List of goat breeds
Encyclopedia
There are many recognized breed
s of domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus). Goat breeds (especially dairy
goats) are some of the oldest defined animal breeds for which breed standard
s and production records have been kept. Selective breeding
of goats generally focuses on improving production of fiber
, meat, dairy products, or goatskin
. Breeds are generally classified based on their primary use, though there are several breeds which are considered dual- or multi-purpose goats, so there is some crossover between lists.
Breed
A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...
s of domestic goat (Capra aegagrus hircus). Goat breeds (especially dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
goats) are some of the oldest defined animal breeds for which 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....
s and production records have been kept. Selective breeding
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
of goats generally focuses on improving production of fiber
Fiber
Fiber is a class of materials that are continuous filaments or are in discrete elongated pieces, similar to lengths of thread.They are very important in the biology of both plants and animals, for holding tissues together....
, meat, dairy products, or goatskin
Goatskin
Goatskin may refer to:* Goatskin , the skin of a goat or the leather made from it* Goatskin , a container for wine...
. Breeds are generally classified based on their primary use, though there are several breeds which are considered dual- or multi-purpose goats, so there is some crossover between lists.
Dairy breeds
|
Daera Din Panah The Daera Din Panah goat breed from the Multan and Muzaffargarh provinces of Pakistan is used primarily for milk production.-Sources:Dr Ghani*... Damani The Damani goat breed from the Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan districts of Pakistan is used primarily for the production of milk.It is characterized by a black coat with tan head and legs and long hair.... Damascus goat The Damascus goat, also known as Aleppo, Halep, Baladi, Damascene, Shami, or Chami, is a breed of goat raised in Syria and Lebanon. It is generally used in milk production.... Danish Landrace Goat The Danish Landrace goat breed from Denmark is descended from ancient goats of Denmark with a more recent admixture of goats from Harz region of Germany and the Saanen goat. It is used primarily for the production of milk.-See also:*Landrace... Don Goat The Don goat breed from the Don River of the Lower Volga territory in Russia is used for the production of wool, goatskin, and milk. It produces the highest average wool per individual goat sheared of any goat breed and produces milk with a relatively high fat content.... Dutch Landrace The Dutch Landrace goat breed is one of the original breeds found in the Netherlands and, as such, is related to other northwest European landraces.-See also:*Danish Landrace Goat*Finnish Landrace Goat*Swedish Landrace Goat... Dutch Toggenburg The Dutch Toggenburg goat breed was developed in the Netherlands from crosses between native Dutch goats and the Toggenburg goat. It is used for the production of milk.... Erzgebirge Goat The Erzgebirge goat breed from the Saxony region of Germany is used primarily for the production of milk.... Finnish Landrace Goat The Finnish Landrace goat breed from western Finland is used primarily for the production of milk.-See also:*Landrace*Danish Landrace Goat*Dutch Landrace Goat*Swedish Landrace Goat... Garganica The Garganica is a breed of goat which originated on the Gargano promentary in the Italian region of Apulia. From there it has spread to other parts of Apulia and to neighbouring regions.... Girgentana Goat The Girgentana goat breed takes its name from the city of Agrigento, Sicily where in the past there were present more than 30,000. Today, however, this breed is in danger of disappearance.... Golden Guernsey The Golden Guernsey is a rare breed of goat from the Bailiwick of Guernsey on the Channel Islands. They were first brought to Great Britain in 1965 and a sub-breed has evolved known as the British Guernsey.- Origin :... Grisons Striped The Grisons Striped goat breed from Switzerland is very well adapted to mountainous landscapes. Breeders are in the process of selectively breeding it for improved milk production.-Sources:*... Hailun Goat The Hailun goat breed from the Heilongjiang region of China is used for the production of milk. It is derived from the selective breeding of local goats crossed with the Saanen and Toggenburg goat breeds.... Hasi Goat The Hasi goat breed from northeastern Albania is used for the production of milk and meat production.... Hongtong Goat The Hongtong goat breed from the Hongtong County in China is used primarily for the production of milk. It is derived from the selective breeding of local goats crossed with the Saanen goat breed.... Hungarian Improved The Hungarian Improved goat breed from Hungary is used for the production of milk. It is descended from selective breeding of local goats crossed with Swiss dairy breeds, especially the Saanen goat.-Sources:*... |
