Guishan Goat

Guishan Goat

The Guishan Goat is a geographical indication certification trademark.

The Guishan Goat is a product certified under the Agricultural Geographical Indications system.

　　The production area of the Guishan Goat is centered around Lunan County in Yunnan Province. Lunan County is located at 103°16′ east longitude and 24°44′ north latitude, with an elevation of 1,679.8 meters and a minimum of 1,500 meters. It is a subtropical region where the terrain is higher in the northeast and lower in the south, sloping from the northeast to the southwest. The Nanpan River, along with the Pula River and Bapan River, flows through the county from the northeast to the southwest. Most areas are river valleys. The Guishan Goat is distributed between elevations of 1,800 to 2,400 meters. This region features the gently undulating Guishan Plateau in the east, the fertile and well-watered Bajiang Karst Basin in the west, and a central area dotted with karst mountains. The area has characteristics of a subtropical forest climate. The annual average temperature is 15.5°C, with a maximum extreme temperature of 33°C and a minimum extreme temperature of -7°C. The average frost-free period is 255 days per year, and the average annual rainfall is 1,000 mm, ranging from a maximum of 1,332.1 mm to a minimum of 665.5 mm. The rainy season begins in May, with heavier rainfall in August. Rainfall from May to October accounts for 85% of the annual total, creating a distinct climate with abundant rain in summer and autumn and drought in winter and spring. The soil in the main production area is predominantly red soil. There is a rich variety of plants, mostly subtropical species. Forests are mainly found in mountainous areas, particularly in the southwestern part of the Guishan Mountains, consisting mostly of Yunnan pine and Chinese red pine. Lunan County has a total forested area of 560,343 mu, including 87,057 mu of sparse forest, 291,512 mu of shrubland, and 447,026 mu of pastureland, as well as 251,069 mu of arable land. Crops grown in the basin areas mainly include rice, corn, wheat, broad beans, and flue-cured tobacco, while those in mountainous areas are primarily corn, potatoes, buckwheat, and beans.

　　Geographic Distribution

　　The Guishan Goat is distributed among counties such as Lunan, Yiliang, Mile, Luxi, Luliang, and Shizong, which are home to the Sani people, a subgroup of the Yi ethnic group in Yunnan.

　　Breed Characteristics

　　The Guishan Goat has a small, dry head with a wide forehead, large and flexible ears that do not droop, a straight nose, large and spirited eyes, a flat and shallow neck, and a high, slightly wide brisket. Its chest is wide, deep, and somewhat long, with a straight back and waist, a large and full belly, and a slightly sloping rump. The limbs are sturdy, with solid black hooves. The skeleton is medium-sized, and the body is plump, nearly rectangular in shape. Scissor-shaped horns account for 7.8% of both male and female goats, polled (hornless) types make up 86.52%, and forward spiral horns account for 5.67%. Approximately 70.21% of Guishan Goats have solid black coats, 21.28% have brown hair on the head, neck, shoulders, and belly, 7.09% are entirely brown, and only 1.42% have gray coats. The fleece is coarse, short, and glossy. Female goats have round, large, and compact udders with moderate development. Male goats have large, symmetrical testicles.

　　Guishan Goat (3 photos)

　　Breed Performance

　　Adult male Guishan Goats have an average body length, chest circumference, and weight of 71.47 cm, 80.53 cm, and 43.63 kg, respectively, while adult females measure 72.03 cm, 79.90 cm, and 43.52 kg, respectively. The Guishan Goat is highly adaptable, rarely gets sick, is adept at browsing tender leaves and shoots of shrubs, and has strong tolerance for coarse feed. It produces both milk and meat, has a sturdy constitution, and is agile, suitable for both nomadic and stationary grazing. However, it has low milk yield, slow growth, and late maturity.

