What is a Dairy Goat Breed? A Quick Explanation of Characteristics
Dairy goat breeds are goats that are kept for the main purpose of milk production. According to the USDA report of 2017, there were 373,000 dairy goats in the United States. The main dairy goat breeds in the United States are Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, Toggenburg, Lamancha and Oberhasli.
The characteristics that distinguish the dairy goats above are:
- 1Dairy strength. This is the milk production capabilities. Saanen is a heavy milk producer compared to the LaMancha goat breed.
- 2Adaptability. How well can a goat perform in a different climates. Some breeds do well in warmer climates while others do well in cooler climates.
- 3Reproductive rate. You can differentiate dairy breeds with the kidding rate, the ability to breed out of season and the conception rate.
- 4Evaluation of growth. Evaluating growth means looking at when dairy goat can be bred, how long it takes for a goat to reach maturity and the weight of the goat.
How Many Dairy Goat Breeds Are There?
According to the USDA report on 1st of January 2020, the milk goat count in the United States was 440,000 heads.
Dairy Goat and Meat Goat Count in the United States from the USDA census 2018-2020:
Dairy Goats and Kids in the United States from 1st January 2019 to 2020:
CLASS | 2019 (head) | 2020 (head) | 2020 (as percent of 2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
Milk goats and kids | 430,000 | 440,000 | 102 |
Milk, breeding goats | 385,000 | 395,000 | 103 |
Milk, market goats and kids | 45,000 | 45,000 | 100 |
Kid crop | 296,000 | 305,000 | 103 |
Dairy Goat Breeds – Complete List
There are more than sixty officially recognized goat breeds in the world. These are breeds that produce meat, milk, fiber. Below we will discuss the Dairy goat breeds in the world.
Dairy Goat and Meat Goat Count in the United States from the USDA census 2018-2020:
ALPINE GOAT
Country of Origin | France |
Breed Weight | Bucks- Not less than 170lbs Does- Not less than 130lbs |
Breed Height | Bucks- not less than 32 inches Does- not less than 30 inches |
ANGLO NUBIAN
Country of Origin | Britain |
Breed Weight | Bucks weight up to 310 pounds Female weigh up to 240 pounds |
Breed Weight | Male bucks have an average height of 35 inches Female does have an average height of 31 inches |
APPENZELL GOAT
Country of Origin | Switzerland |
Breed Weight | Bucks weigh approximately 65kgs Does weigh approximately 40kgs |
Breed Height | Males are 80 cm in height Females are 75 cm in height |
ARGENTANTA DELL’ETNA GOATS
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight | Bucks weigh approximately 50kgs Does weigh approximately 38kgs |
Breed Height | Male- 70 to 75 cm Females- 65 to 67 cm |
BEETAL GOATS
Country of Origin | India |
Breed Weight | Bucks weigh approximately 120 kg Does weigh approximately 90kgs |
Breed Height | Males are 75 cm in height Females are 70 cm in height |
BELGIAN FAWN
Country of Origin | Belgium |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 150 pounds Does weigh approximately 120 pounds |
Breed Height | Bucks have an average height of 81 cm Does have an average height of 71 cm |
BIONDA DELL’ADAMELLO
The milk yield per lactation of the Bionda Dell’Adamello goat is 303 ± 108 litres. The milk averages 3.16% fat and 2.97% protein.
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight | Bucks weigh between 70 and 75 kg Does weigh between 55 and 60kg |
Breed Height | These goats have an average height of 75 cm |
CHAMOIS COLOURED GOAT
The milk yield per lactation of the Chamois Coloured goat goat is given as >700kg, and with 3.4% fat and 2.9% protein.
