A correctly selected goat breed guarantees that a person will always have a source of fresh, healthy milk, meat, furs and leather, which can be used in industry in the future. The Russian White Dairy Goat is an ideal option for productive agriculture. The breed has many advantages, the main one of which is its unpretentiousness in various climatic conditions.
Origin of the breed
The breed was not developed immediately, but the selection process took several centuries, as the goats gradually improved through natural selection before becoming one of the best indigenous domestic animals. Selective work was carried out in the following directions:
- improving health;
- productivity;
- unpretentiousness and obedience;
- breeding healthy, strong offspring;
- ability to adapt to the climate of the northwestern and central regions of Russia.
Until the 19th century, the breed was improved through “folk selection”, and at the end of this century, professionals in the field of breeding began to develop the breed. Since the 20th century, the breed began to be crossed with European goats, which were distinguished by their productivity, but they had poor adaptation to the Russian climate.
There was also a successful attempt at crossing with dairy Toggenburg and Saanen white breeds. This time the attempt was successful, as the improved females began to produce more milk.
Description and characteristics of the Russian white goat
The Belarusian goat is a high milk production animal, and is most often bred in farming to produce large volumes of milk. White Russians have long nipples, suitable for manual or mechanical milking. It differs from other similar European breeds by the presence of fluff under the thick, dense hair.
| Milk | Meat | Down and wool | Leather | Female fertility |
| Over 12 months, one female brings 500-900 liters of milk, and the daily milk yield is 1-2 liters | The output from one carcass is 56% of meat products.Young animals are often raised for slaughter | An individual may have long or short hair. As a result, about 200 g of fluff comes out per year from one individual, but in rare cases it turns out about 400 g | Goat skin (pet skin) is used to make expensive soft leathers, such as chevro and saffiano. | The female coats herself 2 times a year and can give birth to 1-2 kids at a time |
White color and pronounced udder are the dominant features of this breed. There are also black, brown and gray colors of this animal. Adults grow no higher than 65 cm. The build of goats is strong, stocky, with a wide chest. Goat weight ranges from 50 to 70 kg.
Main positive and negative aspects
In addition to fertility and daily milk yield, they have other positive characteristics. Another main quality of the breed is its unpretentious disposition; pets take root in different climatic conditions. Goats are hardy and rarely get sick. They recognize the farmer as their master and obey him.
The disadvantages include the fact that the breed does not like drafts, so it is better to keep white goats indoors, where the cold wind does not reach.
White Russians degenerate over time. If you keep females and males in a pen together, there is a high probability that after interrelated matings, sick kids and deformed kids will be born.
Conditions and feeding
For full development, high-quality lambing and health of goats, only a dry, warm room, such as a barn, is required. The goat house should have good ventilation. The flow of fresh air reduces the risk of disease in the herd.It is also important to clean the barn frequently to ensure that the straw and surfaces do not harbor parasites that are harmful to livestock.
In summer, goats feed on fresh grass in the pasture. In the fall, they are gradually transferred to dry straw and hay. Additionally, they are given compound feed rich in vitamins, roughage and succulent feed. It is important to feed them 3 times a day. Animals must have constant access to hay and clean water.
Mating
The young are fully developed physically, so they are ready for mating, at the age of 3 months, but the ideal age for this is 12 months. Three mating options:
- Artificial mating is the most effective method. The procedure is carried out by a veterinarian.
- Manual crossing occurs through the selection of the desired individuals by the owner. A person who crossbreeds goats should know that closely related members of the breed should not be allowed to mate.
- In free mating, representatives of the breed mate chaotically due to the fact that males and females are kept together.
The option of free mating is dangerous, since the offspring may be born sickly or with deformities. To prevent goats from degenerating, males and females should be kept in separate pens and crossed by hand or artificial mating.
Pregnancy and lambing
Gestation of kids occurs for 142-155 days. Goats can give birth to offspring without the help of people. If a person is involved in the lambing process, then for this you need to prepare warm water, scissors and rags in advance. A female who is preparing for lambing becomes restless. If a female was pregnant with two kids, then the first fetus is born head first, and the second vice versa. If the baby goat was born lifeless, then you urgently need to provide help: you should wipe the mucus off its muzzle and breathe air into its mouth.
Diseases
Goats can suffer from infectious and non-infectious diseases. Representatives of the White Russian breed rarely get sick. Animals get sick in the wrong conditions. The breed does not tolerate drafts and cold rooms; in them, females develop infectious mastitis.
If fed improperly, animals suffer from, in addition to poisoning, vitamin deficiency, hypovitaminosis and gastroenteritis. Dangerous infectious and parasitic diseases: echinocococosis, dictyocaulosis, piroplasmosis.
Before you start raising goats, you should decide why these animals are needed on the farm. Dairy breeds have an advantage. The White Russian goat is a universal animal, as it is suitable for the production of milk, meat, wool, and fluff.
