Goat breeds
There is a gradation in the selection of suitable goats for breeding and in the requirements for breeding goats, which depends on the level of breeding. In general, goats and goats are selected, which are distinguished by a strong constitution, harmonious exterior and good health. Special requirements are placed on the development of the external genital organs. The selection takes into account the productivity of the parents. The selection of goats and goats included in the productivity control is carried out on the basis of grading, carried out in accordance with the instructions of the State Directorate of Pedigree Livestock.
What should be a breeding goat?
The pedigree goat should have an elongated body, the typical female conformation, expressed mainly in a tender head, a noble neck of medium length, a broad back, a short and wide loin and a wide, slightly deflated croup. Her back should be flat, her chest deep, with a good arch, her limbs correctly set, bony. The goat's udder should be well shaped and well developed, filling the gap between the thighs and protruding far forward over the belly. The goat must have good breeding qualities, a balanced character and a lively temperament.
What should be a stud goat?
The body of the goat should be long, strong in constitution, with distinct male sexual characteristics. The head of the goat should be strong, with a strong forehead, clear eyes, short neck should be muscular, back should be wide and even, chest should be wide and deep, limbs should be bony and muscular. The front of the body should be strong, the coat should be soft but dense. There are special requirements for the development of the genitals. A goat with small or unequal sized testes has no prospects for good fertility and its offspring in the female line will be of low yielding.
Angora goats
Angora goat (also Kemel goat, from Arabic chamal, thin) is a type of domestic goat with large drooping ears and long hair that makes up silk-soft wool. Angora goat wool produces shiny fibers commonly known as mohair. Angora goats are one of the smallest representatives of the species, and at the same time they are a new wool breed.
Angora goats are sheared twice a year, unlike most sheep, which are sheared only once. For a long time, Angora goats were bred only in white color, but now goat breeders raise white, black (deep black, gray and silver), brown and red (red color disappears with age) goats.
An adult goat of the Angora breed weighs at least 57 kg with a height at the withers of 76 cm, and the uterus from 34 kg with a height of 66 cm. Both sexes are horned, although work is underway to create a hornless line. The short coat on the face, lower legs and ears is white, soft and silky. The body is entirely covered with fine, white, silky hair (mohair) with a strong luster sheen; it hangs down almost to the ground in strands 20–25 cm long. Hooves are amber. The horns are rather wide, diverging, the tail is short, the ears are long, drooping.
Angora goats are bred primarily for the sake of mohair, and are also kept to combat pasture overgrowth. Although angora goats, contrary to popular belief, are not unpretentious, they are simple animals for breeding.
The head of the Angora goat is long, hunchbacked. The ears are pendulous and long, the neck is short, the body is short, on short, strong legs with strong hooves. Animals of both sexes have a beard. Soft, curly and thick hair covers the entire body, with the exception of the muzzle, ears and lower legs, like a long silky white cloak.
In the spring, if the animal is not cut, the hair falls off by itself due to the oncoming molt. The skin is thin, the meat is fatty and juicy without any smell, the meat has very good taste. Carcass weight ranges from 14 to 25 kg, with about 2-4 kg of internal fat being obtained. The appearance of angora goats is characterized by an average body length with an insufficiently wide chest, sometimes there are individuals with a flat or laterally compressed chest.
The horns of the queens are small, with their ends diverging and bent back, but in the goats they are powerful, helical, making, along their length, from 1 to 1.5 full revolutions around their axis. The limbs of goats are relatively short.
The wool of angora goats (mohair) is almost uniform, semi-coarse, white, with a strong shine (chandelier), has exceptional strength and elasticity. Its average fineness according to the Bradford classification is 40-44 quality, which roughly corresponds to fineness from 37.1 to 43 microns. The length of mohair is 18-25 cm, but sometimes it reaches 35 cm. In the fleece of angora goats, an admixture of short coarse fibers of awn (kemp) is always found in an amount from 1 to 2.5% of the mass of the entire fleece. This impurity reduces the quality of the mohair. The average cut of wool from brood queens is 3-4 kg, sometimes 6-7 kg, from brood goats 5.5 kg, sometimes 8-9 kg. Average wool yield 70-80%. Mestizos (hybrids) from angora goats give good white wool, suitable for making fabrics. Mestizos of the second generation give an almost uniform coat, consisting of transitional hair. The wool of the goats is coarser than that of the queens.
