LaMancha

Eula Fay Frey began the breeding around 1927 in California, from short-eared goats of Spanish descent, and moved her herd to Glide, Oregon, where the breed took its final shape with Swiss and Nubian crosses.

Recognition came on January 27, 1958, with about 200 animals accepted as foundation stock; the first goat registered was named Fay's Ernie, L-1. Frey's stated goal was fine-flavoured milk at 3.5 percent butterfat or better.

Mid-sized for a dairy breed: the ADGA standard sets minimums of 28 inches and 130 lb for does, 30 inches and 160 lb for bucks. The coat is short, fine and glossy, in any color or combination, over a straight face.

The ears come in two types. The gopher ear is an inch at most, preferably nonexistent, with little or no cartilage; the elf ear runs up to two inches. Bucks must have gopher ears to be registered.

What keeps them popular is disposition. LaManchas are the calmest of the dairy breeds by general agreement, and Wikipedia adds friendly to the record.

It is a working trait. A calm doe milks out quietly twice a day, and the breed's long, steady lactations mean you are asking for that patience most of the year.

Milk with components: high production with comparatively high butterfat, held over a long, steady lactation.

The butterfat serves cheese and soap the way a Nubian's does, with the standard-sized volume the miniature breeds cannot give.

ADGA credits the breed with producing well in a variety of climates and conditions, and its youth program calls it a sturdy animal that can withstand a great deal of hardship and still produce.

The rest is what any dairy goat needs. Penn State Extension recommends electrified woven wire or 2 by 4 foot livestock panels at least 48 inches high, and notes that most products formulated for sheep carry too little copper for goats. Mississippi State University Extension recommends a balanced, free-choice loose goat mineral over blocks.

Keep at least two. Alabama Cooperative Extension describes goats as herd animals that thrive in groups, and lists parasite control and hoof trimming as routine care.

The trade is entirely cosmetic and entirely real. Many people find the ears off-putting, which affects resale, and small ears mean less surface area for cooling, so shade matters more in hot climates.

Registration is with the American Dairy Goat Association, and the ear rule is the one to remember: a buck without gopher ears cannot be registered, so if you are buying kids to breed, ask the ear type before you bid.

Recent sale prices on HoofnHorn, where there are any, are further down this page.