Guanzhong Dairy Goats

Guanzhong Dairy Goats

　　Origin: Shaanxi Province

　　 The Guanzhong Dairy Goat is a high-generation hybrid group developed through years of crossbreeding between local indigenous or mixed-breed goats distributed in the Guanzhong Plain of Shaanxi and the Xinong Saanen Dairy Goat. It is an intermediate group between the indigenous goat and the Xinong Saanen Dairy Goat. This breed was officially recognized and named “Guanzhong Dairy Goat” by the national authorities in 1990. The Guanzhong Dairy Goat resembles the Saanen Dairy Goat in appearance but is smaller in body size and lighter in weight. Its head, neck, and limbs are slightly shorter than those of the Saanen Dairy Goat, and its coat is sparser and longer. Adult male Guanzhong Dairy Goats stand 70–80 cm tall, measure 85 cm in length, and weigh 70–80 kg; females stand 60–70 cm tall, measure 75 cm in length, and weigh 45–55 kg. The average milk yield of the Guanzhong Dairy Goat group is 85%–90% that of the Saanen Dairy Goat, reaching 650–850 kg, with a milk fat content of 3.6%–3.8%. Male and female Guanzhong Dairy Goats can normally mate at 8–10 months of age. The gestation period is about 150 days, and the average kidding rate is 208%.

　　 Characteristics: Male goats have large heads and thick necks, broad and deep chests, and compact abdomens. Female goats have long necks, broad chests, straight backs and waists, and distinct dairy characteristics. Their coats are coarse, short, white, and their skin is pinkish. Some goats may have horns or beards.

　　 Production performance: Adult male goats weigh 78.6 kg, and females weigh 44.7 kg. The average milk yield for the first lactation is 305.7 kg over a lactation period of 242.4 days; for the second lactation, it is 379.3 kg over 244.0 days; and for the third lactation, 419.2 kg over 253.9 days. The third month of lactation yields the highest milk volume for the first lactation, while the second lactation month yields the highest for the second and third lactations. Female goats reach sexual maturity at 4–5 months of age, can be bred for the first time at 7–8 months, and have an average kidding rate of 178.0%.

　　II. General Situation of Dairy Goat Farming Across the City

　　In 2007, the year-end inventory of dairy goats in the city was 568,000, including 260,000 breeding females, producing 71,000 tons of goat milk. The majority of dairy goats are Guanzhong Dairy Goats, accounting for about 70%–80% of the total, mainly distributed in counties such as Chunhua, Changwu, and Liquan.