Man began to breed goats in the 10-9th millennium BC. e. At the moment, farms may contain IFAs, which are a type of very different areas of productivity. Very often on farms, for example, down goats are bred. You can get quite a lot of meat from this variety of MPC. At the same time, such goats usually produce a small amount of milk. In most cases, it grabs him only to feed the cubs.
The main value of such cattle is, of course, high-quality wool. In this article, we will consider in detail what downy goat breeds are with names, breeding history, photos, etc.
general description
Downy goats from other varieties are distinguished primarily by their large size. You can recognize these animals by:
strong skeleton;
hard hooves;
developed breasts.
Six goats in this area of productivity consist of an awn and a gentle gun. Transitional hairs on the skin of MRS of such breeds sometimes grow, but in not too large quantities. When processing fluff, they can be easily selected and removed. The delicate structure is not the only feature of the hair of such goats. The fluff of IFAs of this variety is also appreciated for the fact that it contains little fat. When cutting, the hair of such goats does not stick together, easily distributed into individual strands.
What are the downy breeds of goats: the most popular MRS
In most cases, animals of this species are bred on farms in Russia:
Orenburg
Angora
mountain Altai;
bastard;
black ones.
All these breeds can differ in the number of combed down, coat color, body weight and some other indicators.
Orenburg goat: breed history
This variety of downy IFS was bred by folk selection. Such animals are bred in the Southern Urals - mainly in the Orenburg region. It is this downy breed of goats that has received the greatest recognition in our country and around the world. This variety is known even to people far from agriculture, became, thanks to the traditional folk craft of the Orenburg region - knitting very high-quality scarves and cobwebs.
This craft originated in the Southern Urals about 200 years ago. It is believed that it was then that Asian goats were introduced into these parts, which were later crossed with local ones. Subsequently, animals were selected for breeding precisely by the quality of fluff. As a result, the famous goat of the Orenburg down breed was bred.
Among other things, the local climate has a great influence on the quality of the coat of these animals. Orenburg MRS of this type was repeatedly exported to other regions of the country for breeding. However, the quality of animal fluff in other areas, unfortunately, sharply worsened after a few years. In addition to the Orenburg region, such goats are bred only in the north of Kazakhstan, in the Chelyabinsk region and Bashkiria.
Goats description
From representatives of other downy breeds, goats of the Orenburg region are distinguished primarily by their large size. Also features of this IFA are:
The coat of Orenburg goats is plain. Color she in most cases is black. But sometimes the farms of the Orenburg region also breed goats of this variety gray, white and red.
In terms of the quality of the wool, this very downy breed of goats is currently considered the best in the world. In the photo below you can see how this popular MPC looks.
Breed productivity
The diameter of the undercoat villi in these goats is 14–15 μm, and their length is 5–6 cm. In young animals, the down is more tender, but at the same time shorter. The percentage of its content in livestock of different ages in wool can reach 31-45%.
The growth of queens of this breed at the withers is 65 cm, males - 75 cm. At the same time, adult goats weigh up to 85 kg. The body weight of the uterus of this breed is on average 35-50 kg. Bouffant fluff from goats is usually 400-450 g. For queens, this figure is 300-400 g.
Reviews
Of course, according to farmers, this old breed has just a huge number of advantages. Orenburg goats are unpretentious in care and undemanding to feed. On natural pastures, these animals walk their weight, judging by the reviews, very well. And of course, the main advantage of goats of this variety is the excellent quality of fluff.
The disadvantages of the Orenburg IFAs include farmers are not too high productivity. Less fluff is combed from these animals, for example, than from the same bottom ones. Yes, and goat milk of the Orenburg down breed give very little.
You can get more meat from these animals than from representatives of other varieties of this productivity group. Judging by the reviews, it has good taste qualities.
Pridonsky breed: selection
Unfortunately, the location of these goats is unknown. In the Volgograd, Voronezh and Rostov regions, animals of the Don breed have been kept on farms since ancient times. It is known that this variety was formed in the south of Russia for several centuries.
There is an opinion that this down breed of goats was obtained, the description of which will be presented below, was a result of crossing local coarse-haired queens with Turkish Angora producers. Some researchers also believe that the bottom breed is the result of a rex mutation.
What goats look like
Distinctive features of the exterior of animals of this breed are:
The limbs of the near-bottom MPC, in contrast to the Orenburg, are massive. Six of the representatives of this breed of down goats have a predominantly gray color. Occasionally, black or snow-white animals are also found.
Productivity indicators
Down in the fur of the bottom goats can contain up to 80%. At the same time, the length of its villi reaches 6 cm. The Don goats are different from the Orenburg goats in that their down is longer than the outer hair. Therefore, he curls into rings on such animals.
The average weight of females of this breed is 40-45 kg. The body weight of the goats reaches 65-80 kg. The height at the withers of queens is 60-62 cm, for males - 64-67 cm. Fluff from one goat of this breed can be combed 600-800 g. From males it is removed to 1300-1500 g.
The opinion of farmers about the breed
Thus, this variety is characterized by excellent productivity. A detailed description has been given above for this downy goat breed. And the feedback on farmers' IFAs from farmers in this regard is, of course, basically only excellent. The advantages of this down goat include primarily high productivity indicators. Wool from these animals can be combed almost twice as much as from the Orenburg MRS. The Don goats have also earned good reviews from farmers for the fact that their down is distinguished, among other things, by its medicinal properties.
Another obvious advantage of this breed is multiplicity. At one time, the uterine uterus usually brings 2-3 goats. As in Orenburg, in such cattle, when breeding in other regions, the quality of down can be reduced. This farmers, of course, refer to some of the shortcomings of the breed.
