UNDERSTANDING GOAT BREEDS

Goat breeds

• It is important to understand characteristics of goat breeds before venturing into goat farming business.
• I will take you through the different goat breeds and their unique characteristics.
• They are divided into two; the non-exotic breeds and the exotic breeds.
• NON-EXOTIC BREEDS

Small East African goat

The Small East African goat is distributed throughout a wide and diverse range of environments.

• It is one of the most successful domestic stocks in the Arid and Semi-Arid areas.
• The breed belongs to the group of short-eared and small-horned goats.
• It is described as a diverse group of goats with variable type, conformation and body size, with an average height at withers of 60 cm.
• In addition, they are hardy animals, and both sexes wear horns of variable size up to 25 cm in length.
• Ears are prick and of moderate size, wattles are common and the coat is usually short, fine and smooth.
• The coat colour varies in colour type and pattern. It ranges from pure white to pure black with various intermixes of roan and speckled brown.
• Males have pronounced manes running the full length of the back.
• Tassels are found in up to 30% of the breed.
• Adult males attain weights up to 35 kg and females 25-30 kg.
• They have slow growth rates with yearlings rarely exceeding 20 kg.
• They are kept mainly for meat, as their milk is rarely sufficient for more than a single kid.
• However, potential exists for their selection and are therefore useful as a base in an upgrading programme.
• Their greatest asset is the ability to survive.
• The Small East African Goat has more tolerance to trypanosomosis, internal parasites and pasteurellosis.

Galla goat

• The Galla, also referred to as the Somali goat, goes by other synonyms Long-eared Somali, Large-White Somali etc.
• It belongs to the short-eared and small-horned group of goat breeds
• The goat also belongs to the group of domestic goats with scimitar-shaped horns
• The Somali goat is described as relatively large (70 to 75 cm in height and 31 to 42 kg weight)
• Has a white and shiny coat, short and fine hair, and horizontal or semi-pendulous ears (Wilson, 1991).
• About 19 and 8% of the males and females, respectively, have been reported to be polled (FARM-Africa, 1996).
• The Somali goat is widely distributed throughout Somalia and northern Kenya.
• It is common with the Somali and Borana pastoralists in the ASALs under pastoral, agro-pastoral and agricultural production systems (Wilson, 1991; FARM-Africa, 1996).
• The Galla dams continue to breed and rear kids up to ten years of age.
• According to Njoro (2003), the breed has a strong dental system and is therefore rarely culled for teeth problems.
• The animals are docile, easy to handle and thrive best in low altitudes, preferably in acacia bushes.
• In addition, they have a remarkable power of compensatory growth after a long dry season.
• Their high height at withers and long bodies allow them to utilize browse that cannot be physically reached by the Small East African species.
• The females, on average, produce kids weighing 20 kg at weaning.

EXOTIC GOAT BREEDS  

The Saanen

• This is an exotic milk goat that has been introduced to Kenya from Europe.
• It is not widely used except by few individuals and Agricultural Institutions.
• It is medium sized, the Billy will weigh an average 75kg and the nanny 50kg.
• It is white or light cream with ears pointing upwards and forward.
• It gives good quantity of milk, 400-500kg in a 10-month lactation period.

The Toggenburg

• It is also an exotic goat.
• It has a brown or light brown body with long hairs.
• It has white ears with dark spots in the middle.
• The legs and the tail are also white.
• It gives good milk yield, 300-400kg per 10 month lactation.
• Like Saanen it is only kept by few farmers and institutions.