The ballerina of the goat world, British Alpine Goats are also escape artists! They are long, slim and graceful, but are also mischievous, intelligent jumpers! Graceful and intelligent, British Alpine Goats are easy to keep, but do not do well in extreme temperatures or humidity. They are excellent foragers, even on poorer pastures.
They have quirky, individual temperaments and are extremely inquisitive. British Alpine Goats are considered a challenge to keep because of their personalities and their jumping, or escaping ability! They seem to love associating with members of their own breed, and are difficult to mix with other goats. British Alpine Goats are tall in appearance, with long, thin legs and level backs.
Bucks are generally about 95 centimeters at the shoulders and does measure about 83 centimeters. Their black coats are glossy and they have the same white or cream colored markings as many Swiss breeds of goat. Sometimes, as British Alpine Goats age, these marks will fade! Bucks often have longer hair than does. They have a clean, alert appearance and have been described as graceful.
British Alpine Goats have broad, deep chests and wedge-shaped bodies; their faces are straight or slightly dished. The muzzle has a squared-off appearance and the necks are long. This breed may have horns and tassels, or it may not! British Alpine Goats have straight ears that point up and forward. British Alpine bucks should have firm, well-balanced testes of moderate size. Usually, they hang slightly away from the body.
In female British Alpine Goats, the udders are carried tight and high, with defined, squarish teats, which point forward. British Alpine does are good milkers with long lactations, even in the winter months. Usually, the fat content of the milk is four percent and three percent protein! In 1903, British Alpine Goats were developed in Great Britain from imported Swiss Goats.
They were imported to Australia in 1958, and since are valued as cross breeders with Saanen and Toggenburg Goats. British Alpine Goats are used mainly for their dairy qualities, and adapt quite well to many management systems. British Alpine Goats do best in temperate climates. They have a high milk yield, but need tall fencing, as they are tall, and quite good at jumping!
A good British Alpine Goat can produce about four kilograms of milk in 24 hours. British Alpine Goats are valued for their reproductive ability. They have a good milk yield for their young. Polled British Alpine bucks are not good reproducers. While the horned variety produces vigorous offspring, polled bucks tend to produce sterile male goats or intersex female goats. If you must use a polled buck to mate, be sure to pair him with a horned female.