Pedigree goats of the Alpine breed. Dairy nurses of Switzerland - Alpine goats
The ancestor of the domesticated alpine breed is the mountain alpine goat, also known as the ibex and ibex. The wild ancestor lived in the French, Tyrolean and Swiss Alps, in northern Italy. The population was almost completely exterminated in the 19th century and only thanks to the efforts of the authorities, who realized it in time, was it restored again. The first person to notice that the beautiful animal could completely disappear was Victor Emmanuel II, king of the Sardinian kingdom. Now the Alpine goat breed is found not only in France and Switzerland, but also in nature reserves in Italy, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. The number of Ibexes currently amounts to about 40 thousand heads.
The ancestor of the domesticated alpine breed is the mountain alpine goat, also known as the ibex and ibex.
These large, strong and graceful animals have some similarities with deer in body proportions and size. The body of an adult male Ibex is 150 cm in length, its height at the level of the shoulder blades is 80-90 cm, and the weight of the animal can reach 100 kg. The male is noticeable from afar not so much because of his size, but because of the huge arched horns adorning his head. The diameter of the arc formed by the horns is 60 cm, and the length of the arc in older individuals reaches 1 m.
Ibex females are inferior in weight and size to males. Their weight fluctuates around 40 kg, the height at the withers barely reaches 75 cm. The horns of goats are also much more modest, their length is only 15-18 cm, they are straight, diverging to the sides, slightly rounded. The alpine goat holds its ears straight; both sexes wear a beard.
The color of the fur of males in summer is dark brown; in females it is slightly reddish, sometimes with a golden tint. By winter, the fur of goats and Ibex bucks changes to a featureless gray.
The animals are famous for their perfect sense of balance and incredible climbing ability. Thanks to their sharp cloven hooves, trimmed along the edges with conical growths - welts, Ibexes are able to stand on almost vertical mountain walls, holding on to the slightest ledges. These goats are not at all afraid of heights. From eyewitness observations, it is known that they are capable of descending from great heights in zigzag jumps, alternately pushing off from smooth rock pillars standing several meters away. In search of a place to spend the night, they climb to heights inaccessible to carnivores, and during the day they descend in search of pastures. To escape from predators and hunters, goats are able to climb to a height of up to 3.5 km.
Female animals lead a gregarious lifestyle, gathering in groups of 10-20 individuals. Kids who have not reached puberty graze with them. Young males form unstable groups that are prone to disintegration. Mature goats prefer solitude. During the mating season, skirmishes occur between them for dominance in the herd of female goats.
Alpine goats (video)
Signs of a domestic alpine breed
According to some scientists, goats are the first animals domesticated by humans. This is evidenced by archaeological finds in caves that show signs of human habitation. Using carbon analysis, it was found that the leg bone of an ancient goat that lived 12-15 thousand years ago shows signs of a healed fracture, so serious that without human protection the animal would certainly have died. At some point in history, human survival began to depend on goats.
The first mentions of the breed date back to the beginning of the 20th century and are related to French farms. The French, by crossing wild and domesticated goats, recorded the size and productivity of the breed. The animal was then imported to the United States. The very name of goats, common in America, “French Alpine,” once again confirms this fact. Subsequently, on another continent, their own breed was formed, called “American Alpine”.
In France, the Alpine goat is the most common breed, much like in Russia the most common breed is the Russian White.
The very description of a dairy breed does not imply obtaining high-quality wool or fluff from the animal. The direction in which the selection of the Alpine breed of goats is being carried out is to identify and crossbreed individuals that produce fatty, odorless milk and are capable of digesting food as quickly as possible. All the resources of their body are spent only on this task. The characteristic that allows us to judge productivity is called the lactation period - this is the time during which the mammary glands function. The lactation period in Alpine goats reaches 10-11 months. A good milking goat is required to produce at least 600 liters per year. Often the milk yield of Alpine goats exceeds 1000 liters per year.
Domestic Alpines differ from their wild ancestors in their good-natured disposition and less timidity, but they retain a tendency to climb higher, for example, on the roofs of barns, tables, doghouses - anywhere, as long as they are higher.
