Updated 15/04/2002

ANGLO-NUBIAN

A dual purpose milk and meat goat that originated in England in the 1870's from the crossing of Nubians from Egypt, Jumna Pari and Chitral goats from India and Zariby Eritrea.   These goats were many colored - black, tan, mottled and spotted.   There are two distinguishing features of the Anglo Nubian - the long pendulous ears and the roman nose which is markedly convex in shape.   Stance is very upright and proud.

The first Anglo Nubian was imported into Australia in 1956 - Playford Petulant from England.   They are now established in all states. Features of the breed are the high butterfat and protein content in their milk and their superior flesh compared to the Swiss breeds. It is a very useful dual purpose animal, having a great capacity for adaptation to hot climates.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

Dark skinned, large exotic goats of regal bearing, being one of the tallest and heaviest of the breeds with bucks weighing up to 140 kgs and does 110 kgs. Elegant head with arched roman nose, long pendulous ears, muzzle fine and tapered, nostrils flat. Chest broad, heavy framed body with back straight or slightly rising to the hips. Legs strong and straight. Coat short and fine being any color combination except full Swiss markings. Ideal height for bucks 94cm, does 81cm.

Anglo Nubian | British Alpine | Toggenburg | Saanen | Other breeds

BRITISH ALPINE

The first documented British Alpine was Sedgmere Faith, a doe or the Sundgau breed, found in the Paris Zoo in 1903 and taken to England, where she became the foundation of the breed. In 1956, Mrs. Hopping of Ferncliffe Stud in New Zealand imported one buck, Kewell Kiltie, and two in kid does, Digemere Dessane and Tamar Mary from England. These were the first British Alpines in the Southern Hemisphere. In 1959, four British Alpines, two bucks and two does, all related, came to Australia and it was from their descendants and the out-crossings to Toggenburgs and Saanens carrying the Alpine type as a recessive, that the breed was established here.

British Alpines in Australia are one of the minority breeds. The Dairy Goat Society of Australia has implemented a plan to help broaden the genetic pool by allowing grade bucks to be registered and also allowing the upgrading of appendix does which qualify on inspection and milk figures, and their male kids to be a special herd book section. The results will not be realised for a number of years when there is sufficient stock to asses. British Alpines are a highly active breed suited to free range and are noted for good quality milk.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

The British Alpine is a striking, rangy, black animal with white leg and facial markings, white under the tail, with ears outlined in white also. Facial line is dished or straight, with strong broad muzzle, ears erect pointing slightly forward. Back straight or rising slightly to the hips. Body deep and wedge shaped, legs strongly boned and straight. Skin dark. Ideal height for does 83 cm, bucks 95 cm.

Anglo Nubian | British Alpine | Toggenburg | Saanen | Other breeds

TOGGENBURG

Originating in Switzerland and taking it's name from the district of Obertoggenburg, and being the most numerous type of goat in that area, this ancient and popular breed has been widely exported throught the world and was particularly popular in Great Britian between 1884-1905, being the first of the Swiss breeds to arrive there. Toggenburgs are the most numerous breeds in the USA, where they have held their popularity to the present day. The ancestors of the Australian Toggenburg were imported from Great Britian in 1947. They have adapted well to our moderate climatic regions, in which they do equally well as house goats or on free range, holding their place as good milk producers in larger herds.

Between 1947 to 1953, twenty Toggenburgs were imported from the Northmoor Stud in England, of which only three were Pure Toggenburgs, the remainder being of British Toggenburg origin, a rangy larger type. The highest production for an Australian Toggenburg for 24 hours is held by Stoora Signorita * with 9.30 kgs (9.03 litres). The highest yearly production is held by R304 Murrungowar Jeneva *Q*3 with yield of 3047 kgs (2958 litres) in 365 days and was recorded in the 1999/2000 season.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

A robust dairy type, active and vigorous, being well proportioned with strong backline straight to the hips. Full chested with large deep wedge shaped body. Well boned strong straight legs. Coat color may be from light fawn to dark chocolate with white facial stripes from eyes to muzzle, around edges of ears, on legs from knee and hocks to feet, on rump and tail. Ideal height for does 79 cm, bucks 90 cm.

Anglo Nubian | British Alpine | Toggenburg | Saanen | Other breeds

SAANEN

The early goats brought to this country were mostly the tough adaptable type only a step or two removed from what we now know as a "bush" goat. In 1913, the NSW Department of Agriculture imported two bucks and ten does from France and Switzerland to improve the existing standards over the next twenty years at their experimental farm at Nyngan. This work was followed on at Condobolin for a number of years and today goats with the "State" prefix are still to be found in the pedigrees of some of our finest animals.

The Saanen breed has reached such a high standard that Australian Saanens have frequently held the world production record and are continuing to do so. The present world record for 365 days lactation is held by Osory Snow Goose with 3296 kgs (3200 litres) first lactation, 3498 kgs (3396 litres) second lactation. Saanens have quite a placid nature and are equally suited to both small holdings with just a few goats and the larger commercial milking herds. The Saanen has been, and still is, the numerically strongest breed in Australia so there is a larger pool of stock to select from, thus enabling good herd averages for production to be achieved.

GENERAL APPEARANCE

An attractive dairy type. Tan or olive skinned - black spots may appear on the skin of ears, nose or udder. Short fine white coat. Slender head with a dished or straight facial line, ears erect and backline straight. Legs straight and strong. Body wedge shaped with well sprung ribs. Ideal height for does 81 cm with weight around 61 kgs, bucks 94 cm and weight around 81 kgs.

Anglo Nubian | British Alpine | Toggenburg | Saanen | Other breeds

OTHER BREEDS

At the 2001 Federal Council meeting of the DGSA the All Black dairy goat was officially recognised as a breed in it's own right and named The Australian Melaan.
There are not too many other experimental breeds in Australia at present except for the All Brown and until such time as breed standards and registration and appendix systems have been certified and put into place, information about these breeds is a bit scarce.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION Elegant, tall, rangy and graceful, with smoothly blended body exhibiting a pronounced dairy wedge shape. Fine without tending to weakness. An alert expression and stance, combined with a docile temperament. Does should be feminine, bucks obviously masculine in appearance.

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