The Angora goat can eat the shoots of many tree species, including oak, elm, sumac, wild plum and juniper. The evergreen virgin oak provides them with year-round fresh food: in areas where this species grows in abundance, goats are used to combat overgrowth of pastures, collecting in spring and summer in areas heavily weed with oak growth. Animals are especially fond of oak leaves and acorns, freshly fallen after frost, which serve as good food. Goats do not consume shoots of mesquite bush, wormwood, persimmon and some other tree-shrub species, although they eat freshly fallen mesquite leaves and fruits (beans). In severe drought, they sometimes feed on prickly pears, from which ulcers develop in their mouths, and cattle breeders specially set fire to thickets of these cacti to destroy their thorns.
When fed on hay, their wool becomes lighter and defatted; on green forage it is heavier and contains more natural lubricant. Small grains make an excellent forage, but the coat tends to coarse. In areas where it is impossible to keep animals on pasture all year round, goats are fed with alfalfa hay, corn grain and special pellets with standard protein content. Top dressing is also given when the pasture is unproductive.
Females of these goats differ from most other farm animals in that they do not produce offspring to the detriment of their own health. If there is little feed and the pregnant goat loses weight, it will have a miscarriage. As a result, the average output of kids is about 70%, although good owners are able to maintain it at the level of 100–150%. Twins are not uncommon in the litter. Usually the uterus feeds the kids with milk for five to six months; if taken away at two or three months of age, they may survive, but are likely to be stunted.
Alpine goats
Alpine goats were introduced to the United States in 1922 from the French Alps. The external appearance is characterized by a heterogeneous color, open muzzle, medium-sized erect ears.
The classic color of Alpine goats is the following: "snow-white neck" - the neck of the animal has a snow-white color, which originates on the neck, and then smoothly passes to the shoulders. Later, its transformation takes place: the white color can change to dark or grayish; a red neck is almost the same as a snow-white neck, but there are some differences: closer to the back of the neck, a reddish-brown color runs across in brown; "Bay" - a characteristic feature of this neck is the predominant red-brown, reddish or brown colors. There are dark-colored markings on the bowler hat and neck, dark-colored legs, and a dark stripe along the entire ridge; "Magpies" - such a neck has a head of a snow-white color; "Sandgow" - its peculiarity is a dark-colored neck with white-colored markings prevailing on it; "Pay" - spotted or variegated; “Ku nvar” - the front part is dark. As for the back, it is snow-white.
A characteristic feature of the animals of the Alpine breed is their large scale. In an adult goat at the age of 4 years, the height at the withers reaches 76.2 centimes. For goats, this parameter is 81.2 centimes. As for the weight, it is respectively 61.3 and 77.2 kg.
Extreme fertility is one of the advantages of this breed of goats. The unpretentiousness of animals is another plus of this breed. Animals easily adapt to any climatic conditions.
The owners of the animals are friendly and helpful. Being in a herd with other breeds, they tend to take a leading position. This is good if you look at it from one side, because such animals will not die of hunger thanks to the desire for leadership. But on the other hand, they will not admit other animals in the herd to the feeder, thus leaving them on a starvation diet.
Alpine goats can also be said to be highly productive. Animals of this breed can produce 1200 - 1600 liters per year with a fat content of 3.5% and a protein content of 3%. Milk from goats of this breed has a pleasant taste. The advent of the English Alpine goat breed came through many years of breeding work. Experts greatly questioned the indicated geographical origins of the appearance of this breed. The main acquaintance with goats of this breed was mentioned in 1911. Ten years later, it was registered as a British Alpine breed by the English Goat Society.
The short-haired goats of this breed are sometimes referred to as the dark Toggenburg. And all thanks to the amazing similarity with this breed. It has a neat dark color and snow-white Swiss marks in common with Toggenburg. The animals of this breed have a neat dark coloration on the muzzle, and on the ears there is a snow-white edging. In addition, there are snow-white markings under the tail.
Bengal goats
Back in the XVIII, animals of this breed gained popularity. To a large extent, this was facilitated by the good taste of goat meat. It is fragrant and tender. In addition to meat, many of these animals were attracted by goat skin, which has excellent qualities and can be used to make high-quality leather products. Animals of this breed are easily adaptable to various conditions. They are also distinguished by high fertility. Bengal goats bring offspring quite quickly. Among the advantages of this breed, one can single out that animals eat any grasses, as well as foliage from trees and shrubs. These animals are also used by their owners as beasts of burden. Since the animals are bred in poor feeding conditions, they quickly adapt to any feeding conditions, which is also an advantage of the breed.
If we talk about the color of animals of this breed, then black prevails. In addition to it, brown, white and gray are common. Short, soft and glossy - this is how the hair pores of the body of this goat breed can be characterized. Animals are not very tall and have a proportional physique. The average height of these animals is 50 cm. Bengal goats have cylindrical horns, the length of which is 6-11.5 cm, directed upwards. The ears are slightly drooping. The back of the animals is straight, and the legs are short, while quite strong.
