Nubian Goat

Lop-ear Nubian goats have African, Middle Eastern, and British ancestry. This mixed-breed, domestic goat is famous for its rich milk, long ears, and vocal personality.

Nubian goats are friendly, intelligent, and highly curious. Read on to learn interesting facts about these popular goats.

5 Nubian Goat Facts

• Nubian goats are the most popular dairy goat in the U.S.
• Nubian goats produce milk that has 4% to 5% butterfat, which is ideal for making cheese, cream, and other dairy products.
• Nubian goats are known for their size and their loud vocalizations.
• British dairy farmers created the breed in 1893.
• Lop-ear goats remain fertile their entire lives.

Scientific Name

The Lop-ear goat’s scientific name is Capra aegagrus hircus. Nubian goats are sometimes called lop-ear goats or Anglo-Nubian goats.

Evolution And History

The goat can trace its lineage back more than 11,000 years to the wild bezoar ibex. This ibex was kept in herds by Neolithic farmers in western Asia and as farming became more prevalent, livestock began to develop into domesticated animals. It is believed that the Nubian goat is one of the older breeds of goats, having been created during the 19th century by crossing the old English Milch goat from Britain and the Zariby and Nubian goats that were brought over from India, Egypt, and Russia.

Types Of

The Nubian goat is a breed of dairy goat, of which there are over 75 different breeds. The Nubian goat is known for its high butterfat content and with the exception of the Boer goat, produces the most butterfat than any other breed. Here are the just a few of these breeds:

• Nubian Goat
• Boer Goat – the world’s largest goat, produces milk with the highest context of butterfat.
• American Pygmy Goat – the world’s smallest goat
• Nigerian Dwarf Goat – the best goat to have as a pet
• Saanen Goat
• Spanish Goat – known for its great quality meat
• Angora Goat – prized for their high-quality mohair
• LaMancha Goat – this breed has no external ears
• Arapawa Goat – the rarest goat in the world
• Madurai Goat

Appearance And Behavior

All goats have split (cloven) hooves, horns, and beards. Goats are classed as ungulates (hooved) and ruminants.

Lop-ear goats stand out for their size. They are taller and stockier than average dairy goats. They also stand out for their rounded faces, long curved noses, and short, glossy coats.

They come in various colors, including golden brown, reddish-brown, black, and dark gray. The most common color is a blend of brown and white.

Typically, the Nubian goat has black or white markings on its face. Their long, silky ears might be brown, white, or black.

Mixed breeding contributes to their unusual, beautiful looks. British goat farmers created the Nubian by breeding goats from Africa, India, and the Middle East. This ancestry is why some people refer to Nubians as Anglo-Nubians.

Habitat

Lop-ear goats are highly adaptable to many environments. Goats can survive on sparse vegetation. They are not picky about their food and will happily graze on shrubs, brush, poison ivy, and fallen leaves.

If you have these goats, you can let them roam your fenced pastures.

Lop-ear goats are highly suited to small farms and homesteads. Compared to cows and sheep, goats are small and easy to handle. Like all domestic animals, however, they need their own dedicated shelters. Domestic goats cannot tolerate extremes of hot and cold the way wild goats can.

Because they are an adaptable, popular breed, you can find lop-ear Nubian goats for sale in many places. A single goat generally costs from $300 to $800. Females cost more.

In Zoos

If you’re not ready for a Lop-ear goat for sale, you can still enjoy these goats. Lop-ear goats are popular in zoo exhibits. You can see one at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore or the Houston Zoo.

The Central Park Zoo in New York City has miniature Nubian goats. The Oregon Zoo has a miniature Nubian who is a featured YouTube performer. Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Manitoba, Canada, also has Nubian goats.

Diet

Lop-ear goats need hay, freshwater, grasses, and grains. Many goats forage in pastures, where they are happy to eat weeds, shrubs, and grasses. It’s important to keep them fenced and safe from predators if they roam. Most goats appreciate a salt block to lick.

Predators And Threats

Lop-ear goats face two major threats: predators and parasites.

Predators

Wild animals are a threat to wild and domestic goats. Stray dogs cause most of the attacks on domestic goats. If you allow your goats to roam freely on your property, consider getting a livestock guardian animal like a dog or donkey.

Coyotes, foxes, wolves, and bobcats will attack domestic goats. It may also surprise you to see eagles and other raptors diving for baby goats. They are especially dangerous during the kidding season when they know there may be unattended kids in the fields.

To protect your lop-ear goats from these predators:

• Install secure electric fencing to keep predators out and goats in.
• Provide your goats with shelter at night.
• Keep your yard clean of brush, trash, and animal waste that can attract predators.
• Get a livestock guardian animal. You can use dogs, alpacas, female donkeys and llamas. It’s best if you raise them together from a young age to ensure the guardian bonds to the goats.

Parasites

Parasites are the biggest threat to Nubians as they are to all domestic goats. All goats should be treated for worms as part of their regular veterinary care.

As domestic animals, Nubians depend on their humans for care and protection. If you’re considering getting a Nubian goat, you must include veterinary and other costs besides the “for sale” price. Goats need vaccinations and regular veterinary care. They also need protection from predators.

Reproduction, Babies, And Lifespan

These goats can live 15 years or more if they’re healthy and properly cared for.

Male goats are known as billies or bucks. Castrated males go by the name wethers. Females are called nannies or does. Baby goats are known as kids, but they can also be called bucklings or doelings.

Nubian bucks are sexually mature at six months. Like deer, they reproduce in the fall. During this time, the males emit a strong musky odor.

After mating, the doe gets pregnant. The gestation period lasts 150 days and may include a single baby, twins, or triplets. A few nannies will have four or five kids, but that’s unusual.

These goats are fertile their entire lives. That’s a lot of potential kids.

These goats are excellent mothers who stay close to their kids for the first few weeks of their lives. After about two months, kids begin eating grass and other solid foods.

Population

There are more than 370,000 of these goats in the U.S. There are over one billion domestic goats in the world, and most of them are dairy goats.

Some wild goat species are threatened, but no domestic goat species are endangered.