Irish goat
Near Glendalough | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Distribution | country-wide |
| Use | |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Height | |
| Horn status | horned in both sexes[2] |
| Beard | yes[3] |
| |
The Irish Goat is a traditional Irish breed of domestic goat. It is a dual-purpose breed, used both for meat and for milk.[4]: 366 It is an endangered breed and may survive only in feral populations.[3] It is distinct from the feral Bilberry Goat of Waterford.[4]: 366
History
The Irish Goat is the traditional domestic goat of Ireland. A herd-book was started in 1918.[4]: 366
In 1994 a breed population of 6650 was reported to the DAD-IS breed database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,[2] and in 2007 its conservation status was listed by the FAO as "not at risk".[1]: 65 It has since become an endangered breed: in 2019 breed numbers were reported to be 25–30, and conservation status was "at risk".[2] According to The Old Irish Goat Society, it survives only in feral populations and is extinct in domesticity.[3] It was not on the goat watchlist of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in 2019.[5]
Characteristics
The Irish Goat is long-haired, bearded and horned in both sexes; the hair may be black, grey or white.[4]: 366 [3]
References
- ^ a b Rischkowsky, Barbara; Pilling, Dafydd, eds. (2007). "Annex: Breeds currently recorded in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources" (PDF). The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: FAO. ISBN 978-92-5-105762-9.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Breed data sheet: Irish Goat / Ireland (Goat). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2019.
- ^ a b c d The Old Irish Goat. The Old Irish Goat Society. Accessed December 2019.
- ^ a b c d Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
- ^ Goat watchlist. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed December 2019.