The Alpine breed of goats, cultivated in Europe (which is mainly France and Switzerland), has lost any specific color and specific features, but some distinctive features are still preserved. They are distinguished by a flat, horizontal back with darker fur. The color of animal fur varies widely; it can be white, fawn, brown, gray, black, or a combination of these colors. A feature of the breed can be considered a two-tone or variegated color, for example, fawn sides, black back and legs. The thing is that during their selection, the emphasis and emphasis is on increasing the amount of milk produced, and not on consolidating some clearly defined traits. Alpine goats raised in the United States are even less standardized due to crossbreeding with other breeds.
Gallery: Alpine goat (25 photos)
How to choose an Alpine sire goat
What you need to pay attention to:
- An indicator of an animal’s health is the condition of its teeth and fur, the absence of wounds on its lips, and a healthy and interested sparkle in its eyes.
- Potentially productive individuals are distinguished by their mobility. The fact is that a physically developed animal is in good health, which means it will produce healthy offspring.
- The accelerated metabolism inherited by goats from their breeding parent allows us to make assumptions about the daily amount of milk.
- A strong gene pool and the ability to transmit genetic characteristics over several generations are the hallmarks of the Alpine goat breed. This is why purebred breeding goats are so highly valued. The nursery usually provides documents confirming the purity of the animal's blood.
- When choosing a goat, it will not be superfluous to pay attention to its character, which is largely determined by genetics. The bad habits of the father will certainly be inherited by the offspring.
Goat climbers (video)
Estimation of the value of the Alpine goat
Dairy breeds, which include Alpine goats, are kept primarily for their milk. In private farmsteads and farms, a goat is bred not for the sake of obtaining the purity of the blood of the offspring, but for the sake of its productivity. Goats that have earned many reviews due to the productivity of the offspring they produce may well not have any documents or even a clearly defined breed.
Conversely, the assessment of the amount of milk yield from offspring may not be influenced in any way by the genetic purity of the individual and the presence of documents confirming purebredness. It is known that an adult dairy goat will have a higher price, rather than a kid. An adult goat is valued in approximately the same way, the quality of the offspring from which is confirmed by the owners. Therefore, a young goat of the Alpine breed, even if it comes from a nursery, cannot be comparable in price to an adult stud goat.
According to general statistics, there is an unspoken rule on the market according to which kids of any breed, not necessarily Alpine, cost about 3 times less than adults. Kids are sold at about 2 weeks of age, usually at one month of age. At the same time, male goats of one month of age have a price approximately 2 times lower than female goats. If a goat is to be raised for meat, it must be castrated at approximately 2 weeks of age. During this period, the nervous system is not yet fully formed, so the operation and recovery will be less painful.
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Igor Nikolaev
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Many people, especially those living in a private home, are thinking about getting a goat. Which breed is better to choose?
In this article we will look at such a wonderful dairy breed as the Alpine.
These animals are distinguished by good endurance and unpretentiousness to difficult climate conditions. It is these qualities that make this type of goat convenient and profitable to keep, both for a novice farmer and for a professional. Below we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of Alpine goats.
Alpine goats. Origin of the breed
Alpine goat
In fairness, it is worth mentioning the existing shortcomings. Firstly, it is quite difficult to find a purebred Alpine, and therefore the prices for such goats are very high. Secondly, these animals are very sensitive to water quality.
Alpine goats will not drink dirty water, even if they are very thirsty at this time. However, these shortcomings are more than compensated by the numerous advantages of these undoubtedly very useful animals.
As mentioned above, alpines do not require any special conditions for their maintenance. The room should be dry and well lit. One adult animal needs 3–4 square meters of space. Since goats are reluctant to lie on the floor, the goat shed should be equipped with benches or shelves for lying down. Alpine goats are kept separately from females so that the milk does not acquire a specific smell.
If we talk about feeding, then there are no special requirements. In the summer, the basis of the diet is pasture grasses and other green vegetation, and during the winter they are kept in stalls, they are fed with hay, diluting the monotonous diet with mineral supplements, chopped root vegetables and mixed feed. These goats also need table salt (in the form of crystals - licks). Particular attention should be paid to the quality of drinking.
The water must be changed daily; it must always be fresh, clean and not very cold.
Alpine goats are a very practical choice even for novice goat breeders, since there are almost no problems with their breeding.
The first litter usually consists of two kids, and subsequent ones - from two to five kids. These goats do not need human assistance during childbirth (unless there are any pathologies). The survival rate of offspring is very high. Further feeding and raising the kids also does not require human intervention. The uterus copes well on its own.