Country of Origin | Switzerland |
Breed Weight | Bucks weigh no less than 75 kg Females weigh no less than 55kg |
Breed Height | Bucks have an average height of 85 cm Does have an average height of 75 cm |
DANISH LANDRACE GOAT
Country of Origin | Denmark |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh between 70 and 90 kg Does weigh between 50 and 60 kg |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 85 to 95 cm Females have an average height of 75 and 80 cm |
DERA DIN PANAH GOAT
Country of Origin | Pakistan |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 61kg Does weigh approximately 41 kg |
Breed Height | Bucks are 81 cm tall Does are 70 cm tall |
FRISA VALTELLINESE
The milk yield per lactation for the Frisa Valtellinese goat is 271 ± 115 litres. The milk averages 3.23% fat and 3.04% protein.
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh between 75 and 80 kg Does weigh between 65 and 70 kg |
Breed Height | These goats have an average height of between 79 and 82 cm. |
GARGANICA GOAT
The Garganica goat has an average milk yield of 120 litres in 180 days.
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 65 kg Does weigh approximately 50 kg |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 85 cm Females have an average height of 75 cm |
GIRGENTANA GOAT
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 65kg Does weigh approximately 45 kg |
Breed Height | Girgentana goats have an average height of between 80 and 85 cm |
IRISH GOAT
Country of Origin | Ireland |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Males weigh 85 kg Does weigh approximately 55kg |
Breed Height | Males are 90 cm tall Females are 80 cm tall |
JAMNAPARI GOAT
The average milk yield per lactation of the Jamnapari goat is 158 kg. The milk fat content is 4.85%
Country of Origin | India |
Body Weight – Bucks | Males can weigh up to 120 kg Females can reach 90 kg |
JONICA GOAT
The annual milk yield of the Jonica goat is 300-400 litres.
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Males can weigh 68kg Females can weigh 48 kg |
Breed Height | Males are 78 cm tall Females are 70 cm tall |
KAMORI GOAT
The average milk yield per lactation of the Kamori goat is 204 kg and the milk has a fat content of 4.7%
Country of Origin | Pakistan |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 55 kg Females weigh approximately 39 kg |
Breed Height | The average height of the Kamori goat is between 85 and 90 cm |
KINDER GOAT
Milk from kinder goats is high in butterfat. It also has high amounts of milk solids that yield large amounts of cheese.
Country of Origin | United States of America. |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh between 135 and 150 pounds Does weigh between 115 and 125 pounds |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 71 cm Females have an average height of 66 cm |
LAMANCHA GOAT
The average milk yield of the American LaMancha goat is 1018 kg. The milk has 3.9% fat content.
Country of Origin | United States of America. |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh up to 165 pounds Does weigh approximately 130 pounds |
LAOSHAN GOAT
Country of Origin | China |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 76 kg Does weigh approximately 48 kg |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 85 cm Females have an average height 71 cm |
MALTESE GOAT
The average milk yield per lactation for Maltese goats is 242 ± 87 litres. The milk has an average of 4.28% and 3.66% fat and protein content respectively.
Country of Origin | Malta |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 70 kg Does weigh approximately 46 kg |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 87 cm Females have an average height 71 cm |
MESSINESE GOAT
Milk yield per lactation of the Messinese goat is 137 ± 66 litres. The milk fat average is 5.83% and 4.1% fat content.
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 72 kg Does weigh approximately 38 kg |
Breed Height | Messinese goats have an average height of between 67 and 75 cm. |
OBERHASLI GOAT
The average milk yield per lactation of the Oberhasli goat is 2116 kg.
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Mature males weigh approximately 150 pounds Females weigh approximately 120 pounds |
Breed Height | These goats have an average height of between 70 and 76 cm |
MURCIANO-GRANADINA GOAT
Country of Origin | Spain |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks have an average weight of between 50 to 60 kg Does have an average weight of between 30 to 50 kg |
Breed Height | These goats have an average height of between 70 and 75 cm |
NIGERIAN DWARF GOAT
Average milk yield per lactation of the Nigerian Dwarf goat is 340 kg. The milk fat content is 6.5% while the protein content is 3.9%.
