Toggenburg

How old depends on which book you count. Breed tradition puts records in the valley back to the 1600s, which is the basis of the oldest-breed claim; the formal Swiss herd book dates to 1890.

Exports began early. Toggenburgs reached the United States from 1904 and went on to Britain, Australia, Canada and South Africa. The British Toggenburg diverged enough, larger and heavier milking, to be recognized as a separate breed in 1921.

They are the most uniform of the dairy goats: shades of brown from light fawn to dark chocolate, with white ears, white legs below the knees and hocks, and two white stripes down the face. That marking is fixed and required; the ADGA standard writes it in, and allows does in black with the same white or cream markings.

They are medium sized and hardy. The ADGA standard asks does of at least 26 inches and 120 pounds and bucks of at least 28 inches and 150 pounds; Swiss figures put mature does near 121 pounds and bucks near 165.

The American Goat Society describes the Toggenburg as known for its calm nature, and the breed standard asks for a sturdy, vigorous, alert goat.

The buck is the part to plan for. Penn State Extension describes breeding-season bucks as tending to be aggressive and giving off a strong, urine-like odor, most offensive from September to early January; does do not produce it.

ADGA's show rules bar animals with natural horns, so horned kids meant for the ring are disbudded; Mississippi State University Extension recommends doing it between 4 and 14 days of age.

They excel at persistence. A Toggenburg holds her production longer into lactation than almost any other breed, which suits a farm milking year round. The Swiss standard asks a minimum of about 1,630 pounds of milk a lactation, at 3.56 percent fat and 2.9 percent protein.

A dairy goat's standard kit. Penn State Extension recommends electrified woven wire or 2 by 4 foot livestock panels at least 48 inches high for fencing, and a balanced mineral, since forages alone rarely meet a goat's needs and most products formulated for sheep carry too little copper for goats.

Offer minerals loose and free choice. Mississippi State University Extension notes that goats' soft tongues make it hard to get enough from a block.

Keep more than one goat. Alabama Cooperative Extension describes goats as herd animals that thrive in groups and advises pairs or more.

Plan the breeding. Penn State's advice is that bucks have access to does only during a planned breeding season. Parasite control and routine hoof trimming round out the basics.

The trade is butterfat and flavour. Toggenburg milk is the lowest in butterfat of the major breeds, and the breed has a reputation for a stronger flavour in the milk, particularly if a buck is kept anywhere near the does. Plan the buck's housing accordingly.

Registration in the US runs through the American Dairy Goat Association, and the white markings are written into the standard: check them, and ask for the doe's lactation records rather than the breed's reputation.

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