Goat is regarded as “poor man’s cow.” The goats are adaptable to varying environmental conditions and have tremendous ability to survive on sparse vegetation unsuitable for feeding of other livestock. Goats are the source of income and occupation for a large number of rural people, specially the economically and socially backward classes of the society in India. The goat is mainly a meat animal in India and a few breeds are milch breeds which provide small quantity of milk.
India possesses 22 well established breeds of goat apart from non-descript local goats. The important dairy goats are Jamunapari, Beetal, Jhakrana, Zalawadi and Surti. A few exotic dairy breeds like Alpine, Saanen, Toggenburg and Anglo-Nubian have been used in crossbreeding with local breeds of goats to improve the milk production.
i. Indigenous Goat Breeds
i. Jamunapari: This breed is found in Etawah, Agra and Mathura districts of U.P.and the tracts lying between of the Chambal and Jamuna rivers. The goats of this breed are the largest in size, tall and leggy. The breed has no uniform colour but animals having a white coat with markings of tan are common. Long pendulous ears and highly convex nose with a tuft of hair (Roman nose) are peculiar characteristics of this breed. They are dual purpose goats giving both milk and meat. The body weight of an adult male (buck) and female (doe) ranges from 50-85 and 40-60 kg respectively. The average body length and height of an adult buck and doe is 127 and 116 cm and 91 and 77 cm respectively. The average age at first kidding is 20-25 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. These goats are bred from July to October and kid from November to February. The average milk yield is around 1-2 kg per day with a maximum of 350-550 kg in a lactation period of 250 days. The lactation length varies between 210-275 days. The good animals yield 2.5-3.5 kg milk per day.
ii. Beetal: This breed is found mainly in Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts of Punjab. The adult buck and doe weigh around 40-70 and 35-50 kg, respectively. An adult Beetal buck measures 125 cm in body length and 90 cm in body height. The corresponding values for a doe are 105 cm and 75 cm respectively. The average age at first kidding is 20-22 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins and rarely triplets. These goats are mostly bred from July to October and kid from November to February. The gestation period is five months. The ears are long and pendulous hanging like beetal leaf on both sides. The Beetal goats also have Roman nose indicating a common ancestry with Jamunapari. The bucks generally possess tuft of hair under the chin called beard. The milk yield is around 1-1.5 kg per day. The lactation length varies between 160-200 days. The maximum milk yield of 834 kg in a lactation period of 287 days has been recorded in this breed.
Beetal Goatiii. Zalawadi: This breed is found in Zalawad district of Kathiawad. It is also found in western Mehsana and Radhanpur in Gujarat. The Zalawadi are generally large sized goats with straight screw shaped horns. The neck is long and usually two lobular appendages are found in the throat region. The coat colour is black with white spots. The skin colour is pinkish blue with black lustrous hair on the body measuring about 10-15 cm long. The average age at first kidding is 23-25 months.The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. The adult animal weighs around 50-65 kg. This goat is a good milker and kids only once in a year. The good animals yield around 2-3 kg milk per day with an average of 200 kg in 150 days.
iv. Jhakrana: This breed is distributed mainly in Jhakrana and in surrounding villages near Behror in Alwar district of Rajasthan. Jhakrana goats are large-sized animals.The breed is quite similar to Beetal goats in physical characteristics, but is comparatively larger in size. Coat colour is predominantly black with white spots on ears and muzzle. The forehead is slightly bulged. The body weights of adult goats are 58 and 44 kg for male and female, respectively. The average age at first kidding is 21-25 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. This goat breed is known for its milk production. The average lactation milk yield is about 120-135 kg in a lactation period of 110-125 days.
v. Surti: This breed is distributed in Surat and Baroda districts of Gujarat and Nasik and Mumbai areas of Maharashtra. The coat colour is predominantly white but often black and brown hair found in different parts of the body. This is a medium-sized white goat having well-developed udder. The ears are medium and horns are small directed backwards and slightly curved. The average body length and height is 65 and 74 cm in bucks and 60 and 70 cm in does respectively. The average age at first kidding is 21 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. The adult weight in bucks and does is around 35 and 31 kg. This is a good milch breed yielding around 1.5-2.0 kg of milk per day with a lactation yield of 120- 170 kg in around 115-150 days.
ii. Exotic Dairy Goat Breeds
i. Alpine: This milch breed has originated in the Alps in France. Its coat colour varies from black, fawn to white. The preferred colour is black with white markings on each side of the belly and face with white legs below the knees. The fore quarters are proportionately higher than the hind quarters. Alpine females are excellent milkers. The average body weight is 65-85 kg in the bucks and 50-65 kg in the does. The average body length of a mature buck and doe is around 88 and 72 cm while the height is around 76 and 70 cm respectively. The average daily milk yield is around 2.5 kg with an average lactation yield of 720 kg in 245 days. The good milkers yield 3-5 kg milk per day. The highest recorded milk yield is 2316 kg in 300 days. The milk butterfat is in range of 3-5 percent.