At 6-8 months of age in animals of this breed, puberty ends. The queens usually have two kids. Their weight usually varies from 800 to 1100 g. 45 g - this is usually the daily weight gain. The weight of animals can reach up to 7 kg in six months. And up to 12 - a year. The maximum weight in adult goats usually does not exceed 22 kg. For goats, this figure is more - 30 kg. With regard to milk productivity, we note that it is extremely low and varies from 400 to 700 g of milk per day. During the lactation period, which lasts 110 - 122 days, goats produce 36 - 58 kg of milk.
Boer goats
Boer goats were bred in the early 20th century in South Africa. Among all meat breeds of goats, this is one of the most popular. However, they are not intended for milk production. Animals of this breed are distinguished by their large size. The weight of adult goats reaches 110-135 kg. The uterus is slightly lighter than 90-100 kg. By their appearance, the goats of this breed are reminiscent of the Nubian: they have the same drooping ears.
By their temperament, Boer goats are calm. The usual color of this breed is white with a brown head. But besides this, there are others. Not two, but four teats can have an udder in Boer goats. The German Boer goats are of average size. Animals have a wide chest. The back is also wide and at the same time long.
In kids, muscularity is most noticeable, especially on the chest, back and thighs. Goats of this breed show themselves to be of good growth. They ripen quite early. Among the advantages of this breed is disease resistance. These animals adapt easily to different climatic conditions. Even in hot climates, they do quite well. For those who have plans to engage in meat goat breeding, this breed is quite attractive.
Newborn kids show a good growth rate. They gain weight in 35 kg as early as 3 months. In two years, usually up to 3 litters are obtained. Pregnancy in goats lasts five months. And it takes three months to feed the kids.
Animals of this breed can produce offspring all year round. Puberty occurs at the age of 5 months. The goat brings one kid for the first time. And in the future - two kids.
In addition, animals have truly Olympic health, are immune to most diseases and are unpretentious in food.
The Boer breed of goats is not very susceptible to low temperatures, so if the winter in your area is mild, then you should not pay much attention to heating the room. The main thing is that the temperature does not drop below 5 degrees Celsius.
But the humidity of the air is worth paying attention to. Being in a too humid room can negatively affect the health of even these hardy animals. The recommended moisture content should not exceed 80%.
Important! In winter, the length of daylight hours for your wards should be at least 8 hours.
Boer goats do not differ in high milk yield. During lactation, the female can produce about two liters of milk per day. This may not be enough to feed the young, so providing the kids with milk will fall on the shoulders of the farmer.
Mountain Altai goats
The Altai mountain goat is characterized by a strong constitution, harmonious physique (Fig. 2.4.), And is well adapted to the harsh conditions of year-round grazing in mountainous areas. They are characterized by uniformity in color, size and constitution.
The legs of the Altai goats are strong, erect, covered with short covering hair. Incorrect positioning of the legs, as a rule, is not noted. The hooves are usually dark in color, strong and shiny. Hoof trimming and trimming is almost never done, despite this they are slightly damaged, and lameness is extremely rare. Animals of medium size, goats weigh 63 - 70 kg (up to 92), uterus 38 - 40 kg (up to 65), yearling goats 32 - 39 kg, goats 27 - 35 kg. The height at the withers of 1.5-year-old goats is on average 57 cm, of adults - 62 cm.
The coat of mountain Altai goats consists of 65 - 75% of down, 8 - 9 cm long, 17 - 19 microns thick, and 25 - 35% of the guard fibers 75 - 90 microns thick. In addition to fluff, transitional hair fibers are found in significant quantities. The tail is black, and the down is solid dark gray. Down fibers are soft and durable. Their strength is 8 - 9.5 cN / tex. Down from goats receive 750 - 1000 g (up to 2000), from queens 550 - 650 g (up to 1500). Down productivity of goats and goats at the age of 1 year - 250 - 350 g.
Down from Altai mountain goats is a valuable raw material for the down knitting industry. According to the conclusion of the technologists of the Orenburg factory of downy shawls, it is soft, elastic, silky, does not require additional equipment adjustment. Products made from Gorno-Altai down have a good presentation, shawls are fluffy, solid, soft with a silky sheen. Gorno-Altai down is much better than that obtained by the factory from other procurement offices and is almost not inferior in quality to the down of Orenburg goats.
Fertility of Gorno-Altai goats ranges from 110 to 140 goats per 100 queens, and the yield of goats after rearing is from 87 to 121%.
Milk productivity of goats is satisfactory. Average daily milk yield from one goat is 577 grams.
