie L-45, age 6 yrs - 305 2308 106.7
- Fay's Mary Lou L-18, age 5 yrs - 305 2096 91.9
- Fay's Pollyette L-63, age 5 yrs - 305 2454 113.4
- Fay's Dusty L-21, age 6 yrs - 305 1465 64.4
1960 also saw the first Spotlight (national) Sale of a Lamancha goat, consigned by Mr and Mrs. R. W. Soens and purchased by Mrs. C. W. Channel of Arcadia, Florida, for $95
- Bomar Blondie's Golden Queen L-165
The 1961 AMGRA Handbook listed the first LaMancha doe to break 3000 pounds of milk on an official test. The record stood for twelve years. This doe was from Amos Nixon's herd:
- Fay's Spider L-85 4-0 305 3295 115.8.
The 1962 AMGRA handbook, Volume 8, listed Mrs. Frey's own LaMancha buck as the first Advanced Registry Herd Sire:
- Fay's Anthony L-6
1962 also saw the first entry of Lamanchas on the National Show scene. 31 goats entered the 1962 National Dairy Goat Show at the Los Angeles County Fair
Los Angeles County Fair
The inaugural Los Angeles County Fair, now known as the L.A. County Fair, opened Oct. 17, 1922, and ran for five days through October 21, 1922, in a former beet field in Pomona, California. Highlights of the Fair’s first year were harness racing, chariot races and an airplane wing-walking...
in Pomona, California
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
, and were judged by George Procter. From this show emerged the first Lamancha National Champion; a five year old doe bred by Mrs. Dunlap and owned by the K-Lou Ranch:
- Midolane Little Francis L-198
That same goat was the first of any breed to repeat a National Show win, also in 1962, gaining the second leg toward her championship that year and also attaining *M (star milker) status; though she never became a permanent champion.
In 1973, a LaMancha doe owned by Steven Schack, topped the previous milk record:
- Tomahawk's Faith L1406 1-11 305 3408 97
In 1974, another Lamancha doe, this one owned by Ray Vieira, set a new all-time milk record:
- Goat City Marzipan 2*M L-1049 2-11 305 4510 156.
On August 27, 1977, three Lamanchas were consigned by Page Dewitt of Mesa, Arizona to the first ever Colorama Sale, held in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. The highest seller was a doe kid purchased for $410.00 by Roger and Kay Bowers of Conover, Ohio:
- DeWitt Lenae
The Colorama Sale itself was named after a Lamancha doe. She was consigned to the 1970 Spotlight Sale at Pomona, California by Amos D. Nixon and was purchased via telephone by Dr. Richard H. Stoneback. As the ADGA National Sales Committee was considering catchy new names for its new national sale in 1977, to be held in conjunction with the ADGA National Show in Columbus Ohio, several names were considered before they settled, with permission from her owner, Mr. Nixon, on the "colorful" name of the doe that had been consigned to that 1970 Spotlight Sale:
- Nixon's Miss Colorama L1086
The foundation herd still lived with Mrs. Frey in Glide
Glide, Oregon
Glide is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,690 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
, near Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg, Oregon
Roseburg is a city in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is the county seat of Douglas County. The population was 21,181 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, in 1978.
A Lamancha doe was the first doe of any breed to be named National Champion three times; earning the award back-to-back-to-back, at the 1980, 1981 and 1982 National Shows:
- GCH Rocinante Kellie *M.
In 1982 also, a buck bred by Nancy Lake was the first LaMancha to top the Spotlight Sale, selling for $4,100:
- B Longden Acres C. Lucky Bid A/I