World famous alpine goats
Lovers of goat cheese and adherents of milk, unique in its composition, will appreciate the unpretentious and highly productive breed of dairy goats - Alpine. As its name suggests, it is easy to assume that alpine goats are adapted to mountain conditions, and their homeland is a landscape that is well known to us from television commercials for Milka and AlpenGold chocolate.
This breed was bred in the foothill Swiss cantons at the beginning of the 19th century, and gained the greatest popularity in France.
The type of goat in question, despite the prevailing opinion, has nothing to do with wild ibex. It was bred in the foothill Swiss cantons at the beginning of the nineteenth century, but received the greatest popularity and love in neighboring France, where the vast majority of this population is bred (up to 98%). Until the beginning of the 20th century, only the countries of the Alpine region were their fiefdoms, but the indisputable advantages and advantages of the breed allowed it to spread almost all over the world, including the United States, Germany and the countries of the former Soviet Union. The Swiss settlers have played an invaluable role in the popularization of this type of animal husbandry and received new breeds from goats crossed with local varieties.
Advantages
The love of farmers all over the world for this breed of animals did not develop out of nothing, but on the basis of its obvious advantages. Alpine goat thrives in various natural conditions. It quickly and without any consequences adapts to both hot climates and prolonged exposure to low temperatures. For her, the landscape of the area and the quality of the pasture zones do not really matter. She is hardy and absolutely unpretentious to food and living conditions. Representatives of this species have a docile nature in relation to their owners and are ideal for the farm not only for experienced farmers, but also for beginners in animal husbandry. Breeding Alpine goats is a profitable business because they produce high milk yield and are also fertile. Even in the first lambing, the female is able to bring from 2 to 5 cubs. Kids of this breed are in great demand and are quite expensive.
Alpines have a docile character, give high milk yields and are fertile.
disadvantages
This alpine breed has the only obvious drawback - unbalanced character. Although in relation to its owner this is the sweetest creature, but it gets along rather badly with its relatives, behaves selfishly, trying to dominate individuals of other breeds. As a rule, this manifests itself in aggressive behavior and attempts to prevent other pets from accessing food resources. The best solution for farmers is to keep them separate, or prefer one breed.
Appearance
To date, there is no detailed description of the breed, since there are not so many purebred representatives of this selection in our country. Hybrids with regional varieties of goats are mostly common. Typically, thoroughbred Alpine goats are interbred with local animals, resulting in increased milk production.
The average weight of an alpine is about 60 kilograms. The goats are larger and can weigh up to 80 kg. A distinctive feature of this breed is a rather large body with a clearly visible withers, a long tail and a small head. In height, they are comparable to other goats and reach 70-80 cm at the withers. They have small horns and erect ears without fail. Even a slight drooping of the ears indicates the impure blood of the animal. Alpine goats have strong, but thin legs, which, together with all of the above, gives a completely harmonious physique and, a kind of grace.
Alpine wool is of medium length, smooth and unsuitable for household needs. Colors (there are about seven to eight types) consist of various colors and shades. Americans use eight specific terms in the description.
- Cou blanc - "white neck";
- Cou noir - "black neck";
- Cou clair - "light neck";
- Camoisee - "chamois";
- Pied - colorful
- Sundgau - black with white markings or spots
- Broken chamoises - "broken chamois";
- Two-tone chamoises - "two shades of chamois."
There are about seven to eight types of color with different colors.
But the dominant position is occupied by variegated individuals.
Productivity and features
As previously mentioned, representatives of this breed are distinguished by increased productivity. This statement is true not only in the context of high fertility, but also in the quality and quantity of milk received. These animals are universal. If we consider other breeds, then versatility, perhaps, will be the main distinguishing feature of the Alpines. An important factor is the possibility of using them for further improvement and breeding of breeds. They are the best suited for the role of the founders of the dynasty, since they are unpretentious and capable of bringing up to five kids in one litter. But still, the main advantage of the Alpine goat breed is milk productivity.
Average milk yield per cow ranges from 800 to 1000 liters of milk per year. If the care and maintenance of the animal is at the highest level, and the feed is varied and nutritious, then up to 1500 liters of high-quality milk comes out annually without any problems. If you measure it daily, then every day the owner will receive up to 8 liters of a useful product. Record milk yields were recorded in the United States, where a single goat produced 2,200 kg of milk per year. True, the diet of these champions is not known for certain.
Milk quality
Goat milk has unique health benefits. Its miraculous properties are legendary, and it has no equal in terms of the quantitative and qualitative combination of microelements. If we take into account the fact that goat's milk is considered the best product in this area, then the milk of our wards is an order of magnitude better than that of other representatives of the tribe. It is better in terms of organoleptic characteristics and the content of fats, proteins and other useful elements. The average fat content is about 4% with fluctuations up or down. This milk is distinguished by an excellent delicate taste, no unpleasant odor, as well as a high protein content, up to 4%. It is an ideal raw material for making all kinds of cheeses, distinguished by its exquisite taste and popular among consumers.
