goat breeds

Goats were probably first domesticated in Asia, perhaps during prehistoric times, and have long been used as a source of milk, cheese, mohair, and meat. Goat skin can also be made into leather. Goats are especially adapted to small-scale milk production; one or two animals can supply sufficient milk for a family throughout the year. Indeed, they are key livestock in quarters and regions where it would not be practical to keep a cow.

The many breeds may be roughly grouped: the prickeared—e.g., Swiss goats; the eastern, or Nubian, with long, drooping ears; and the wool goat—e.g., Angora and cashmere. While it is usually easy to distinguish goats from sheep, certain hair breeds of sheep can be distinguished from goats by the orientation of the tail: upward in goats, downward in sheep.

A comparison of selected breeds of goats is provided in the following table.

Selected breeds of goats

	name	use	distribution	characteristics	comments
	Angora	wool	originally Turkey, now also South Africa, United States	small body; thick, flat fleece	thrives in temperate regions
	Boer	meat	originally South Africa	horned; lop ears	extended breeding season
	Cashmere	wool, milk, and meat	originally China, now Asia and Middle East	small body; large ears; small horns	wool obtained from its undercoat
	LaMancha	milk	originally United States	distinct ear types: “gopher ears” (up to one inch in length but preferably nonexistent) or “elf ears” (maximum length 2 inches)	hardy
	Nubian	milk	originally North Africa, now also India, Middle East, United Kingdom, United States	long legs; long ears; large nose	several varieties
	Oberhasli	milk	originally Switzerland	medium-sized; chamois in colour with two black stripes on face	alert in appearance
	Saanen	milk	originally Saanen Valley, Switzerland	white or cream-coloured; short hair	consistent milk producer
	Toggenburg	milk	originally Toggenburg valley, Switzerland, now also United Kingdom, United States	light to dark brown	important dairy goat