Country of Origin | United States |
Breed Weight - Bucks | The average weigh of bucks is about 75 pounds The average weight of does is about 75 pounds |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of between 19 and 23 inches Females have an average height of between 17 and 22 inches |
NERA VERZASCA GOAT
The average milk yield per lactation of the Nera Verzasca goat is 373 litres. The milk has an average of 3.5% and 3% fat and protein respectively.
Country of Origin | Switzerland |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 90kg Does weigh approximately 45 to 60 kg |
Breed Height | The average height of these goats is between 76 and 86 cm |
OROBICA GOAT
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 80kg Does weigh approximately 65kg |
Breed Height | These goats have an average height of between 73 and 79 cm |
RUSSIAN WHITE GOAT
Country of Origin | Russia |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh between 60 and 75 kg Does weigh between 50 and 60 kg |
SAANEN GOAT
Average milk yield of a Saanen goat is 839 kg in a lactation period of 264 days. The milk should have a minimum of 3.2% and 2.7% fat and protein content respectively.
Country of Origin | Switzerland |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Males weigh no less than 85kg Females weigh no less than 60 kg |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 90 cm Females have an average height of 80cm |
SARDA GOAT
The milk yield per lactation of the Sarda goat is 173 ± 62 litres. The milk has 4% protein content.
Country of Origin | Italy |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 67 kg Does weigh approximately 50 kg |
Breed Height | These goats have an average height of between 70 and 75 cm |
TAUERNSHECK GOAT
The milk yield per lactation of the Sarda goat is 173 ± 62 litres. The milk has 4% protein content.
Country of Origin | Austria |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh between 60 and 80 kg Does weigh between 50 and 70 kg |
THURINGIAN GOAT
Country of Origin | Germany |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Males weigh on average 55 kg Females weigh on average 48kg |
TOGGENBURG GOAT
The minimum milk yield per lactation of a Toggenburg goat is 740 kg, the minimum protein content is 2.9% and the minimum fat content is 3.56%.
Country of Origin | Switzerland |
Breed Weight - Bucks | Bucks weigh approximately 77kg Does weigh approximately 55 kg |
Breed Height | Males have an average height of 85 cm Females have a height of 75 cm |
WHITE SHORTHAIR GOAT
Country of Origin | Czech Republic |
Breed Weight - Bucks | 150 to 190 pounds |
Breed Height | 120 to 150 pounds |
Best Dairy Goat Breeds – A Comparison of Dairy Goat Breeds
Below we will discuss the most common dairy goat breeds in the United States which include the Alpine, Saanen, Nubian, Toggenburg and LaMancha.
Reproductive Fitness of Dairy Goats (Annual Kidding Rate, Weaning Rate, Kid Crop Weaned)
Dairy goats can be bred at the age of between 7 and 10 months when their weight ranges from 70 to 80 pounds.
Does normally produce between one to three kids per year.
DHIR Data on Milk Production by Dairy Goat Breed:
BREED | AVERAGE PRODUCTION (lbs/lactation) | MILK FAT (%) | MILK PROTEIN (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
Alpine | 2,266 | 3.4 | 2.9 |
Saanen | 2,577 | 3.3 | 2.9 |
Nubian | 1,820 | 4.9 | 3.7 |
LaMancha | 2,100 | 4.0 | 3.2 |
Toggenburg | 2,115 | 3.2 | 2.7 |
Dairy Goat Parasite Resistance
Goats are hardy animals so they require little maintenance to survive. Nonetheless goats can contract diseases that may both affect people. It’s important to contact a vet so as to develop a treatment program. Parasites are the most common health concern for goat health. They cause weight loss, poor and rough hair and Anemia.
Other health problems that can affect goats that are kept in poor conditions are:
Dairy Goat Climate Adaptability
Cost to Raise Dairy Goats
The cost of raising a dairy goat ranges by breed, age, registration, health and the place of purchase. Other costs incurred when keeping dairy goats are the operating expenses like maintenance, utilities and supplies.
Feed, veterinary, labor and breeding costs should also be considered.
Temperament of Dairy Goats
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