|
Irish Goat The Irish Goat breed from Ireland is used for the production of meat and milk. Although this breed is not native to Ireland, domesticated goats have long been kept for milk, meat, and skin. In many parts of the region, feral populations have become established as a result of escapes or deliberate... Jamnapari goat Jamnapari is a breed of goat originating from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Since 1953 they have been imported to Indonesia where they have been a great success. It is bred for both milk and meat... Jonica The Jonica is a breed of goat raised in the southern Italian Province of Taranto; it originated as a cross between native varieties and the Maltese breed.... Kamori The Kamori goat breed from the districts of Dadu, Larkana, and Nawabshah in the Sindh Province of Pakistan is used primarily for the production of milk.... Kinder (goat) The Kinder is a breed of goat, originating from a cross between a pygmy goat and a Nubian goat in 1985 at Zederkamm Farm. As of 7 April 2009, there were about three thousand Kinder goats registered with the Kinder Goat Breeders Association.- History :... Loashan The Loashan goat breed from the Shandong Province of China is used for the production of milk. It is derived from the selective breeding of local goats crossed with Saanen goats.... Majorera The cabra majorera or Fuerteventura goat is a breed of dairy goat native to the Canary Islands. Majorero cheese is made from its milk.It is a particularly strong breed, and has been exported to Africa and Latin America.-External links:... Maltese (goat) The Maltese goat breed, as the name suggests, originates from the island of Malta. Today it has spread to many Mediterranean countries, but has been particularly selectively bred in Sicily and Southern Italy... Messinese Goat The Messinese goat, also called the Nebrodi goat, is a breed of dairy goat found mainly in the area around the Nebrodi and Peloritani mountain ranges in the Province of Messina in northeastern Sicily. It is used especially for the production of milk for making different types of cheese... Mini oberhasli The Mini Oberhasli, also called an Oberian, and formally called Miniature Oberhasli, is a dairy goat that was created by breeding a Nigerian Dwarf with an Oberhasli. It is most often colored red bay with black markings, although it also may be pure black and only rarely red... Murcia-Granada The Murcia-Granada breed of goat, also known as Murciano Granadina, originated in the semi arid areas in south eastern Spain . They were bred for two main traits, milk production and its ability to continue this production in dry and nutrient poor regions... 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.... Nigerian Dwarf (goat) The Nigerian Dwarf goat is a miniature dairy goat breed of West African ancestry. Originally brought to the United States on ships as food for large cats such as lions, the survivors originally lived in zoos. Nigerian Dwarf goats are popular as hobby goats due to their easy maintenance and small... Norwegian (goat) The Norwegian goat breed from Norway is used for the production of milk and meat.... Oberhasli (goat) The Oberhasli, also known until 1987 as the Swiss Alpine, is a very old breed of dairy goat from the eponymous district of the Canton of Berne in Switzerland. Oberhaslis are a standardized color breed, with warm reddish brown accented with a black dorsal stripe, legs, belly, and face. Occasionally... Orobica The Orobica is a breed of dairy goat raised in the Bergamo Alps of northern Italy .It is of medium size and both sexes carry very long horns and erect ears... |
Peacock Goat The Peacock goat breed from the cantons of Graubünden and Upper Tessin in Switzerland is used for the production of milk. There is little known about the origin of the peacock goat. The discovery of the peacock goat was in 1887... Poitou Goat The Poitou goat is a dairy breed from western France. They are black-brown with white marks on the head and neck and a white underbelly and legs.... Pyrenean Goat The Pyrenean goat breed from the Pyrenees of France and Spain and the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain is used for the production of milk and meat.... Red Mediterranean The Red Mediterranean goat breed originates from the central-eastern Mediterranean Basin, originally coming from Syria.... Russian White (goat) The Russian White goat from Russia is a dairy breed. It is derived from the selective breeding of Saanen and Toggenburg goats imported from Switzerland, crossed with various native goat breeds of the former USSR.-Sources:*... 