Description and characteristics of Alpine goats, breeding features

Alpine is a unique breed, adapted to living and finding food in harsh climatic conditions. Caring for a calm and unpretentious alpine goat is not difficult; keeping it does not require any special skills. The breed is classified as a dairy breed; the animals are valued for their large milk yields, high-quality milk without a specific odor, long lactation period, and easy milking process.

History of the Alpine goat breed

The history of the breed began in France, in the Savoy region, which is located in the foothills of the Alps. However, this region connects the borders of three European countries: France, Switzerland, Italy. Therefore, it is generally accepted that Alpine goats are not only French, but also Swiss. Active breeding of the breed in France began at the beginning of the 20th century. Until this time, the rock, adapted to live in mountainous areas, eat pasture, and drink spring water, was bred by farmers exclusively in the Savoy region and neighboring Swiss regions.

The breed standard, which describes external characteristics and productivity, was compiled by French breeders in 1930. But a decade earlier, 22 individuals were transported to the USA, where, on their basis, breeders obtained an American inbreeding variety.

Description and characteristics of the animal

The breed standard by which a good individual is selected is given in the table.

The colors of Alpine goats are varied:

• kunavar – the front half of the body is black, the back half is white;
• white-necked - the neck and shoulders are white, the rest of the body is black or gray;
• red-necked - the neck and shoulders are brownish-red, the rest of the body is black or dark brown;
• paid - the body is covered with spots or specks;
• sandgou – white spots on the black body;
• chamois - the body is red, red-brown or brownish-red, the head and neck are covered with black specks, the limbs are black, a black stripe runs along the spinal column;
• magpie - the head is white, and the body is decorated with spots;
• bicolors and tricolors – bicolor and tricolor individuals.

Alpine goats are calm, friendly, independent, and do not require constant control or special care from the owner. They get along without problems with other breeds of goats, as well as with other non-aggressive domestic animals. Alpine pets are active, strong, lively, and hardy. It is not a problem for them to walk several kilometers in search of food. When grazing, animals behave playfully and playfully, which is why they are not susceptible to obesity.

Alpines are one of the most productive goats. The average annual productivity of one female is 1.5 tons of milk. But some record-breaking individuals are capable of producing 2 tons. The average daily productivity is 4.5 liters.

Milk has a high protein content - 3.1% and milk fat - 3.5%. The taste of the product is sweet, there is no specific goat smell. Baby food products, cheese, and cottage cheese are made from the milk of Swiss goats.

Advantages and disadvantages

Alpine is one of the most popular breeds among European and American farmers.

Rules for keeping and caring for the breed

The convenience of keeping alpine pets is that there is no need for major construction. One goat needs a space of 3-4 m². It is not necessary to insulate the building; if desired, you can use mineral wool. But drafts are unacceptable; there should not be a single crack in the walls. Goats tolerate low temperatures without problems, but are sensitive to drafts and dampness, and develop pneumonia, accompanied by an intense cough. The building must be equipped with a good ventilation system; for this, a couple of ventilation holes are made in the walls.

The barn is cleaned once a week. The litter should always be dry and clean. Males are kept separately from females and cubs. The plank floor must be raised to a height of approximately 20 cm above the ground and lined with straw. Goats should not be kept on bare ground; their hooves, which are sensitive to dirt and dampness, will suffer from this. Since the Alpine breed is rocky, its representatives prefer to sleep on a hill. Therefore, sleeping plank shelves are built in the barn at a height of 50 cm from the floor.

What to feed alpine goats

Grazing is a mandatory event. Moreover, goats prefer dry and fiber-rich food. In addition to grass, they willingly consume bush branches, young tree shoots, dried foliage, and thin bark.Therefore, the farmer will have to either find a pasture where such food is available, or additionally treat the goats with twigs and bark.

In winter, hay becomes the main source of fiber, but in summer it is also added to the feeder. One goat eats 55-60 tightly filled 50-kilogram bags of hay per year.

Hay in the diet must be combined with grain feed and cereal mixtures. In winter, the diet is supplemented with concentrates, their daily amount is 250-300 g per individual. Pieces of salt for licking are placed near the drinking bowl.

Water for Alpine goats should be crystal clear. Representatives of the breed are extremely squeamish when it comes to drinking and will not drink stagnant water, even if it has only been standing for a day and is not contaminated. Therefore, farmers have to either change the water 2-3 times a day or install automatic drinkers.

Breeding Features

Females become sexually mature by 6 months of age. But on the goat is taken away from the matingweighing at least 35 kg. The optimal age for first mating is at least 9 months, maximum 1.5 years. Occurs when a goat is in heat, lasting about a week. If the male is not intended for breeding work, then he is castrated before 3 months of age.

Alpine goats can be bred in several ways:

1. Artificial insemination is a popular method in large livestock farms. The procedure is lengthy and expensive, but convenient.
2. Manual mating. The selected male and female are driven into a separate enclosure, where they mate. The method is optimal for obtaining purebred offspring with the necessary qualities.
3. Free mating. The animals are in a common enclosure and mate without human control.

Females carry offspring for 5 months. Childbirth is usually easy and no human intervention is required.You just need to wash the udder with warm water before the birth process. An Alpine goat gives birth to 1-4 cubs. Newborn goats immediately begin to feed on mother's milk, which strengthens their immunity. The offspring can be left with the mother for a long time, but this will reduce milk yield.

Possible diseases

Alpine goats have strong immunity and have no hereditary diseases. But representatives of the breed can catch an infection and get sick due to improper care.

Diseases dangerous to goats:

1. Brucellosis is an infectious pathology that is dangerous to humans. Therefore, contaminated milk and meat must be disposed of. The source of infection may be low-quality grain feed.
2. Pleuropneumonia is an infectious disease that includes inflammation of the lungs. Occurs in goats kept in damp conditions at low temperatures.
3. Agalactia is a milklessness of infectious origin. The infection affects the udder and joints. Pregnancy often ends in miscarriage.
4. Hoof pathologies caused by poor quality care. A sick animal limps and sometimes cannot even rise to its feet.

Alpine goats in Russia

Russian farmers love Alpine goats for their unpretentiousness and high milk yield, but they buy them mainly abroad. In our country, you can only buy an animal in private nurseries, since the breed is not yet widespread.

You need to approach your purchase with caution so as not to run into an unscrupulous breeder. You should look for a reputable nursery and read the reviews. When you arrive at the seller’s farm, you should try the milk and see in what conditions the livestock is kept.

It is worth paying attention to the following alpine goat nurseries:

1. Farm "Kozinsky".Samara region, Stavropol district, Aleksandrovka village.
2. LPH "Lesnoy Krai" Nizhny Novgorod.
3. LPH "Golden Compound". Tula region, Bogoroditsky district, Krasny Posad village.
4. LPH "Senavlana" St. Petersburg, Admiralteyskaya metro station.

You will have to pay a considerable amount for an alpine pet. A goat for breeding will cost 40-50 thousand rubles. For a purebred female in nurseries they ask 25-30 thousand. A kid can be bought for 5-8 thousand.