This is the first in a series of posts over the next few weeks detailing some of the more popular breeds of certain livestock types and their traits. These posts are courtesy of Skyhorse Publishing and their editorial team which was kind enough to let me publish excerpts (with credit) from their books. These livestock excerpts are all from The Homesteading Handbook by Abigail R. Gehring.
Saanen—Originally from Switzerland,
these goats are completely white, have
short hair, and sometimes have horns.
Goats of this breed are wonderful milk
Toggenburg—Originally from Switzerland,
these goats are brown with white
facial, ear, and leg stripes; have straight
noses; may have horns; and have short
hair. This breed is very popular in the
United States. These goats are good milk
producers in the summer and winter seasons
and survive well in both temperate
and tropical climates.
Alpine—Originally from Switzerland, these
goats may have horns, are short haired, and
are usually white and black in color. They
are also good producers of milk.
Anglo-Nubian—A cross between native
English goats and Indian and Nubian
breeds, these goats have droopy ears, spiral
horns, and short hair. They are quite
tall and do best in warmer climates. They
do not produce as
much milk, though
it is much higher in
fat than other goats’.
They are the most
popular breed of
goat in the United
LaMancha—A cross between Spanish
Murciana and Swiss and Nubian breeds,
these goats are extremely adaptable,
have straight noses, short hair, may have
horns, and do not
have external ears.
They are not as
good milk producers
as the Saanen
breeds, and their
milk fat content is
Pygmy—Originally from Africa and the
Caribbean, these dwarfed goats thrive in
hotter climates. For their size, they are relatively
good producers of milk.