For one animal, 3-4 sq. meters of area in a dry and fairly light goat's rue.
Although this breed does not require special conditions of detention, it is still necessary to comply with the minimum standards. As a rule, for a comfortable life, a small utility room is enough, in its role is a barn or a small shed. For one animal, 3-4 sq. meters of area. The main requirement is that the goat's house is dry and light enough. The Alpine breed adapts well to cold weather, but to maintain high milk yields in winter, it is advisable to insulate the walls of the room, and lay straw on the floor. For the winter, goats grow undercoat, but constant drafts can negatively affect the health of animals. Do not forget that the hooves are a vulnerable spot, so the floor needs to be planked and raised relative to the ground level. For more comfort, nail sunbeds at a low height where your pets can climb. The Alpine breed of goats is distinguished by the absence of a specific smell, but nevertheless it is better to keep the breeding goats in a separate room. In the summer, it is advisable to walk on pastures, but if there is no opportunity, the goat is fed with fresh herbs and in the stable.
Feeding
Goats are not particularly picky about food. But since the breed we are considering is for the most part dairy, it is necessary to select the feed and diet accordingly. Feeding should be varied and include different types of food. A certain frequency is also strongly recommended, that is, the breaks between meals should be comparable.
The goat eats almost any plant food. In the warm season, these are fresh greens, young twigs of trees and shrubs, or weeds from vegetable gardens. To maintain high milk yield, the green mass should be alternated with top dressing with root crops (beets, carrots) or cereals (corn, barley, etc.). In winter, the basis of the diet is usually hay or even straw, but be sure to include grains, vegetables and roots. For full development, it is imperative to feed the goats with various mineral supplements purchased in specialized stores. Salt will give a good prevention, and if there is a lack of calcium and phosphorus - the most important elements for the body - add bone meal or chalk.
Caring for the Alpines, as well as the process of feeding them, is simple and straightforward. True, there is one important detail - they are picky about the quality of drinking water. A goat, even when experiencing an incredible thirst, will refuse to drink stagnant or dirty water. Therefore, it is worth carefully monitoring the freshness of the water and the cleanliness of the drinkers themselves. Water needs to be periodically renewed and, if possible, use well or spring water.
The goat eats almost any plant-based food with added mineral supplements.
Breeding
Breeding an alpine breed is not much different from breeding its congeners. There is nothing difficult in this and is available even to a first-year farmer. The whole process is conventionally divided into three stages - selection of a goat-producer, mating and raising kids. The most important and crucial stage is, perhaps, the first. The future performance of young animals and their health depend on the selection of the male. Here it is better not to rely on intuition, but to ask an experienced livestock breeder for advice.
In most cases, childbirth takes place naturally and does not require special intervention, but if complications arise, you cannot do without the help of a specialist. After the babies are born, wipe them off with a towel and cut the umbilical cord. The goat itself takes care of its offspring. After a week, the kids can go out on their own and learn to feed themselves from their mother, and starting from the 20th day, they will gradually switch to regular feed. From the age of one month, it is necessary to give them mineral feed, adding salt and chalk to the diet.
Diseases
Alpine goats are not susceptible to any specific diseases that distinguish this particular breed. Goats are pretty hardy creatures, with a fairly strong immune system. But, like any pets, they still suffer from various kinds of infections and diseases. The most dangerous diseases include:
- brucellosis,
- pleuropneumonia,
- infectious agalactia.
It makes no sense to describe in detail the symptoms of diseases, since in case of suspicion, you cannot do without a veterinarian. One has only to remember well that the goat's body reacts to all infections with an increase in body temperature to 41-42 degrees and an increase in heart rate up to 100 beats per minute. If you find any symptoms, as well as lethargy and general weakness, you should consult a specialist.
Choice and purchase
It is necessary to choose and buy young animals from well-known breeders with a positive reputation.
As we mentioned earlier, it is quite difficult to find purebred representatives of this breed in Russia. It is also difficult to determine purebred “by eye”, because when crossing with other goats, the Alpines pass on the characteristics of their species to their offspring. As a rule, a purebred goat also covers goats of other species, which makes the kids outwardly identical to the standard, but does not inherit high milk production. So how to choose the right kid and not be mistaken?
- The first rule is to buy young stock from reputable breeders.
- If you keep different-colored goats in the farm you like, then it is better not to risk it, but to continue the search.
- A good test would be to ask the owners for a sample of the milk held for sale: it should not have foreign tastes and odors.
- Serious breeders will not hide anything from you, but will gladly show you their entire farm, while careless breeders will play around and “talk their teeth”.
- Well, the last but not the least important sign is the price. High-quality is never cheap, and if you are offered a kid for 3000 rubles, it is hardly a purebred.
Epilogue
After a short review, we were able to isolate only one non-obvious drawback from many advantages. Yes, and it is called a disadvantage with a big stretch, since it is solved simply - by cultivating one breed. Based on this, a novice farmer understands that by choosing this breed, he will receive high productivity and a minimum of problems.