Gorno-Altai IFA: selection history
These goats were obtained in 1944 by Soviet specialists. The name of the down goat “mountain Altai” was given to her at the place of breeding. Officially, this breed was approved only in 1982. The ancestors of this variety were the Don goats, which were crossed with local and Angora goats. At present, this breed, unfortunately, is absorbed by the coarse mountain Altai.
This breed is widespread in the Central and Southeastern regions of the Altai Mountains, in Dagestan, Tuva, and Khakassia. Also, such goats are bred in Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China.
Description of MRS
Distinctive features of the representatives of the Gorno-Altai breed are:
small sizes;
strong constitution;
harmonious physique.
The limbs of these goats are strong and strong, covered with short hair. The color of the coat of animals of this breed is gray.
Animal productivity
As with the Orenburg and Don, the down of the Altai goats is suitable for knitting scarves. Its tufts from adult uterus are 500-700 g, goats - 700-1000 g. The length of the lint of the fluff in these animals is approximately 8-9 cm.
The weight of the uterus of this breed can reach 38-40 kg, goats - 63-70 kg. Growth at the withers, these animals are usually 62 cm.
Farmer Reviews
The main advantage of this breed owners of farmsteads consider unpretentiousness. These animals, among other things, are considered suitable for year-round grazing on meager mountain pastures. Judging by the reviews, this MPC also adapts very well to harsh climatic conditions.
Farmers consider resistance to various diseases to be another indisputable advantage of the Altai mountain goat down breed. The meat of these animals, according to the owners of household plots, is also tender and tasty.
Reviews of this downy breed of goats, therefore, are mostly positive. The farmers consider the only drawback of the Gorno-Altai MRS to be that its horns are often crossed or rudimentary.
Black Down Goat: Breed History
This IFA was once bred in Uzbekistan. To obtain a new variety, breeders crossed local goats with Angora imported from the United States.
The main goal of creating a new breed in those days was to obtain white animals with mohair type wool. Some cross-born kids were born black. Such offspring were collected in a separate flock and began to carry out selection work with her.
Description of animals
In another way, such goats are called Ferghana or Uzbek. A feature of their exterior are:
tender, but well-developed skeleton;
moderately large sizes;
proper physique;
drooping ears;
small, well-pubescent tail;
long straight limbs.
A feature of this breed, among other things, is a noticeable difference in the sizes of males and females (up to 54%). The coat color of these goats is black. At the same time, their fluff is heterogeneous. Chevro is made from the skins of these animals, among other things.
Economic value
Fleeces from an adult goat of a black breed are usually equal to 450 g, from a male - up to 700 g. The length of the fluff of the fluff in a black MPC depends on the sex of the animal. In males, this figure is 10 cm, in queens - 8 cm.
Weights of adult goats of this breed can reach 80 kg. The body weight of the Uzbek uterus usually does not exceed 40 kg. Such goats produce about 100 liters of milk per lactation period. The uterus of this breed is usually brought no more than 1 cub.
Opinion of the owners of farmsteads
The pluses of this breed, farmers include primarily good fleece and good quality of down. Also, the advantage of black goats is considered very tasty meat. Relate to the advantages of these animals the owners of farmsteads and unpretentiousness in food, as well as undemanding to the conditions of detention.
The lack of goats of this breed, farmers consider primarily the possible loss of some of the fluff due to spring molting. It is in no case possible to be late with the procedure of combing the wool with the content of this MPC. Even with a 5-day delay, you can lose almost half of the fluff.
Angora IFA: history
What downy goat breeds are there? Basically, in our country, it is the black, Orenburg, Pridong and Altai-Altai species that are bred. But some farmers, at least in Transcaucasia, also contain Angora goats.
This breed originally began to breed in Turkey. Such goats were introduced into Europe already in the 16th century. In Russia, the Angora MPC began to breed quite late. For the first time such animals were brought to our country in the Caucasus in the middle of the 20th century. Unfortunately, Angora goats turned out to be unprepared for the Russian climate. To improve their resistance to cold and damp, they were crossed with local Transcaucasian relatives.
General description of the breed
Outwardly, Angora goats look very attractive. Their coat is uniform and dense, and the horns are curled down. The exterior features of Angora goats are also:
The coat of goats of this breed usually has a white color. There are also black, red, silver, gray and brown colors. A feature of the coat of this goat is the presence of a reflective effect.
Productivity
The length of the coat of Angora goats can reach 30 cm. For a year, farmers collect up to 2-4 kg of fluff from only one such uterus, and up to 7 kg from a male. Shear these goats twice a year. The peculiarity of this breed is that the hair of queens has a much more delicate structure than that of males.
The weight of the goats of this breed can reach up to 50 kg. The body weight of males is 50-60 kg. Growth in the withers of the uterus of the Angora breed reaches 55-65 cm, goats - 65-75 cm.
Reviews from Farm Owners
The pluses of the Angora breed are farmers primarily unpretentiousness in food. Of course, excellent reviews from the owners of farmsteads are also available in terms of the quality of the down of these goats. The Angora MPC meat, according to farmers, is also quite tasty.
The disadvantages of representatives of this breed, the owners of farmsteads include in the first place:
poorly developed maternal instinct in females;
the possibility of the birth of painful offspring;
strong climate influence on wool quality.
Instead of a conclusion
Thus, we found out what downy goat breeds are with names and descriptions. All varieties of such IFAs bred in Russia are distinguished by good productivity, unpretentiousness and endurance. Keeping such goats on the farm can be quite beneficial. However, in addition to the actual care, perhaps such breeds require supportive breeding. Otherwise, the downy qualities of goats of this species can be significantly reduced. This is happening today, for example, unfortunately, with the Altai and Orenburg rocks.