Alpines

The French-Alpine is a breed of goat that originated in the Alps. The goats of Alpine type that were brought to the United States from France where they had been selected for much greater uniformity, size, and production than was true of the goats that were taken from Switzerland to France. These are hardy, adaptable animals that thrive in any climate while maintaining good health and excellent production.

Anatolian Black

The Anatolian Black raised in Turkey for its meat, milk and fiber. They are part of the Syrian type and while usually black they are sometimes seen in brown, gray or pied.

Angora

The Angora goat originated in the district of Angora in Asia Minor. The Angora dates back prior to early biblical history. The most valuable characteristic of the Angora as compared to other goats is the value of the mohair that is clipped.

Appenzell

The Appenzell Goat is found above all in both cantons Appenzell and St. Gallen (Toggenburg). In milk production the Appenzell Goat is on par with the other breeds. This breed was very heavily affected by the CAE-Virus, so that extensive restoration had to be done. Today the breed is essentially CAE-free.

Arapawa Island

The Arapawa goats are among the few survivors of the Old English milch (milk) goat which is now extinct to their native England.

Boer

The Boer is an improved indigenous breed with some infusion of European, Angora and Indian goat breeding many years ago. The Boer goat is primarily a meat goat. The Boer goat doe is a low maintenance animal that has sufficient milk to rear a kid that is early maturing. The Boer goat also has an extended breeding season making possible 3 kiddings every 2 years.

Booted Goat

The Booted Goat was earlier spread throughout the uplands of St. Gallen (Walensee, Flums, Weisstannental and Taminatal), in the canton Glarus and in the bordering regions. It belongs to the breed of moutain goats.

Brown Shorthair Goat

This breed originated with a native breed of un-uniform color, mostly light-brown to white, improved by crossing with German brown (Erzgebirgziege) bucks since the end of 19th century.

Canary Island

These goats are found in Spain. They are kept primarily for milk production and are found in any color. The horns are sabre or twisted.

Canindé

The Canindé is found in near Ceará and Piauí in northeastern Brazil. It is a color type selected from SRD. The breed is black with pale face-stripes and belly.

Cashmere

Cashmere the fiber of kings, produced from the lowly Cashmere goat. This fiber is so luxurious that the Arc of the Covenant of the old testament was lined and curtained with it. Sixty percent of the worlds supply of cashmere is produced in China and the remainder from Turkey, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Kashmere, Australia and New Zealand. It is a new industry for the United States. The first Cashmere goats were imported from Australia and New Zealand in the late 1980's.

D

Damascus

The Damascus is a breed raised in the region of Syria and Lebanon, primarily for milk production. They are of the Nubian type and are usually red or brown but can also be seen in pied or grey. The animals can be either horned or polled and are long haired.

Danish Landrace

The Danish Landrace is derived from goats which have been in Denmark since ancient times. The Danish Landrace is a medium to large milking goat with an average annual milk production of ca. 800 liters. The animals are short to longhaired and develop a thick hair coat during winter, which protects them well against unfavorable weather.

Finnish Landrace

The Finnish Landrace is found primarily in western Finland. They are kept primarily for milk production. Both polled and horned individuals are found. The usual color is white but they are also found in gray or pied. The length of the hair varies.

Girgentana

This Sicilian goat has very long horns, often 50 cm long and rising vertically in a corkscrew. The coat is long and creamy white with brown spots around the eyes. They are very good milkers and hardy.

Kiko

The Kiko is a meat breed that originated from large diary males crossed with New Zealand base stock and then backcrossed to dairy males. They were then selected for twinning, growth rate and constitution.

Kinder

The Kinder goat, as it has evolved, is a joy to milk and an ideal small homestead milk producer. Though smaller, Kinder goats are required to meet the same standards of production to be eligible for star milker awards as their larger counterparts registered by the American Dairy Goat Association. Since the breed is being developed as a dual purpose breed, it is also important to note that the wethers (does as well) make extremely desirable meat animals.

LaMancha

The LaMancha goat originated in Oregon by Mrs. Eula Frey from short-eared goats of a type found not only in LaMancha, but throughout spain. It has excellent dairy temperament and is an all-around sturdy animal that can withstand a great deal of hardship and still produce. Through official testing this breed has established itself in milk production with high butterfat.