These animals are often crossed with other goat breeds.
The Alpine goat is common in Europe and America. This breed is rare in Russia. Ibexes are beautiful, peaceful animals; they have very interesting colors. The peculiarity of Alpine goats is that they do not make high demands on living conditions. Females produce high-quality milk without a pronounced aroma.
The Alpine goat is common in Europe and America. This breed is rare in Russia
The Alpine goat breed has its ancestors: they are small-sized goats that spread throughout the province of Savoyard, France. Adult individuals - the predecessors of Alpine goats - came to France from distant Persia. The sailors of the past could not store a lot of meat, despite this, they still engaged in animal husbandry. Sailors tamed Ibexes and left them on the coast of Europe. Returning back, they could not take all the animals, so the Ibex fled to different countries.
People may hear the name chamois - this is an alpine goat. This species of artiodactyl is popular among European farmers. Animals love to live in the mountains; there are very few of them in the steppes. The highland goat is predominantly distributed in France: the number of individuals is more than 97% of all representatives of the genus.
Ibexes are beautiful, peace-loving animals; they have very interesting colors.
Breed crossing
The Alpine breed includes individuals of various colors. The owners noted that the cubs can have the most unpredictable colors (not the same as those of mom and dad). The characteristic indicates that Ibexes can easily withstand cold winds, but in bad weather it is better to drive the animal into shelter. Judging by the reviews, Ibexes eat hay and regular pasture. It is worth noting that they are unpretentious in care. At the beginning of the 20th century, goats spread throughout Switzerland and Great Britain. In the early 20s of the last century they came to the USA. The breed has been developing for many years. Individuals were crossed with Tajik ones. Thus, their color changed.
Most of the breeds that participated in the selection did not meet the Ibex standards. The nursery provides an opportunity to see how these animals differ from each other. As a result of crossings, American livestock breeders received a special breed: they were significantly larger in size than their French predecessors. In Russia, Ibex goats began to spread at the end of the 20th century. This breed is in demand not only in our country, but also in neighboring countries. Animals are also bred in the USA and Europe. Alpine goats are divided into the following subspecies:
- French;
- Swiss;
- British.
Russian farmers love them for their beautiful color and good character. Moreover, females produce high-quality, tasty milk. The characteristics of animals indicate that they easily adapt to new conditions. The Alpine breed of goats prefers to walk outdoors: it is better not to limit the freedom of artiodactyls. Looking at the description of the breed, one can understand that individuals pass on their characteristics through generations.
Gallery: Alpine goat (25 photos)
Appearance
The “classic” representative of the breed has a two-tone color, but you can also meet individuals with variegated fur. The animal’s neck is white, gradually turning into a dark gray color. Some goats have a red color in the shoulder area. You can find those in which it turns into dark brown. The approximate weight of a female individual is 60 kg, height - 85 cm. A male individual weighs 80 kg, average height - 1 m. Specimens with a large body stand out from the total mass. Goats have a light head, erect ears, and a noticeable crest. Animals of this breed have a long tail and thick fur. Alpine goats have a thin neck.
Looking closely at the ridge, you can see that the hair in this area is elongated. Female animals produce high-quality milk, and in large quantities. Goats have very voluminous udders. Their horns are oval, curved, and their hooves are hard. Depending on the color, there are three types of individuals: white, light gray and chamois.
In nature, there are two-colored chamois, individuals with a black neck. Animals of this breed are distinguished by their endurance and are kind in nature.
With the onset of winter, you can see warm fluff that appears on the body of animals. In the summer, goats molt. Alpine ungulates adapt well to different climatic conditions and are friendly. But if we talk about groups, there is always a leader in them. If you are going to breed Alpine goats, you need to make sure that the selected individual is free of impurities. Before deciding on the breed, you need to taste the milk. If you have a half-breed, its milk will not be as high quality as that of a purebred animal.
Alpine goats (video)
Breed productivity
An important advantage of the Alpine goat breed is the ability to obtain tasty milk. If you properly care for the animal, you can have up to 1.5 tons of milk per year. The maximum amount of product per year is 2 tons (record). This liquid contains 3% protein and about the same amount of fat.
An important advantage of the Alpine goat breed is the ability to obtain tasty milk.
