Alpine Goat

Quick Take

• Alpine goats carry a surprising cold-weather quirk that catches many new owners off guard, and this trait persists even generations removed from the mountains. Cold-weather adaptations →
• Their color patterns have official names, and some of those names are nothing like what you'd expect from a farm animal. Official color pattern names →
• The word hidden inside their scientific name connects Alpine goats to an unlikely corner of astrology. Inside the scientific name →
• Knowing exactly when to separate a kid from its mother is more critical than most farmers realize, though the right timing is far from obvious. Kid separation timing →

With sweet faces and strong bodies, Alpine goats are a common sight on farms and ranches throughout the Western world. The origin of these goats is generally accepted to be the mountainous French countryside, although they have been domesticated for centuries.

Regardless of whether you own a true French Alpine or are purchasing from the American Alpine breed, you can count on your goat to be sweet, friendly, and long-lived — all of which are important qualities for a domestic farm animal.

Evolution and Origins

In 1903, Alpine goats brought from Switzerland were crossed with domestic goats to create the British Alpine breed. In 1958, the first British Alpines were transported to Australia, although there weren’t many due to quarantine rules.

The ancestors of modern goats belonged to the group Aegodontia, whose members are sometimes classified within the subfamily Antilopinae.

The Alpine goat became well established in the U.S. in the early 1900s through selective breeding. The Frenchman Joseph Crepin imported Alpine goats into Canada in 1904.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name for the goat is Capra aegagrus hircus. No naming distinction is made between the different domestic breeds, which is why it’s important to know the common name of the species you want to purchase. Alpine goats are often broken up into geographic distinctions, including the French Alpine, British Alpine, and American Alpine.

Goats are members of the Mammalia class, the Bovidae family, and the Caprinae subfamily. Many people notice that the word Capra, which is Latin, is also the origin of the word “Capricorn.”

Different Types of Alpine Goats

The Alpine breed of domestic goats ranges in size from medium to large and is renowned for its excellent milk production. They have no distinguishing colors or markings, making them recognizable by their other features. They have erect ears, a straight profile, and horns.

Alpine goats are classified into different breeds such as French Alpines, British Alpines, Rock Alpines, and American Alpines.

Appearance and Behavior

Alpine goats are ruminant mammals with cloven hooves, horns, beards, and large frames. Does are capable of producing significant amounts of milk without compromising their comfort. Alpine goats, in particular, are known for being aesthetically pleasing and coming in a variety of unique colors.

Some of the accepted breed colors and patterns include Cou blanc, which is a white neck with black hindquarters; Chamoisée, meaning tan, red, or brown with black patches; Sundgau, or black and white markings; and Pied, which means spotted with various markings.

Does typically weigh around 135 to 175 pounds and stand about 30 inches tall, while bucks are larger, weighing 170 to 230 pounds and standing 34 to 40 inches high. Does are usually smaller than bucks, except when pregnant. American Alpines tend to be larger than true French Alpines, although the difference is often negligible.

Unless they have been separated by a breeder or farmer, Alpine goats live in herds of between 5 and 20. These goats are graceful, curious, and friendly with their owners and other animals on the farm. Alpine goats are particularly known for having hardy characteristics that make them capable of surviving the elements. With that said, your domestic goat will be happiest with a cozy barn, a sunny pasture, and plenty of care and attention.

Habitat

The origin of the Alpine goat is the rocky mountaintops of the French countryside. However, these goats have been domesticated for quite some time, and they prefer to live in domestic pastures with standard farm amenities. One of the most important things to know about Alpine goats’ habitat is that they prefer cool to cold environments.

If you live in a warmer area, take steps to keep your goats from overheating during the summer. Even American Alpines, which have been kept at lower altitudes for many generations, still struggle with heat and prefer higher elevations.

Predators and Threats

The main predators that threaten domestic Alpine goats are feral dogs, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions, and other carnivores that live near the farm where the goats are housed. Birds of prey and foxes can occasionally be a problem, especially if you are raising kids or mini goats. The best way to keep your Alpine goats safe is to house them in a pasture with adequate fencing and a large barn that can be locked at night.

While the domestic Alpine goat is not found in the wild, wild relatives such as the Alpine ibex and wild goats in alpine regions do face threats from climate change, which reduces the number of cool alpine habitats and affects their populations.

In general, these goats have a conservation status of least concern. Farmers across the world rely on these goats for sustainable dairy production, so there is currently no risk of losing any of these goat genetic lines. Both French and American breed registries exist to help track lineages and make sure that various color patterns and genetic traits are being preserved.

Reproduction, Babies, and Lifespan

As a large goat breed, Alpines are capable of reproducing when does reach around 7 to 12 months of age, often bred at 7 to 10 months when they have reached 75 to 80% of their adult weight. Bucks can breed at 1 year, but there may be developmental and personality disadvantages. These ruminant mammals have a yearly mating season that lasts from August to January, with a slight monthly swing based on the local climate. The colder it is, the earlier your goats’ mating season will begin and end.

These goats have an estrous cycle lasting 18 to 21 days and are in heat for anywhere from a few hours to two days. Many farmers prefer to use artificial insemination on their does, especially if they only own one or two and are not interested in keeping a buck.

One of the only disadvantages of this method is that you must carefully time when the doe is in heat to ensure success. Otherwise, you can count on the males of a large herd to get to the females while they are still in heat.

These goats generally carry one baby at a time, although twins are common and triplets are possible. The average litter size for an Alpine goat is 1.75, representing a strong tendency towards twins. Baby goats are called kids and usually weigh around 5 to 10 pounds at birth.

Healthy kids typically stand up and start moving around within a few hours of birth; you can expect the mother to clean them off and help guide them around the barnyard, especially if she has raised a kid before. Kids generally cling to their mothers and survive entirely on milk until around 4 weeks old, when they begin exploring other types of feed. Even if they sample a bit of grass, you should not separate a kid from its mother until it is at least 9 weeks old.

Alpine goats typically live between 15 and 18 years when provided with plenty of healthy food, adequate shelter, and medical care. Alpine goat herds often suffer from viral diseases like CAE, which can cause swelling in the joints and bring significant discomfort to the animal. Other problems may relate to udder development and health, especially if your doe is expected to breed many times across her lifespan.