How to Identify Goat Breeds

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Step 1:
Know that there are six general breeds of goat. These are the Nubian, Alpine, Saanens, Toggenburgs, La Mancha and Oberhasli breeds.
Step 2:
Check for these characteristics of the most popular breed, the Nubian: solid brown coloring, wide, droopy ears and a large body.
Step 3:
Check for these characteristics of the Alpine breed: a black or brown and white coat (colors will vary widely), erect ears and a curved nose.
Step 4:
Check for these characteristics of the Saanens breed: all-white fur, forward-facing ears and a friendly demeanor.
Step 5:
Check for these characteristics of the Toggenburgs breed: a brown coat and white markings on the head and hind quarters.
Step 6:
Check for these characteristics of the easily recognizable La Mancha breed: very short ears, white markings on front of the head and forelegs and a solid build.
Step 7:
Check for these characteristics of the Oberhasli breed: a reddish-brown coat and black stripes on the nose and head.

Tips & Warnings

Other common breeds are the Pygmy, Boer, Cashmere and Angola breeds. Each of these, as well as the main breeds, is usually bred with a specific purpose in mind, such as producing milk, cheese or fiber.

Resources

For pictures of each breed and advice about keeping goats from people who love them, check out this site.

More Puppy Pages

Kinds of Goats for Dairy Farming

So once you've been smitten with the goat bug, you need to decide what kind, and how many. So there are numerous varieties of goats, and they come from different places, and they've been adapted for different purposes. We started out with the Nubians...

Instructions Step 1: Locate cattle by touring a rural area or ranch, or by visiting a cattle show. Step 2: Observe the conformation of the breed. Conformation or frame includes the height, weight, size and shape of the cattle. Step 3: Distinguish the...

Instructions Step 1: Look for a very short, pug nose similar to that of the Pug breed of dogs. This is one of the English Toy Spaniel's most identifying characteristics. Step 2: Notice the shape of the dog's skull. An English Toy Spaniel will have a...

Instructions Step 1: Look for distinct color variations in the coat. A mottled appearance, particularly near the hindquarters, indicates an Appaloosa. If large splotches of white and another color exist on the coat, you probably have a Paint or Pinto...

Instructions Step 1: Ask the shelter if they know what breeds your dog is. Shelters are used to working with and classifying dog breeds and they may have ideas on what your dog is. In the case of an owner surrender, they may have been told what dog...