Female Ibexes produce up to 5 liters of milk daily. The lactation period lasts a long time - up to 3 years. Milking is easy, since the animal has a regular-shaped udder. Processed goat milk is given to children. The product is highly prized for its creamy taste. Its consistency is quite thick. This milk is ideal for making cheese. As already noted, animals eat pasture.
Goat climbers (video)
Ibex offspring
A large number of reviews confirm that keeping Ibexes is profitable. It is recommended to include food with table salt in the animal's diet. It is important to ensure that goats consume enough fluids.
Ibexes need water regardless of gender and age. Its quantity affects milk yield.
Ibexes are fertile - this is another advantage. The female gives birth to 3-4 cubs. Childbirth is carried out naturally, the owner does not have to interfere. Kids grow quickly if they feed on their mother's milk. However, pregnant goats need special attention: it is important to watch what they eat. In conclusion, it should be noted that the most prolific Alpine goats are born as a result of crossing wild subspecies with domestic ones.
The Alpine goat is so called due to its place of origin - the Alps. This is a mountain animal whose distinctive features are agility and grace. Alpines are one of the most popular and widespread goat breeds around the world.
The ancestors of the alpine are goats that lived on the farms of the small town of Savoie (France). These animals came there straight from Persia (now Iran). Alpines lived in the mountains, sometimes they could be found in open fields. The ancestors of modern Alpine goats were richly colored. In France, they noted that the birth of little goats is a real surprise, and all because it was not possible to understand in advance what color the newborns would be.
By the end of the 19th century, animals were brought to Switzerland and Great Britain, and soon the breed began to be bred in America. The breed was formed with the help of other varieties. As a result, American scientists developed a completely new breed, larger and stronger than its Alpine relatives. The animals were first seen in Russia at the end of the 20th century. Now in our country they are actively breeding alpines. Goats are popular in Belarus, Ukraine, America and a number of other countries.
Description of the breed
Russian farmers prefer to breed goats because of their unusual color, pleasant-tasting milk, good adaptability to any living conditions and friendly character. Breed characteristics (usually variegated colors or colors in several tones) are passed on even after many generations. Typically, the Alpine goat looks like this: a white neck, dark gray shoulders, or a reddish coloring that turns brown as it moves to the shoulders.
The body is large, the head is small, the ears are straight, with well-defined withers. The tail is long. The neck is not long, thin, the narrow sacrum is slightly lowered. The coat is short in summer with lengthening at the ridge. The main feature of the Alpine goat is a long lactation period and a voluminous udder. The horns are oval and flat; sometimes you can find hornless individuals. Goat hooves are hard to the touch, but elastic inside.
Alpines are quite hardy animals. When cold weather sets in, you can notice a light fluff on the goat’s body, which completely subsides by summer. This is why cold winters can be tolerated easily by goats. The breed is low maintenance, which helps it adapt to any weather and any diet. By nature, goats are peaceful and quiet, they love their owners and treat them well. They become leaders in the herd.
There are about seven main types of alpine colors, but the most common are the variegated color, as well as the color with a light neck.
Popularity of the breed in Russia
The Alpine breed is popular in Russia due to its high productivity and unpretentiousness to living conditions. With little cash outlay, you can earn good income by selling dairy and meat products. If you are thinking about purchasing an Alpine goat, carefully study all your options, find a good farm and visit it in person.
Unfortunately, a pure breed is not so easy to find in our country. Alpine females pass on their color to their offspring, which is why many careless goat owners make money from this. They cross ordinary goats with a purebred goat and pass off the offspring as purebred kids. Also, dishonest livestock breeders can crossbreed close relatives, which also adversely affects the offspring. People who buy such kids end up dissatisfied with the taste of the milk and the size of the milk yield.
Therefore, it is necessary to carefully approach the issue of searching for a farm or nursery to select a purebred goat. Be sure to try the milk, evaluate the general condition of the farm, study the living conditions and the number of livestock. Only after these events purchase an Alpine goat. Remember: you buy an animal not for the sake of an interesting look, but for the sake of good milk, healthy offspring and stable milk yield.
Productivity of Alpine goats
Alpine goats have gained such popularity also because they have excellent milk production. If you properly care for the female, she can produce up to 1 ton of milk per year (fat content from 3 to 3.3%). Lactation lasts a long time, from one to three years, and the goat milks easily. You can make cottage cheese and cheese from the product. Milk does not have a specific smell (if the goat is a pure breed) and is ideal for baby food. The taste is sweetish, creamy, the consistency is dense.
