An Introduction to Common Goat Breeds

Image Gallery These goats aren't just useful livestock, they also make highly entertaining — and sometimes mischievous — companions. ISTOCKPHOTO

For centuries, humans have raised goats for milk, meat and fiber; as work animals; as pets; and for their skills as highly efficient weed-eaters. If you’re considering getting a goat (or a few), the first step is deciding what you want from your new animal, then finding the best breed suited to that task. Here’s a quick guide to which goats do what, along with a few breed characteristics:

Dairy Goats

Originating in Great Britain, Nubian goats are one of the most common breeds of dairy goat in the United States. A medium-large breed, they have short, glossy and fine coats of any color or pattern. Under ideal conditions, they can produce over 3,000 pounds of milk a year (4.8 percent butterfat) and are meatier than other dairy breeds. Nubians have long ears, ideally reaching half an inch past the muzzle.

The LaMancha goat originated in the United States and is a medium-large breed. With a short, glossy coat of any color or pattern and a production of 1,050 to 3,510 pounds of milk per year (3.9 percent butterfat), the most marked characteristic of this breed is its ears. You might see elf ears (up to 2 inches, with cartilage), gopher ears (up to 1 inch, no cartilage), or small or absent external ears.

Meat Goats

Large, well-muscled Boers are classic meat goats. Their short coats may be red, black or spotted, though most are white with red or brown heads. Boers have long, pendulous ears, and Boer bucks have loose rolls of skin at the shoulders. The does often produce twins, though triplets and quadruplets aren’t unusual, and both sexes mature quickly. These South African natives can weigh in at 150 to 250 pounds for does, and 250 to 350 pounds for bucks.