Gorno-Altai goat has good meat qualities. Slaughter yield for female goats is on average 45 - 46%, for neutered goats 47 - 53%. The yield of meat without bones and tendons (by weight, carcasses) is 74 - 78%, its energy value in goats is 2203 - 2561 kcal, in castrates 2223 - 3226 kcal.
In winter, adult goats lose about 25 - 35% of the mass that they had in the fall. However, in the summer (July-September), their mass is fully restored. According to G.V. Alcove, for 3.5 months of summer feeding on high-mountain subalpine pastures, the mass of castrates increased by 13.4 kg, and that of queens by 13 kg, with an average daily weight gain of 125 and 121 g, respectively. 7 kg, the mass of internal fat is 3.7 kg, the lethal yield is 52.7%. After the slaughter of castrates, meat of the 1st grade was 68.7%, the 2nd grade was 17.6% and the 3rd grade was 13.7%.
The Gorno-Altai goat belongs to the steppe and is used mainly for the manufacture of lining varieties of leather and the manufacture of fur products.
Gorky goats
The Gorky goat was bred by crossing the Russian goat with the Saanen goats, introduced in the late 19th - early 20th centuries to Pochinkovsky, Arzamassky and some other areas of the Nizhny Novgorod province. Improved animals of this breed were bred in the middle of the twentieth century, when dairy farming became a science. The Gorky breed is considered the best offspring of the Russian goat.
The color of Gorky goats is white, less often gray. The goats are of medium size, strong constitution, the height at the withers is 57-62 cm, the height at the rump is 62-67 cm. The body is wide, long, oblique length - 65-70 cm. The head is of medium size. Animals are mostly hornless, but there are also horns. The neck is high. The chest is wide and voluminous, the girth of the chest is 72-77 cm. The udder is small. The legs are well positioned, the hooves are strong. The coat is short, irregular, consists of opaque hair or top coat, with a slight downy undercoat, which is about 10%. The wool is trimmed about 250 g.
The weight of the goat is 40-45 kg, the best up to 50 kg, the weight of the goats is 55-65 kg, the best up to 80 kg. Multiple goats, for one goat they bring two kids (180-220 kids per 100 queens). Sometimes goats bring up to 5 kids. Milk productivity is high - 450-500 kg of milk, the best goats give up to 1200 kg of milk per lactation. Lactation usually lasts 240-300 days (9-10 months). Sometimes barn goats are milked for several years in a row. The fat content of milk is 4.0-5.5%. The meat production is good. Kozlin (skins) of high quality, from which they produce high-quality leather for shoes, exquisite bindings and other chevros.
Gorky goats are unpretentious to feed and keeping conditions. They have a strong constitution, are hardy, well acclimatized.
The disadvantage of the breed is a slight decrease in milk production in the first 6 months.
Greek goats
These goats descended from wild goats that lived in the mountainous regions of ancient Greece. The color of these goats is from white to dark brown and black.
Animals of medium size, strong constitution, long body. The head is elongated, the profile of the muzzle is straight. Horns are straight, bent back, there are also hornless goats. The ears are large, long, sometimes drooping. The neck is long. The chest is wide and deep. The udder is well formed. The limbs are high and thin. The hooves are strong, very firm. The coat is short, but longer on the back, sides and thighs.
The weight of an adult local Greek goat breed is 40-60 kg. Milk productivity is low - 90-100 kg of milk per lactation. Milk is used fresh and for the manufacture of cheese (in combination with sheep's milk) and butter. The meat productivity is good, the meat is of high quality, tasty, juicy, tender, fatty.
The Greek breed of goats is unpretentious to feed, they prefer to graze on free pastures among grasses and bushes, and are also adapted to high-mountainous stony pastures, where they can easily find food for themselves. Greek goats love to chew on pine trees, but their favorite treat is garlic.
The disadvantages of the breed include the fact that these goats are destroying green spaces, in Greece there is a saying: "Greece was eaten by goats." Goats eat the bark of trees, as a result of which the trees die, and the young shoots of trees are eaten and trampled by animals.
Saanen goats
Zaanen goat is a large animal, goats weigh about 70 kg, females - 50. Height at the withers is from 75 to 90 cm. They have a well-developed skeleton, but the animal is graceful. The back is straight, not sagging, the chest is wide. The head is graceful, small, the ears are perpendicular, they should not hang, as this is a disqualifying sign.
Goats have large udders and mammary glands. The preferred coat color is white, but the breed standard allows for a light cream shade.
Both goats and goats have a beard. Saanen goats have a calm temperament, they love their owners and children.