Meat productivity is not a distinctive feature of Alpine goats. Many farmers call the meat satisfactory. By adulthood, the female gains an average weight of 60 kilograms, the male - 78. Alpine goats are also used to supply meat, but the most valuable resource is milk. Wool is a decoration and protection from the cold. It is short and smooth, so it will not be possible to make a good thread or knit anything with it.
Alpines have several main varieties. These are British, Swiss, French Alpine goats and Rock goats.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
The Alpine goat breed has a lot of advantages, because of which it is chosen by farmers around the world:
- good adaptability to any weather conditions;
- kind, good and friendly character towards the owner;
- excellent fertility;
- milk has a pleasant taste, without a characteristic odor;
- good endurance, no dependence on the owner.
The list of advantages is impressive, but sometimes the breed is not so easy to handle. Any goats need proper care, which can be complicated due to the following disadvantages:
- animals cannot tolerate drafts;
- goats are selfish in the herd, each strives to take a leading position;
- The alpine is very picky about the quality of water; she will not drink even slightly dirty liquid.
Animal breeding
If you use “interbreeding”, the alpine can please you with worthy offspring. In interbreeding, animals belonging to different breeds are selected for mating. Born goats can surpass their parents in health and productivity. Alpine females give birth to offspring quite quickly. After the first mating, the herd is replenished with several kids - females rarely bring one little animal at a time (maximum 5 kids). Young goats practically do not get sick and have a high survival rate. Childbirth is easy; the participation of the livestock breeder in this process is not required. Goats also raise and feed their offspring independently.
The only condition is comfortable conditions for pregnant females and the correct feeding diet. Spoiled, low-quality food, or very cold water can cause miscarriage. The goat should be protected from stress, shocks and blows. In the last months of gestation, the female must be protected from dampness and bad weather conditions. Walk your goat on level pastures to prevent the doe from jumping over fences and ditches. It is also strictly not recommended to feed a goat - this can complicate childbirth.
Breeding Alpine goats is an effective business. According to reviews from Russian livestock breeders, this is one of the best and most profitable breeds. There are practically no problems with it, so they are suitable even for a novice farmer. The funds spent on purchasing the breed and setting up the farm will not only quickly pay for themselves, but will also bring a good profit. In Russia, you can find the alpine in the North Caucasus, where the weather is most favorable for them. If you want to start an Alpine goat breeding business, you need:
- Draw up a detailed business plan that reflects the financial component of the project.
- Study in detail the rules for caring for animals, draw up a plan for feeding animals, as well as a plan for selling products.
- Register as an individual entrepreneur. Submit an application to purchase land, obtain a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion from Rospotrebnadzor, register property rights or sign a lease agreement for the premises and land.
- Find suppliers and start a breeding business.
The cost of an Alpine goat in our country varies from 15 to 50 thousand rubles.
Important points about breeding and keeping Alpine goats
Alpine goats are not picky and do not need special conditions. You can keep them in a stable or a regular barn. For one animal you need to allocate about 4-5 m². It is necessary that the place where alpine birds live is dry, bright, and spacious. Moderate humidity should be maintained in the pen. Daylighting, small emergency light at night. It would be good if supply and exhaust ventilation is equipped. The walls can be covered with thermal insulation, for example, mineral wool. If you keep the females warm, the milk supply will remain the same.
It is best to lay wooden boards; cover them with soft straw or hay on top. Make sure that there are beds on the floor, then the herd will feel comfortable. If there is a lounger in the room, the goat will never lie down on the floor. Livestock breeders recommend installing shelves made of boards located at a height of about 60 cm from the floor. Goats love to climb high. Dairy goats must be kept separately. It is also recommended to equip a separate room for breeding goats.
Video - Keeping goats on a farm
From the video you will learn in detail about keeping goats. An experienced farmer talks about housing for these pets. Several pens of different capacities, equipment for milking and feeding - this is a video about the Milkin House farm, which is located in the Moscow region. In the video you will also learn about the secrets of saving space and the basic rules of caring for animals.
Feeding
In the warm season, it is necessary to take goats to pasture. Pasture is an ideal food for animals. The summer diet should consist of green feed; it is allowed to feed goats with food waste. If your farm has a vegetable garden, you can feed the weeds to your pets. Goats love to chew tree branches. Professional livestock breeders recommend adding table salt to your diet - in the wild, alpine women look for it in the rocks.