ii. Saanen: This breed has its home tract in Saanen Valley of Switzerland. It is regarded as the “milk queen” of goat world. Its coat colour is white or sometimes cream or grey and fawn at the spine. The face is straight or slightly dished. Theears point upward and forward. The breed is normally hornless but occasionally horns do appear. The udders are usually shapely and well huge. A mature doe and a buck weigh around 55-65 kg and 70-95 kg respectively. The daily average yield is 2-5 kg per day during a lactation period of 8-10 months. The world lactation record in goats (305 days) is held by a Saanen goat in Australia with a yield of 3,084 kg milk with 3.3% fat.
iii. Toggenburg: This hardy milch breed originated in Toggenburg valley of Switzerland. The coat colour varies from deep chocolate to pale-drab. There are light fawn or white markings down on each side of the face and from the knees or hocks to the feet, around tails, rump and thighs. The ears are small and pricked.The animals are usually hornless and are very gentle and quiet in temperament. The average yield is 2.0 kg with 3.4 per cent butter fat. The lactation yield is 400 kg in 200 days. The adult female (doe) weighs around 40-50 kg and adult male (buck) weighs around 55-65 kg. The highest recorded milk yield was 2614 kg in a lactation period of 305 days in USA.
iv. Anglo-Nubian: The Anglo-Nubian breed has been evolved by crossing of Nubian of Egypt, Jamunapari of India and old English type goats. The Anglo-Nubian is usually a big animal with fine skin, glossy coat, long pendulous ears and Roman nose. There is no fixed colour. The udder is capacious but pendulous and teats are large. They are consistent milkers with higher fat (5 per cent) compared to other breeds. This breed is known as the “Jersey of goat world.” On an average,they yield one kg milk per day. The lactation yield is about 300 kg in 300 days. The mature females weigh around 45-60 kg and males weigh approximately 55-80 kg.The record milk of 2124 kg was produced in 305 days by an Anglo-Nubian female in California.
iii. Breed Improvement in Goats
The best approach for bringing about genetic improvement in different dairy breeds of goats is through selective breeding i.e. mating of best females with best males for milk production. The high producing elite females (does) and elite males (progeny of elite females) can be identified in the field and retained at central nucleus farm with each animal performance recorded. Further selection can be made at the Central farm. The farm-bred males can be re-distributed in the field for improving the farmers’ goats. The experiences of crossbreeding of indigenous goat breeds with Alpine and Saanen breeds of exotic goats did not yield the desired results under field condition.
India possesses 22 well established breeds of goat apart from non-descript local goats. The important dairy goats are Jamunapari, Beetal, Jhakrana, Zalawadi and Surti. A few exotic dairy breeds like Alpine, Saanen, Toggenburg and Anglo-Nubian have been used in crossbreeding with local breeds of goats to improve the milk production.
i. Indigenous Goat Breeds
i. Jamunapari: This breed is found in Etawah, Agra and Mathura districts of U.P.and the tracts lying between of the Chambal and Jamuna rivers. The goats of this breed are the largest in size, tall and leggy. The breed has no uniform colour but animals having a white coat with markings of tan are common. Long pendulous ears and highly convex nose with a tuft of hair (Roman nose) are peculiar characteristics of this breed. They are dual purpose goats giving both milk and meat. The body weight of an adult male (buck) and female (doe) ranges from 50-85 and 40-60 kg respectively. The average body length and height of an adult buck and doe is 127 and 116 cm and 91 and 77 cm respectively. The average age at first kidding is 20-25 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. These goats are bred from July to October and kid from November to February. The average milk yield is around 1-2 kg per day with a maximum of 350-550 kg in a lactation period of 250 days. The lactation length varies between 210-275 days. The good animals yield 2.5-3.5 kg milk per day.
ii. Beetal: This breed is found mainly in Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts of Punjab. The adult buck and doe weigh around 40-70 and 35-50 kg, respectively. An adult Beetal buck measures 125 cm in body length and 90 cm in body height. The corresponding values for a doe are 105 cm and 75 cm respectively. The average age at first kidding is 20-22 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins and rarely triplets. These goats are mostly bred from July to October and kid from November to February. The gestation period is five months. The ears are long and pendulous hanging like beetal leaf on both sides. The Beetal goats also have Roman nose indicating a common ancestry with Jamunapari. The bucks generally possess tuft of hair under the chin called beard. The milk yield is around 1-1.5 kg per day. The lactation length varies between 160-200 days. The maximum milk yield of 834 kg in a lactation period of 287 days has been recorded in this breed.