Unlike other breeds, the Zaanenskaya is characterized by the absence of horns, a short head, a long body, while it is quite well developed, the muzzle and chest are wide, the hooves are strong, the udder is large and also well developed. In most cases, Saanen goats have a short white coat. It is this breed that is considered the largest of all goat breeds. Recently, many people who decide to start a dairy breed of goats in their backyard prefer the Saanen breed.
Zaanenko goats, in addition to large milk yield, which is distinguished by its quality, also have tasty meat. If we talk about productivity and take into account the indicators of those who keep this breed, then Saanen goats give about 3.5-4 liters of milk per day, and this is after the first lambing. With each subsequent lambing, the volume of milk increases. Very productive goats are capable of producing about 8 liters of milk per day. Of course, we are talking about breeding Saanen goats. Milk appears immediately after lambing.
Dairy goats of the Saanen breed give an average of 600-700 kg of milk per year, and with improved feeding and maintenance - 1000-1200 kg. The record milk yield per elbow is 3499 kg. It is interesting to note that during productivity tests these goats gave milk 12-15, and sometimes 25 times more than their live weight per year, and cows only 5-8 times. The percentage of fat in the milk of Saanen goats is lower than in the milk of Russian goats, and usually fluctuates around 3.5-4. The milking period lasts 8-11 months.
Fertility of zaanenoks is satisfactory: 100 ewes give 180 to 250 kids a year.
Since the Saanen goat is short-haired, there is no need to cut it. Unlike ordinary goats, the breed in question does not have an unpleasant smell of milk, which is an undoubted advantage, since some do not tolerate goat's milk even to the smell, and in fact it is much healthier than milk from a cow. If an unpleasant odor appears, it is solely due to improper care.
To obtain good milk yield from a dairy goat of the Saanen breed, complete and balanced feeding is necessary. It should be borne in mind that for this breed in the diet, diversity is important, which must be taken into account when making up the daily diet. This is very important during the birth of the kids and their subsequent feeding with milk. When preparing food for Saanen goats, preference should be given to exclusively fresh and, of course, natural products. The main product for this breed is fresh hay from the early morning. After a few hours, the goats can be given thin twigs of alder, willow or birch.
Russian goat
The Russian breed of goats was formed on the European territory of Russia through a long-term selection of the best individuals of goats of local dairy breeds. There was also the fact of crossing domestic goats with goats of the Saanen and Toggenburg breeds, which had a positive effect on the breed.
The Russian goat is well adapted to local weather conditions, hardy, unpretentious to keeping conditions. All these qualities allowed her to become the most numerous breed in our country. The number of Russian goats in Russia exceeds 1 million individuals. The breed is especially popular in the northwestern and central parts of Russia.
The Russian goat is distributed over a fairly large territory, in areas with different climates, forage and economic conditions, which is reflected in some discrepancies in statistical indicators, but all goats have good milk yields.
The weight of Russian goats is 35 - 50 kg. The goats weigh up to 75 kg. In the regions of Russia in farms specializing in breeding the breed, the live weight of goats differs. The largest individuals are observed in the Moscow and Leningrad regions (up to 50 kg).
The constitution of the Russian goat is strong and dry. The Russian breed of goats has a squat barrel-shaped body. The chest is pronounced, relatively wide. The neck is straight and long. The head is light, has a somewhat elongated shape.
The crescent horns are directed backward and slightly diverge to the sides. Sometimes we come across hornless individuals. The ears are small, erect and erect. The legs are strong. The leg joints are pronounced. The position of the limbs is correct. The croup is somewhat drooping. The udder of the Russian goat is large, pear-shaped, the nipples are directed slightly forward. All representatives of the breed have a beard. In goats, it is more magnificent.
The Russian goat is white, gray, black and sometimes red. However, in most cases there is a Russian white goat. The hair of the goat is of medium length, but short-haired individuals also come across. The wool of a Russian goat contains about 15% of fluff, when combing out, up to 200 g of fluff is obtained annually.
The lactation period lasts 7 to 8 months. During lactation, the goat gives up to 600 liters of milk, the fat content of the product is 4 - 5.3%. Under favorable conditions and abundant feeding, the lactation period of the goat can be lengthened. The highest milk yield from a Russian goat breed is 1000 liters. Goat leather is renowned for its high quality.
Goats of the Russian breed are distinguished by good fertility. In the second and third lambing, the uterus give birth to 2 - 3 cubs. The average fertility rate is at the level of 150 - 200 kids from 100 queen goats per lamb. The early maturity of the breed is good. For 7 - 8 months, newborn goats gain 20-28 kg. Over the same period, goats grow up to 25 - 32 kg.