Alpines

Origin: Alps.
Larger & more rangy dairy goat. Females stand not < 30" at  withers & weigh not < 135 lbs. Males from 34-40"  & not < 170 lbs. Colour range from pure white through shades of fawn, grey, brown, black, red, bluff, piebald or various shadings & combinations of these colours. Generally short haired - bucks usually have roach of long hair along spine. Beard of males quite pronounced. Ears medium size & preferably erect. Straight face. Hardy & adaptable - thrive in any climate. Good health & excellent production. Excellent milkers - large, well-shaped udders with well-placed teats of desirable shape.

Anglo-Nubian

Origin: England
Cross bred between British & African-Indian goats. All purpose - useful for meat, milk & hide. Relatively large. Doe stand at least 30" at withers & weigh 135 lbs or over, while males at least 35" & at least  175 lbs. "Aristocratic" appearing. Distinctive head - facial profile between eyes & muzzle strongly convex. Very long (extend at least 1" beyond muzzle when held flat along face), wide & pendulous  ears that hang close to head at temple & flare out slightly & well forward at rounded tip, forming a "bell" shape. Decidedly Roman nose. Short, fine & glossy haired. Males have shorter hair, particularly along back & on thighs. Black, red or tan are the most common colours, any of which may be carried on combination with white.
Not a heavy milk producer, although udder capacious & sometimes more pendulous than Swiss breeds. Breeding season much longer than Swiss breeds, so possible to produce milk all year round. Best suited of dairy goat breeds to hot conditions. Used in grading-up programs in tropical countries to increase milk & meat production of local breeds.

Angora

Origin: Angora district, Asia Minor.
Most valuable characteristic compared to other goats is the value of mohair clipped. Average approximately 5.3 lbs per shearing. Usually sheared twice/year. Staple length of between 12-15 cm. Classified 2 types: - ringlet (produce finest mohair) & flat  (wavy & more bulky).
Both sexes are horned - bucks usually have a pronounced spiral to it, which comes back & away from head & sometimes reach 2-3" in length, while those of females are comparatively short (seldom exceeds 9-10") & much smaller. Ears are heavy & drooping. Small - weight range of bucks 180-225 lbs after 5 years & does 70-110 lbs. Back should be straight, rib well sprung, body deep & uniform in depth. Chest wide, legs straight, ample development of rear quarters.
Good, grazing habit - tendency to eat as high as they can reach by standing on hind legs. Not as prolific as other goats - twins not usual, Most delicate - susceptible to damage from internal parasites. Extremely delicate at birth. Cannot withstand cold wet rains immediately after shearing - storms cause excessive losses at kidding or shearing time.

Boer

Indigenous breed with some infusion of European, Angora & Indian goat. Horned, with lop ears. Variety of colour patterns.   Primarily a meat goat. Ram weighs  between 110-135 kg; ewes between 90-100 kg. Capable of average daily gains > 200 g/day. Early puberty - usually about 6 months for males & 10-12 months for females. Average ovulation rate  1.7 eggs/doe. Kidding rate of 200% common. Extended breeding season - 3 kiddings every 2 years possible. Weaning rates in excess of 160%.Grazing ability - limited impact on grass cover.  Low maintenance animal.
 

British Alpine

Origin: Great Britain.
Tall & rangy. Black with white markings. Coat generally short, fine & glossy, bucks often have longer hair. Best suited to temperate climates. Perform poorly in regions with high humidity. Good milk producers with an average fat yield of 4%. Extended lactation period. 

Saanen

Origin: Saanen Valley, Switzerland
Heavy milk producers - usually yield 3-4% milk fat. Medium to large in size weighing approximately 65 kg with rugged bones & plenty of vigour. Does should be feminine & not coarse. White or light cream in colour & sometimes spots on skin. Hair short & fine, although fringe over spine & thighs often present. Ears erect, preferably pointing forward. Face should be straight or dished. Sensitive to excessive sunlight, performs best in cooler conditions. Provision of shade essential.

Toggenburg

Origin: Toggenburg Valley, Switzerland
Oldest known dairy goat breed. Noted for excellent udder development & high milk production (average fat test of 3.7%). Medium size, sturdy, vigorous & alert in appearance. Slightly smaller than other Alpine breeds. Does weigh at least 55 kg. Hair short or medium in length, soft, fine & lying flat. Colour varying from light fawn to dark chocolate with distinct white markings: white ears with dark spot in middle, two white stripes down face from above each eye to muzzle, hind legs white from hocks to hooves, forelegs white from knees downward, white triangle on either side of tail. Perform best in cooler conditions.