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... Sable Saanen The Sable Saanen is a breed of goat descended from Saanen goats brought to America by Europeans. In 2005, the Sable was recognized as a separate breed. Before they were recognized as a separate breed, they were often culled. They are color variations of Saanens due to a recessive gene; they are... Sarda (goat) The Sarda is a breed of goat from Sardinia, which originated as a cross between various breeds introduced to the Italian island.The animals are of medium build; males typically weigh 60 kg and females 50 kg. They are long-necked and deep-chested, and the does have well-developed udders... Swedish Landrace The Swedish Landrace goat breed from northern Sweden is used for the production of milk, which is used to make types of goat cheese.-See also:*Landrace*Danish landrace goat*Dutch landrace goat*Finnish landrace goat-Sources:*... Tauernsheck The Tauernsheck goat breed from Austria is used for the production of milk. It is a very rare breed derived from the Austrian Landrace and Pinzgauer goat breeds.... Thuringian Goat The Thuringian goat breed from Thüringen in eastern Germany is utilized for the production of milk. It is a variety of the German Improved Fawn goat breed. The Thuringian goat breed is derived from the selective-breeding of crosses between Toggenburg, Harzerziege, Rhönziege, and Thüringer... Toggenburg (goat) The Toggenburg is a breed of goat, named after the region in Switzerland where the breed originated, the Toggenburg valley. Toggenburgs are medium in size, moderate in production, and have relatively low butterfat content in their milk. Toggenburgs possess a general Swiss Marked pattern with... Valais Blackneck The Valais Blackneck goat breed from southern Switzerland is utilized for the production of meat and milk. It is characterized by black forequarters and white hindquarters and long hair.... Verata The Verata goat breed from Vera, Caceres, Spain is used for the production of meat and milk. The Verata Goat has been known to be fairly easy to handle; they are popular in the dairy and meat industries because of that, and the fact that they can adapt well to the different management systems. They... White Shorthaired The White Shorthaired goat is a dairy breed from the Czech Republic. It is the result of selective breeding of native Czech landrace goats crossed with Swiss Saanen goats.... Xinjiang Goat The Xinjiang goat breed from the mountains of Xinjiang in China is used for the production of milk, cashmere fiber, and meat.... |
Fiber breeds
|
Jining Grey The Jining Grey goat breed from the Shandong Province of China is used for the production of its kid pelt and cashmere fiber.... Kaghani The Kaghani goat breed from the valley of the Hazara district of Pakistan is used for the production of cashmere fiber and meat.... Pygora Goat The Pygora goat is a cross between the Pygmy goat and the Angora goat that produces three distinct kinds of fleece and has the smaller size of the Pygmy.-History:... Uzbek Black The Uzbek goat breed from Uzbekistan is used for the production of mohair.... Xinjiang Goat The Xinjiang goat breed from the mountains of Xinjiang in China is used for the production of milk, cashmere fiber, and meat.... Zalawadi The Zalawadi goat breed from the Surendranagar and Rajkot regions of Gujarat in India is used for the production of milk, meat, and fiber.... Zhiwulin Black The Zhiwulin Black goat breed from the northern Shaanxi Province of China is used for the production of cashmere fiber and meat.... Zhongwei Goat The Zhongwei goat is a breed of goat from the arid desert steppes of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Gansu Province of China. It is used primarily for the production of kid pelts, and secondarily for cashmere fiber.... |
Goatskin breeds
- Black BengalBlack BengalBlack Bengal goat or Bengal Black goat is the common name for a small breed of goat found in Bangladesh and northeastern India . In Bangladesh, they are known simply as "BBGs."...
- Don GoatDon GoatThe Don goat breed from the Don River of the Lower Volga territory in Russia is used for the production of wool, goatskin, and milk. It produces the highest average wool per individual goat sheared of any goat breed and produces milk with a relatively high fat content....
- GarganicaGarganicaThe Garganica is a breed of goat which originated on the Gargano promentary in the Italian region of Apulia. From there it has spread to other parts of Apulia and to neighbouring regions....
- Jining GreyJining GreyThe Jining Grey goat breed from the Shandong Province of China is used for the production of its kid pelt and cashmere fiber....
- Qinshan GoatQinshan GoatThe Qinshan goat breed from Jining, Shandong in China is used for their pelts....
- Sahelian GoatSahelian GoatThe Sahelian goat breed from West Africa, especially in north and northwest Mali, is used for the production of meat, goatskin, and very rarely milk....
