Booted Goat

Appearance and Characteristics: The Booted Goat is a robust, vivacious, easily satisfied breed not specialized for milk production which is well suited for extensive keeping under extreme topographical and climatic conditions, most of all in moutainous regions. It is horned, of bright gray-brown to dark red-brown color with black or brown markings (black or brown boots). Typical are the long beard hairs over the back (called Mänteli, meaning “little covering) and on the hind quarter, which are markedly darker or lighter than the rest of the coat of hair.

Goal of Breeding: The most important goal is the reintroduction and expansion of the Booted Goat in its original region of distribution. For securing its existence Booted Goat breeding groups are being maintained, also in the remainder of Switzerland. This goal is supposed to be reached (in correspondence with its original intent) through the use of the Booted Goat as an agriculturally useful animal for the production of milk (for milking or as mother nannies), meat and fleece. In place of this production goal, the use of the Booted Goat for putting fallow ground into production or for caring for the landscape can be the main breeding and domestication goals.

In these cases, however, the use of the products should always play a role. The goal of breeding is supposed to be reached with natural methods and more extensive care. The conditions for care are supposed to correspond as much as possible to the natural living environment and the behavior of the goat.