Goats

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Goats

Popular Swiss goat breeds include the Saanen goat, Toggenburg goat and the Chamois Coloured mountain goat. The white, short-haired Saanen goat is well suited for milk production. It originates from the Saanenland and Obersimmental regions. The Toggenburg goat is also a milk-producing breed. This breed is characterised by its long hair on its back and thighs. The Chamois Coloured mountain goat, which also produces good milk yields, has the most herdbook-registered animals. It is brown-black and thus resembles – as the name suggests – a chamois.

In addition to the main breeds, Switzerland is also home to endangered goat breeds. These include the Appenzell goat, the Bündner Strahlenziege, the Nera Verzasca, the Valais Blackneck and the Peacock goat. There are also imported breeds recognised in Switzerland such as the Anglo-Nubian, Boer goat and the Tauernscheck.

Swiss goat breeds

White, grey-mottled, copper-coloured, black, long-haired, short-haired, with or without horns: Switzerland’s goat breeds are colourful and diverse – and not well-known at all. Find out more about these intelligent and curious animals.

Swiss goat breeds

Battle against scrub encroachment

Goats are ruminants with a wide variety of preferences when it comes to food. Besides hay, they also like to eat leaves, bark and shrubs. They are therefore well suited for use in the battle against scrub encroachment on Alpine meadows. They successfully push back trees and bushes and in doing so promote the biodiversity of Alpine pastures.

Image: Giangreco Cesa

Goats are climbing artists

The ancestors of domestic goats come from the high mountains. It is for this reason that they are excellent climbers. This allows them to reach feeding areas that are not accessible to most other animals. They are also able to climb trees.

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Meat

Swiss meat stands for the utmost quality, which requires high-quality meat-processing workmanship alongside high animal welfare and health standards. Pork and beef are the favorite meat varieties in Switzerland.

Meat

Image: Suisseporcs

Animal welfare

Many farmers do more than the strict Animal Welfare Act requires. They take part in animal welfare programmes and produce for labels. Checks are conducted to ensure that the rules are observed.

Animal welfare