- Zhongwei GoatZhongwei GoatThe Zhongwei goat is a breed of goat from the arid desert steppes of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Gansu Province of China. It is used primarily for the production of kid pelts, and secondarily for cashmere fiber....
Meat breeds
|
Duan Goat The Duan goat breed from Guangxi Province in China is used for the production of meat. It has a black, white, or pied coat coloration.... Fainting goat A fainting goat is a breed of domestic goat whose muscles freeze for roughly 10 seconds when the goat is startled. Though painless, this generally results in the animal collapsing on its side. The characteristic is caused by a hereditary genetic disorder called myotonia congenita. When startled,... Haimen Goat The Haimen goat breed from Zhejiang in China is used for the production of meat. It has a white coat coloration.... Hasi Goat The Hasi goat breed from northeastern Albania is used for the production of milk and meat production.... Hejazi Goat The Hejazi goat breed from Arabia is used for the production of meat.... Huaipi The Huaipi goat breed from the region of Henan in China is used for the production of meat. They usually have white coat coloration.... Irish Goat The Irish Goat breed from Ireland is used for the production of meat and milk. Although this breed is not native to Ireland, domesticated goats have long been kept for milk, meat, and skin. In many parts of the region, feral populations have become established as a result of escapes or deliberate... Jamnapari goat Jamnapari is a breed of goat originating from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. Since 1953 they have been imported to Indonesia where they have been a great success. It is bred for both milk and meat... Kaghani The Kaghani goat breed from the valley of the Hazara district of Pakistan is used for the production of cashmere fiber and meat.... Kalahari Red The Kalahari Red is a breed of goat originating from South Africa. Their name is derived from their red coat and the Kalahari Desert. They are generally used in meat production.... Kiko goat The Kiko Goat originated from New Zealand by crossing feral goats with dairy goats in the 1980s. Kiko is actually the Maori word for flesh or meat... Moxotó The Moxotó goat breed from northeastern Brazil is used for the production of meat. It is a color type selected from the Chué goat breed.... Nachi Goat The Nachi goat breed from the Jhang, Multan, and Muzaffargarh districts in the Punjab Region of Pakistan is used for the production of meat. They have twisted horns, short, rough, dark hair, and are called the Nachi goat because in Pakistan "nach" means to dance, and their figure seems to have a... Norwegian (goat) The Norwegian goat breed from Norway is used for the production of milk and meat.... |
|
Valais Blackneck The Valais Blackneck goat breed from southern Switzerland is utilized for the production of meat and milk. It is characterized by black forequarters and white hindquarters and long hair.... Verata The Verata goat breed from Vera, Caceres, Spain is used for the production of meat and milk. The Verata Goat has been known to be fairly easy to handle; they are popular in the dairy and meat industries because of that, and the fact that they can adapt well to the different management systems. They... Xinjiang Goat The Xinjiang goat breed from the mountains of Xinjiang in China is used for the production of milk, cashmere fiber, and meat.... Xuhai The Xuhai is a meat goat breed from Jiangsu, China.... Zalawadi The Zalawadi goat breed from the Surendranagar and Rajkot regions of Gujarat in India is used for the production of milk, meat, and fiber.... Zhiwulin Black The Zhiwulin Black goat breed from the northern Shaanxi Province of China is used for the production of cashmere fiber and meat.... |
Pets and companions
- Australian Miniature Goat
- Nigerian Dwarf
- PygmyPygmy goatA pygmy goat is a small breed of domestic goat. Although they produce a very large amount of milk for their size, and can be eaten, pygmy goats are not typically used for milk or meat, unlike larger dairy and meat goat breeds. Pygmy goats tend to be more robust and breed more continually throughout...
- Fainting Goats
See also
- List of sheep breeds
- List of cattle breeds
- List of domestic pig breeds
Further reading
- Introduction to Common Goat Breeds Mother Earth NewsMother Earth NewsMother Earth News is a bi-monthly American magazine that has a circulation of 475,000. It is based in Topeka, Kansas.Approaching environmental problems from a down-to-earth, practical, how-to standpoint, Mother Earth News has, since the magazine’s founding in 1970, been a pioneer in the promotion...
- Raising Goats for Dummies (Wiley, 2010)