White shorthaired Goat

This breed originated from a landrace which was not uniform in color, mostly light-brown to white, which were improved by crossing with Swiss Saanen bucks since the early 1900s.

Description: The breed is similar to the Saanen in appearance, pure white, shorthaired without any colored hair allowed. Some strains maintain the characteristic Saanen's black spots on the skin of the nose, eyelids and udder. Upright ears. Most are hornless (75-80%), with the pollness fixed through systematic selection.

Their appearance is typical for milk goats, strong but fine boned, deep and long in body, long legged. Average females weight about 120-150 pounds, height in withers 72-80 cm, heart girth 85-105 cm, males about 150-190 pounds, 75-85cm in withers and 95-115 cm in heart girth. Early mature, first bearing in 12-15 month of age.

Production statistics : The population is numbering some 35,000 (although after the World War II it was about 1.5 million) with 97% of animals held in smallhold.

About 2000 does included in performance testing (testing system in place since 1929) with the average reaching 1700 pounds of milk per 300 days lactation (as an average of 1994-1998). The best animals raised in small household may reach even 3000 pounds, with 3.7% fat and 2.75% protein . The average prolificacy is 190%, while 1% of recorded births are quadruplets.