Goats are perhaps the most unpretentious farm animals. They are bred by farmers, villagers, as well as the owners of household plots. All that is needed for their successful cultivation is a small barn and meadow near the house. There are many goat breeds. One of the most interesting and productive is the Nubian. In Europe, these goats are bred everywhere. Unfortunately, they are not very well known to our domestic owners of household plots and farms. Recently, however, there has been a steady increase in interest in these animals. Further in the article we will try to figure out how to care for the Nubians, and also find out what advantages and disadvantages this breed differs in.
History
The Anglo-Nubian breed of goats was bred by British breeders. They were based on Asian, European and African varieties. As a result of painstaking work, very hardy, productive, unpretentious animals with an unusual exterior were obtained. Officially, the Nubian breed was registered in 1896. In 1900, these goats began to breed in America. Local breeders continued to work on improving the breed. In 1906, 40 Nubian goats were officially registered in America under the name Nubian.
In our country, this wonderful breed was noticed only 100 years later. In 1999, N. N. Markelova, Director General of Ladushka Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization, brought a large consignment of covered Nubian goats to Russia.
Nubian goat breed: description
Confusing this breed with any other is completely impossible. Distinctive features of Nubian goats are very long drooping ears and a hunchbacked noble “Roman” profile. The absolute advantages of this breed include the complete absence of a specific smell. The color of Nubian goats can be absolutely anything: black, brown, gray, white, patterned. Variegated animals of this breed look very beautiful.
The Nubian goat breed is classified as meat and dairy. These are very large animals with a long narrow body, strong legs and a large udder.
Character
The pluses of the Nubian goat include high fertility. By nature they are active, cheerful animals, curious, friendly to the owners. Nubians feel best in a herd if there are no goats of other breeds in it. To colds, these animals are somewhat unstable. After all, the ancestors of these goats still lived in sunny warm Asian and African countries.
Productivity
Adult goats of the Nubian breed (photos of these animals can be seen on the page) reach a weight of 70-80 kg, goats - 130 kg. They surpass many other varieties in the quality of milk. Its fat content can be from 5 to 8.5%. However, they are still slightly inferior in milk yield to goats of purely dairy breeds. A day from one nubian you can get about 4-5 kg of milk. The milk yield for lactation averages 800-1200 kg. Due to its high fat content and high density, Nubian goat's milk is widely used in cheese making. It also produces yoghurts and cottage cheese.
The advantages of animals of this breed, among other things, include the fact that the taste of the milk they give does not depend on the conditions of keeping and quality of the feed. This is a very healthy dietary product. This milk is very fond of children. The fact is that he has absolutely no specific smell. Moreover, Nubian goat's milk has a very pleasant creamy aftertaste. Often, this is what becomes the main reason for choosing these goats for farmers to breed.
Nubian breed - goats, reaching a height of 80 - 110 cm. The meat in these animals is also very tasty, juicy and tender. They have practically no drawbacks. Some farmers only note their "noise". The voice of the Nubian goats is very loud and not too pleasant. They use it quite often.
What should be the room
Since the Nubian goat breed does not tolerate cold, these animals will feel best in a heated barn. In any case, the room for them should be dry and bright. The presence of cracks in the walls is not allowed. Like any other goats, Nubian drafts are not tolerated. A window in the barn should be required. It is very good to arrange ventilation in the goat room.
Litter of hay, straw or sawdust should be laid out on the floor. Its large layer (40-50 cm) will allow you to keep warm indoors and in the winter.
Since goats do not like to sleep on the floor, it is advisable to arrange special beds for nubia. To do this, wide boards (at a height of about 40 cm) are stuffed on the walls around the perimeter of the shed. You can also arrange a low platform in the room. It is allowed to keep these goats along with chickens, cows and other domestic animals.
In winter, goats (on not too frosty days) should be let out for a walk. For this, a corral is set up next to the barn. It is advisable to cover it with a canopy. In the southern regions of the country goats of this breed are allowed to be kept without a barn. In this case, a large corral is also set up, covered by a canopy from the rain.
Feeding
The Anglo-Nubian goat breed does not require the development of any special diet. These animals are fed with hay, grass, branches, crushed, peeled vegetables, bran, cake, etc. Be sure to give mineral supplements - chalk, salt, etc. In winter, root crops and potatoes should be included in the diet. It is worth preparing and more brooms. Better not to give birch. Eating them in large quantities in goats of any breed can cause kidney disease.
In summer, animals are driven to pastures. When choosing a place for grazing, one should take into account the fact that the harsh odorous steppes prefer watery herbs of the lowlands of the goat. Near the pasture must be present pond. It should be removed from industrial facilities by at least 5 km.
The pasture is divided into several sections. Grazing produce alternately on each of them. This allows you to more rationally use the grass. Goats eat almost all of its varieties. While grazing is done in one of the plots, the grass in the neighboring ones has time to grow.
Breeding
The Nubian goat breed is quite fertile. In a litter usually there are 2-3 cubs. The kids are growing very fast. Of course, subject to good maintenance and balanced feeding. The first mating is carried out after the animals are 8 months old. Nubian goats are usually kept with goats. Well-developed active, large animals are selected for the tribe. After birth, the goats are fed with mother's colostrum, which has undergone heat treatment, from the bottle.
How much are animals
The Nubian breed of goats brought into Russia in 1999, the general characteristics of which we examined above, was very popular with domestic farmers. Kids quickly bought up and transported to different parts of the country. Today, a Nubian goat can be bought with virtually no problems. True, these animals are still quite expensive. In a pedigree farm , for example, an adult goat will have to pay about 200-250 thousand rubles. The young monthly goat will cost 100 thousand rubles. But you can find manufacturers and cheaper. On the Internet there are ads for the sale of adult animals and for 30-40 thousand rubles.
As you can see, the Nubian goat breed is characterized by high productivity and unpretentiousness. In central Russia, due to their instability to cold, these animals, of course, are unlikely to ever become especially popular. But in the southern regions of the country, farmers may take up their breeding seriously.