Moxotó

The Moxotó is found in northeastern Brazil. It is a color type selected from SRD. The Moxotó is white or cream with black face-stripes, back-stripe and belly.

Myotonic (Wooden Leg)

These are one of the few goats that are indigenous to the U.S. Myotonic goats which have been selected for meat production are heavy rumped, deep chested animals. They have now been discovered as excellent crossbreed stock for the Boer goat.

Nigerian Dwarf

The Nigerian Dwarf is a miniature goat of West African Origin. It's conformation is similar to that of the larger dairy goat breeds. Dwarf goats are gentle and loveable. Even breeding bucks are handled easily. They make wonderful pets and great animal projects for young children in 4-H.

Norwegian

The Norwegian goat is found throughout Norway. It is kept for both milk and meat production. It is found in gray, blue, white or pied coloration. The Norwegian also has long hair.

Nubian

Nubians were developed in England by crossing British goats with bucks of African and Indian origin. The Nubian is an all-purpose goat, useful for meat, milk and hide production. It is not a heavy milk producer but has a high average butter fat content.

Oberhasli

The Oberhasli is a Swiss dairy goat. This breed is of medium size, vigorous and alert in appearance.

Peacock Goat

Little is known about the origin of the Peacock Goat. This ancient mountain breed was encountered primarily in the canton Graubünden and in Upper Tessin, where it was often put to use as a lead goat in Verzasca herds. Today Peacock Goats are spread throughout all of Switzerland. In milk production the Peacock Goat is equal to most mountain breeds. It produces a good amount of meat with modest fodder demands.

Pygmy Goat

The Pygmy Goat was originally called the Cameroon Dwarf Goat. The goat is mostly restricted to the West African countries. A full coat of straight, medium-long hair which varies in density with seasons and climates. On females, beards may be non-existent, sparse, or trimmed.

Saanen

The Saanen dairy goat originated in Switzerland, in the Saanen Valley. Saanen does are heavy milk producers and usually yield 3-4 percent milk fat. It is medium to large in size (weighing approximately 145 lbs/65kg) with rugged bone and plenty of vigor.

Sahelian

The Sahelian belong to the Savanna group of goats with many types and subtypes raised in the Saharan and sub-Saharan region. Described type is distributed in north and northwest of Mali. Kept primarily for meat, and skins, milk (at least semiarid regions in Mali) is only seldom used and never processed.

San Clemente

San Clemente Island is located off the coast of southern California. It is owned by the U.S. government and used and managed by the U.S. Navy. San Clemente goats are relatively small, close to the maximum standard for dwarf breeds. They are a meat breed, though uncommonly fine-boned and deer-like. They are horned in both sexes.

Somali

The Somali is found in Somalia and northeast Kenya. The breed is used primarily for meat production. They are primarily found in white but occational individuals will have colored spots or patches. The Somali has short hair and ears. The males are horned and the females are either horned or polled.

Spanish

These feral goats became known as "Spanish" or "brush goat". Although not of a specific breed ancestry they have developed through natural selection. The term has also become used to describe any goat of unknown ancestry. Most are wild or at least semi-wild. Size varies greatly due to climate, terrain and available breeding stock. Body shape, ear shape, horns, hair and color are not consistant.

Thuringian

Thuringian are a variety of German Improved Fawn found in Thüringen, eastern Germany. The breed is known for its adaptability to mountainous regions and its ability to walk long distances. The breed is nearly extinct.

Toggenburg

The Toggenburg is a Swiss dairy goat from Toggenburg Valley of Switzerland at Obertoggenburg. They are also credited as being the oldest known dairy goat breed. Toggenburgs perform best in cooler conditions. They are noted for their excellent udder development and high milk production, and have an average fat test of 3.7 percent.

Valais Blackneck

A meat and dairy breed found in southwestern Switzerland, the Valais Blackneck has black forequarters and white hindquarters and long hair. There is also an Italian strain, called "Vallesana", with the line of separation between black and white parts situated more cranially than the Swiss strain, that is just behind the olecranus. The Italian strain is actually very reduced in number.