　　(1) Natural Ecological Environment: The natural ecological environment of the Guishan Goat’s production area is located in a low-latitude plateau and features a low-latitude plateau monsoon climate with no severe cold in winter, no intense heat in summer, distinct dry and wet seasons, and spring-like weather all year round. The soil is mainly red soil and yellow-brown soil, with a pH value of 5.5–7.0, slightly acidic, loose, breathable, and well-drained. The natural grassland covers 733,800 mu, with a rich variety of forage grass species and abundant forage resources.

　　(2) Hydrological Conditions: The rivers in Shilin County belong to the Pearl River system and the Nanpan River basin. The Bajiang and Pula Rivers within the county are tributaries of the Nanpan River. The Dake River, Maliao River, Jiwan River, and Xi River are tributaries of the Bajiang River. Smaller water sources such as Mowaizi, Luhua, Bamao, Zichi, Xijiekou, Songziyuan, Luxincun, Dashao, and Shuiwei flow into the main stream of the Nanpan River. The county’s total water resources amount to 566 million cubic meters, including 248 million cubic meters of groundwater.

　　The surface water resources total 318 million cubic meters. Water resources are abundant, and water quality is excellent.

　　(3) Climatic Conditions: Shilin County is situated on a low-latitude plateau and has a low-latitude plateau monsoon climate with distinct dry and wet seasons. The period from November to April is the dry season, while May to October is the rainy season. The county enjoys “no severe cold in winter, no intense heat in summer, distinct dry and wet seasons, and spring-like weather all year round.” Annual sunshine duration is 2,339 hours, with a sunshine rate of 53%. The average annual temperature is 16.6°C, with July being the hottest month at an average of 22.7°C, and January the coldest at an average of 12.3°C. The extreme maximum temperature is 33.6°C, and the extreme minimum is -8.9°C. Average annual rainfall is 949.6 mm, with precipitation concentrated from May to October, accounting for 88% of the annual total. Average annual evaporation is 2,097.7 mm. The frost-free period lasts 252 days per year. The annual accumulated temperature above 10°C is 4,814.6°C. Annual rainfall is 1.6 billion cubic meters.

　　(4) Humanistic History: The Guishan Goat, also known as the Lunan Dairy Goat, is an excellent local breed used for both milk and meat. It has been raised for over 2,800 years. The "Nimi Poetry," which dates back to ancient times—the "Aibu" period around the 8th century BCE, or about 2,800 years ago—mentions “A’ni is beautiful, A’ni is diligent, can herd goats on the mountain, and embroidery makes butterflies fly.” Under the specific natural climate and production methods of the region, through long-term natural selection and artificial breeding, this breed has developed strong adaptability to the varied highland subtropical hills, rarely gets sick, tolerates coarse feed, can browse tender leaves and shoots of shrubs, and produces both milk and meat. In 1986, the Guishan Goat was listed as a protected local superior breed by the Yunnan Provincial Animal Husbandry Bureau. In 2002, with support from the Yunnan Provincial Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, embryo transfer technology was implemented for the Guishan Goat, accelerating its conservation and breeding. In 2006, the Guishan Goat was included in the National Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources Protection List under Announcement No. 662 by the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　Regional Scope

　　The Guishan Goat is produced in Shilin County, Yunnan Province, which administers 7 towns and 1 township: Lufu Town, Shilin Town, Lumeyi Town, Banqiao Town, Changhu Town, Xijiekou Town, Guishan Town, and Dake Township. The geographical coordinates are 103°10′–103°41′ east longitude and 24°30′–25°03′ north latitude, spanning 58.8 km from north to south and 51.3 km from east to west, covering a total area of 1,719 square kilometers. The lowest elevation is 1,530 meters, and the highest peak reaches 2,601 meters. Within Shilin County, the production area of the Guishan Goat spans all 7 towns and 1 township, mainly distributed along the Guishan Mountain range in Guishan, Changhu, Shilin, and Xijiekou towns. By the end of 2007, the county had a total inventory of 107,000 Guishan Goats, with 81,000 in the main production areas.