Beetal Goatiii. Zalawadi: This breed is found in Zalawad district of Kathiawad. It is also found in western Mehsana and Radhanpur in Gujarat. The Zalawadi are generally large sized goats with straight screw shaped horns. The neck is long and usually two lobular appendages are found in the throat region. The coat colour is black with white spots. The skin colour is pinkish blue with black lustrous hair on the body measuring about 10-15 cm long. The average age at first kidding is 23-25 months.The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. The adult animal weighs around 50-65 kg. This goat is a good milker and kids only once in a year. The good animals yield around 2-3 kg milk per day with an average of 200 kg in 150 days.
iv. Jhakrana: This breed is distributed mainly in Jhakrana and in surrounding villages near Behror in Alwar district of Rajasthan. Jhakrana goats are large-sized animals.The breed is quite similar to Beetal goats in physical characteristics, but is comparatively larger in size. Coat colour is predominantly black with white spots on ears and muzzle. The forehead is slightly bulged. The body weights of adult goats are 58 and 44 kg for male and female, respectively. The average age at first kidding is 21-25 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. This goat breed is known for its milk production. The average lactation milk yield is about 120-135 kg in a lactation period of 110-125 days.
v. Surti: This breed is distributed in Surat and Baroda districts of Gujarat and Nasik and Mumbai areas of Maharashtra. The coat colour is predominantly white but often black and brown hair found in different parts of the body. This is a medium-sized white goat having well-developed udder. The ears are medium and horns are small directed backwards and slightly curved. The average body length and height is 65 and 74 cm in bucks and 60 and 70 cm in does respectively. The average age at first kidding is 21 months. The kidding is once in a year with a single or twins. The adult weight in bucks and does is around 35 and 31 kg. This is a good milch breed yielding around 1.5-2.0 kg of milk per day with a lactation yield of 120- 170 kg in around 115-150 days.
ii. Exotic Dairy Goat Breeds
i. Alpine: This milch breed has originated in the Alps in France. Its coat colour varies from black, fawn to white. The preferred colour is black with white markings on each side of the belly and face with white legs below the knees. The fore quarters are proportionately higher than the hind quarters. Alpine females are excellent milkers. The average body weight is 65-85 kg in the bucks and 50-65 kg in the does. The average body length of a mature buck and doe is around 88 and 72 cm while the height is around 76 and 70 cm respectively. The average daily milk yield is around 2.5 kg with an average lactation yield of 720 kg in 245 days. The good milkers yield 3-5 kg milk per day. The highest recorded milk yield is 2316 kg in 300 days. The milk butterfat is in range of 3-5 percent.
ii. Saanen: This breed has its home tract in Saanen Valley of Switzerland. It is regarded as the “milk queen” of goat world. Its coat colour is white or sometimes cream or grey and fawn at the spine. The face is straight or slightly dished. Theears point upward and forward. The breed is normally hornless but occasionally horns do appear. The udders are usually shapely and well huge. A mature doe and a buck weigh around 55-65 kg and 70-95 kg respectively. The daily average yield is 2-5 kg per day during a lactation period of 8-10 months. The world lactation record in goats (305 days) is held by a Saanen goat in Australia with a yield of 3,084 kg milk with 3.3% fat.
iii. Toggenburg: This hardy milch breed originated in Toggenburg valley of Switzerland. The coat colour varies from deep chocolate to pale-drab. There are light fawn or white markings down on each side of the face and from the knees or hocks to the feet, around tails, rump and thighs. The ears are small and pricked.The animals are usually hornless and are very gentle and quiet in temperament. The average yield is 2.0 kg with 3.4 per cent butter fat. The lactation yield is 400 kg in 200 days. The adult female (doe) weighs around 40-50 kg and adult male (buck) weighs around 55-65 kg. The highest recorded milk yield was 2614 kg in a lactation period of 305 days in USA.
iv. Anglo-Nubian: The Anglo-Nubian breed has been evolved by crossing of Nubian of Egypt, Jamunapari of India and old English type goats. The Anglo-Nubian is usually a big animal with fine skin, glossy coat, long pendulous ears and Roman nose. There is no fixed colour. The udder is capacious but pendulous and teats are large. They are consistent milkers with higher fat (5 per cent) compared to other breeds. This breed is known as the “Jersey of goat world.” On an average,they yield one kg milk per day. The lactation yield is about 300 kg in 300 days. The mature females weigh around 45-60 kg and males weigh approximately 55-80 kg.The record milk of 2124 kg was produced in 305 days by an Anglo-Nubian female in California.
iii. Breed Improvement in Goats
The best approach for bringing about genetic improvement in different dairy breeds of goats is through selective breeding i.e. mating of best females with best males for milk production. The high producing elite females (does) and elite males (progeny of elite females) can be identified in the field and retained at central nucleus farm with each animal performance recorded. Further selection can be made at the Central farm. The farm-bred males can be re-distributed in the field for improving the farmers’ goats. The experiences of crossbreeding of indigenous goat breeds with Alpine and Saanen breeds of exotic goats did not yield the desired results under field condition.
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