Description and characteristics of the Saanen goat breed

Farmers prefer to buy Saanen goats for productivity and good milk yield. The Saanen goat breed is a dairy goat. This breed should be purchased at breeding farms. If you look at how much a Saanen goat costs, then the price for it will be higher than for other varieties of goats. The breed is very popular with many farmers in Russia.

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Saanen goat breed

This breed of goat can only be compared with the Nubian goat species. Such varieties are more adapted than others to cold climates and high milk yields. Saanen goats have a calm and accommodating nature. Animals do not rush at farmers, are affectionate with children and can live with other animals. Such individuals can be tamed and raised as pets.

Saanen goats are native to the Saanental valley in Switzerland. Saanen goats appeared in Russia in 1905. There are breeding plants in the following regions: Sverdlovsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Tver, Leningrad, Yaroslavl. Currently, breeding farms operate in the Stavropol Territory and on the territory of Belarus. The purchase of the Saanen goat breed is also carried out in various nurseries in Russia. Feedback from owners about buying goats and domestic goats is positive.

The content of the article:

Cons of the Saanen breed:

  • the majestic size of the animal
  • the breed is demanding on feed and maintenance
  • it is difficult to buy a purebred breed and it costs a lot of money

Appearance

An adult is from 70 to 100 cm tall. Weight ranges from 50 to 100 kg. The body is dense, the muscles are well developed. The skin is strong, covered with an awn without undercoat. The head is medium, the ears stand, slightly apart. The neck is elongated, neatly outlined. The color is only white, if you can buy a different color in the nursery and the breeders claim that it is a purebred Saanen, then this is not true.

Please note that the purebred breed is only white.

The breed is usually white, with spots near the ears.

Black spots are visible on the skin near the ears and udder. The udder is well developed, the nipples are voluminous. Saanen individuals are both horned and polled. Only 40% of animals of this breed are hornless from birth. Those individuals who have horns are cauterized. This procedure is carried out so that the animals do not injure each other. Goats have beards. A detailed description of the breed, you can see in the photo or video.

Milk

Lactation can be all year round. For the entire period, the goat gives from 500 liters. Milk has a high fat content โ€“ 4%. Keeping and raising a dairy goat is recommended to be carried out away from goats. The fact is that milk absorbs any odors. So that the milk does not absorb foreign odors, immediately after milking, it must be removed in a cool place.

To get the maximum amount of milk, the female should be milked for 3 years. After the first year of milking, milk will begin to increase. In the fourth year, the female will bring the maximum yield of milk. Animals fit perfectly into the household. If you get a goat and a goat, then breeding these individuals at home is not difficult. To improve milk yield, a goat must be crossed with a goat of the same breed, then the female will receive a special gene that is responsible for high milk yield. In the photo you can see what a Saanen goat looks like.

Reproduction

Saanen goats breed well, early maturing and hardy. Maturity of females occurs by 10 months. Veterinarians insist that the right time for the first lambing is not earlier than 1-2 years. The female has developed maternal instincts. From one lambing, several cubs will arrive at the farm. After lambing, the kids themselves get up on their feet. Young growth is growing rapidly and gaining mass.

Goats are taken for insemination at the age of 6 months and older, but the optimal age is 2-3 years.

If the goat is younger, then this can lead to a delay in the development of the cub. Goats develop more slowly, so animals are brought to mating when both partners are mature. The health of the goat must be perfect. To get good offspring, parents must be purebred.

Maintenance and feeding

Features of the maintenance and cultivation of Saanen goats, is the regular feeding, care and care of their animals. The room should be such that the animals are comfortable. The house is made on a hill so that precipitation and floods do not flood it. The floor needs to be concrete. Goats love to sleep on beds, it can be wooden beds or knitted hammocks. The goat is kept in an area of โ€‹โ€‹2 meters. Goats need more space to keep. On both sides of the room, especially the corner areas, you need to divide into small grooves so that all the slurry accumulates there. Humidity in the room should not exceed 75%.

The diet of the Swiss breed is slightly different from the menu that is given to other breeds. Saanen goats are more fond of cereal grasses than hay. In the winter season, all breeders recommend treating animals with brooms made of willow, birch and linden leaves. Proper feeding is the key to success in the development and growth of individuals. Include bran and concentrated feed in your diet. Vitamin supplements should be given only in their natural form. For example, for a treat, you can give half an apple, carrot, beetroot or potato. If you follow all aspects of proper care, then the animals will be grateful to you and give good milk yield and developed offspring.

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