In winter, alpine cats should be fed hay. They readily eat root vegetables and vegetables. Also in cold weather it is necessary to add chalk and mineral supplements to the feed. Give food 3 times a day at a certain time (according to the schedule). First, combined food is given, then succulent food, and the third time - roughage. Compound feed can be given along with thick porridge or in liquid form, but you should not brew the feed with boiling water, otherwise all the necessary vitamins and useful additives will disappear from it.
Be sure to include combined and concentrated feeds and grains in your diet. Change the water every day. The Alpine breed needs more drinking water - it affects the quality of milking. Make sure bowls are always clean. Carefully monitor your diet. Do not give birch branches to alpine goats, as this can cause various diseases in livestock. Do not forget about proper feeding of pregnant females, because this is the key to good and healthy offspring.
Goats commonly butt each other while feeding. That is why feeding should occur individually.
Video - Alpine goat in a private farm
Personal subsidiary plots are non-entrepreneurial activities to meet food needs on a provided plot of land, often in rural areas. The heroes of the program are animals, and this episode tells the story of beautiful alpine women. Veterinarians, animal psychologists and livestock breeders talk about their profession and the relationship between man and animal.
Conclusion
Alpine goats are one of the most famous and respected breeds among farmers and livestock breeders. Quiet disposition, good stability, independence from the farmer, fertility and high-quality milk - these are the main advantages of this breed. To obtain positive productivity, it is necessary to provide goats with proper care in compliance with all norms of their life activity. Only in this case will the alpines please the owner with good results.
Alpine goats are very profitable for breeding on farms. The animals are unpretentious to their living conditions, are very hardy and are not afraid of frost. Moreover, they quickly acclimatize to any natural conditions. Thanks to their calm nature, Alpine goats will not cause trouble even for a novice farmer. Perhaps this is why many goat breeders start their business by breeding this breed. You will learn about all the features of keeping and caring for these creatures from this article.
Breed Features
A description of the Alpine goat breed may look like this. The color of animals is white, dark brown or black. The muzzle is straight, erect ears and small flat horns.
The hair of Alpine goats is smooth. It is worth noting the short neck and thin legs crowned with strong hooves. In general, the animals look quite proportionate and even graceful.
The animals differ little from each other in height: the female is 70, the male is 85 centimeters. Weight varies between 60-80 kilograms.
The character of Alpine goats is calm and balanced, but this does not prevent them from occupying leading positions in a large herd.
The most important thing to mention is the productivity of the breed. Every year you can get about 1500 liters of milk from each female. It is worth noting that the resulting milk is of quite high quality. Therefore, it is readily taken into dairy production to make cheese.
Feeding Alpine goats
In the warm season, animals live freely. Their diet consists mainly of pasture green feed. You can feed goats with food waste. In addition, if you have a garden, then the weeded weeds can also be fed to your wards.
In winter, representatives of this breed feed on hay. They readily consume root vegetables and vegetables. In addition, it is necessary to include concentrated feed in the diet.
Important! To maintain health and for prevention purposes, it is recommended to add chalk and mineral supplements to winter feed.
Please note that while eating almost any food, this breed of goats is very picky about water. If there is heavily polluted water in the drinking bowls, the animals will not touch it, even if they are very thirsty. That's why It is necessary to regularly check the condition of drinking bowls and change the water in them.
Content Features
There are no special requirements for premises for keeping Alpine goats. This can be any stable or barn that is suitable in size. It is worth noting that one adult requires at least 3-4 square meters. The main thing is that the room is dry and bright.
Goats of this breed are not very susceptible to winter cold. For the winter, they grow a dense undercoat, which protects the animals from the summer cold.
The most vulnerable place for goats, and for many herbivores, are their hooves. Therefore, it is imperative to equip the goat barn with a plank floor. Moreover, it is necessary to raise it above ground level.
It is recommended to equip small shelves made of boards, at a height of approximately 60 centimeters from the floor. Animals love to climb higher; moreover, not a single goat will sleep on the floor if there is a special flooring.
Breeding Alpine goats
In addition to good productivity, Alpine goats reproduce quickly. The first pregnancy can add at least one kid to your herd, although more often the first litter brings two kids.