Description and signs of the Russian white goat breed, housing conditions and feeding
The right breed of goat is a guarantee that a person will always have a source of fresh healthy milk, meat, furs and leather that can be used in industry in the future. The Russian white dairy goat is ideal for productive agriculture. The breed has a lot of advantages, the main of which is its unpretentiousness in various climatic conditions.
The origin of the breed
The breed was not bred immediately, but the selection process took several centuries, as the goats were gradually improved through natural selection before becoming one of the best aboriginal domestic individuals. Selective work was carried out in the direction of:
- improving health;
- productivity;
- unpretentiousness and obedience;
- breeding healthy strong offspring;
- the ability to adapt to the climate of the northwestern and central regions of Russia.
Until the 19th century, the breed was improved by "folk selection", and at the end of this century, professionals in the field of selection took up the breeding of the breed. Since the 20th century, the breed began to be crossed with European goats, which were distinguished by productivity, but they had a weak adaptation to the Russian climate.
There was also a successful attempt at crossing with the dairy Toggenburg and Saanen white breeds. This time, the attempt was successful, as the improved females began to bring more milk.
Description and characteristics of the Russian white goat
The Belarusian goat belongs to individuals of high milk productivity, and it is bred most often on the farm to obtain large volumes of milk. Russian whites have long nipples that are comfortable for manual or mechanical milking. It differs from other similar European breeds by the presence of a cannon under a thick dense coat.
| Milk | Meat | Down and wool | Leather | Fertility of females |
| For 12 months, one female brings 500-900 liters of milk, and the daily milk yield is 1-2 liters | One carcass yields 56% of meat products. Young animals are often grown for slaughter. | The individual can be long or short haired. As a result, about 200 g of fluff comes out from one individual per year, but in rare cases it turns out about 400 g | Goat (pet hide) is used in the manufacture of expensive soft leather, such as chevro and morocco | The female rolls around 2 times a year and at one time can give birth to 1-2 kids |
White color and pronounced udder are the dominant features of this breed. There are also black, brown and gray colors of this animal. Adults grow no higher than 65 cm. The build of goats is strong, stocky, with a wide chest. The weight of a goat is between 50 and 70 kg.
Main positive and negative aspects
In addition to fertility and daily milk yield, they have other positive characteristics. Another main quality of the breed is its unpretentious disposition, pets take root in different climatic conditions. Goats are hardy and rarely get sick. They recognize the farmer as their master and obey him.
The disadvantages include the fact that the breed does not like drafts, so it is better to keep white goats indoors, where the cold wind does not get.
White Russians degenerate over time. If you keep females and males together in a pen, then there is a high probability that after inter-related intercourse, sick kids and freaks will be born.
Conditions of detention and feeding
For the full development, quality lambing and health of goats, only a dry, warm room is required, for example, a barn. There must be good ventilation in the goat house. Introducing fresh air streams reduces the risk of disease in the herd. It is also important to clean frequently in the barn so that parasites that are dangerous to livestock do not grow in the straw and on surfaces.
In summer, goats feed on fresh grass in the pasture. In the fall, they are gradually transferred to dry straw and hay. Additionally, they are given compound feeds saturated with vitamins, coarse and succulent feed. It is important to feed them 3 times a day. Animals should have constant access to hay and clean water.
Case
The young are fully developed physically, so they are ready to mate at the age of 3 months, but the ideal age for this is 12 months. Three options for mating:
- Artificial mating is the most effective method. The procedure is performed by a veterinarian.
- Manual crossing - occurs through the selection of the necessary individuals by the owner. A person who crosses goats should know that closely related members of the breed should not be allowed to mate.
- In free mating, representatives of the breed mate chaotically due to the fact that males and females are kept together.
The option of free mating is dangerous, since the offspring can be born sickly or with deformities. To prevent goats from degenerating, males and females should be kept in separate pens and crossed by hand or artificial mating.
Pregnancy and lambing
Carrying of kids takes place for 142-155 days. Goats can give birth to offspring without the help of humans. If a person participates in the lambing process, then for this you need to prepare warm water, scissors and rags in advance. The female preparing for lambing becomes restless. If the female was pregnant with two kids, then the first fetus is born head first, and the second vice versa. If the kid was born breathless, then urgently need help: you should wipe the muzzle off the mucus and breathe air into his mouth.
Diseases
Goats can have infectious and non-infectious diseases. Representatives of the White Russian breed rarely get sick. Animals get sick in the wrong conditions. The breed does not tolerate drafts and cold rooms, in which females fall ill with infectious mastitis.
With improper feeding, animals get sick, in addition to poisoning, vitamin deficiency, hypovitaminosis and gastroenteritis. Dangerous infectious and parasitic diseases: echinococcosis, dictyocaulosis, piroplasmosis.
Before you start breeding goats, you should decide what these animals are for on the farm. Dairy breeds are preferred. The white Russian goat is a versatile animal, as it is suitable for the production of milk, meat, wool, fluff.
