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A breed of goats that has not yet become widespread in Russia. But it arouses the interest and close attention of breeders and farmers.
History of the breed
The Nubian or Anglo-Nubian breed traces its ancestry to African goats from the Nubian Desert region. This is where the name of the breed comes from.
English farmers, taking as a basis the genetic material of goats from the extremely dry regions of Africa, crossed with local, Swiss and Indian breeds. The merit of English breeders was duly appreciated, so the breed is called Anglo-Nubian, but for brevity, the breed is often called Nubian.
American breeders have worked quite successfully to improve the productive qualities of the breed. It was from America that the first representatives of the Nubian breed were brought to Russia.
There are very few purebred individuals of the Nubian breed in Russia; interest in the breed is hampered by the financial component. Purebred animals are quite expensive, so farmers are quite reserved about the breed.
Description
There is no specific standard for Nubian goats in Russia. The appearance of Nubians is distinguished, first of all, by long, wide, hanging ears, which are located below the level of the animal’s muzzle.The standard is when the tips of the ears are in line with the nostrils. The head is small, oval in shape, slightly flattened at the sides. The nose is wide with a hump, which also refers to the characteristic recognizable standards of the breed. Goats are polled and goats usually have horns. Although, according to the English standard, a goat must be hornless.
The neck is strong, of medium length, the body is quite massive, muscular, strong, as Nubian goats have meat and dairy direction. The body is shaped like a rectangle. The legs are thin, slender, proportional. The udder is large, consists of 2 lobes, the nipples are long, elongated.
The wool of Nubian goats is short, shiny, and comes in a wide variety of colors. Goats come in black, white, all shades of brown, brown and white, black and white, and golden.
Breed standard: black skin, possibly grey, tan skin not allowed.
Disadvantages: The size of the animal is very different from the standard, curved tail, horns.
Animals are different in character. There are calm individuals who make good contact with humans and respond to nicknames. But generally Nubians are restless and behave quite noisily. The temperament of animals generally depends on the conditions of keeping and feeding.
Productivity characteristics
The Nubian goat breed is a meat and dairy breed. Although, it is not at all in the Russian tradition to use goats as a source of meat. An adult animal can weigh from 80 to 100 kg; at the withers, an adult male can reach more than 80 cm. The meat has high taste characteristics.
Perhaps the main value of Nubian goats is milk, white gold, which has a high nutritional value due to its high content of calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A, B, C and D. Milk contains 8.5% fat and 19.7 % dry matter. It is superior in fat content to buffalo milk, but inferior to deer milk.
In terms of amino acid composition, Nubian goat milk is compared to women's milk. The fat globules in goat's milk are 10 times smaller than in cow's milk. Therefore, they are better absorbed. Milk does not contain allergens, so it is recommended for use by children and adults with poor health, gastrointestinal diseases, and metabolic disorders. Those who drink goat milk regularly do not get sick and are not at risk of anemia.
Nubian goats produce 3 liters of milk daily. The lactation period lasts about 300 days. Milk yield increases with each subsequent lambing. In terms of milk yield they are second only to Saanen goat breed.
Goats give birth to up to 3 kids per lamb, pregnancy occurs twice a year. Watch a video about Nubian goats:
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In order to maintain the productive characteristics of the breed at a high level, the animals should be properly fed and well cared for.
Nubian goats do not tolerate cold Russian winters well, so the room for keeping them must be heated, and in winter the temperature inside must be above zero. The owners note that in the 2-3rd generation, Nubians acclimatize.
The room should be bright and dry, with good ventilation, but without drafts.The presence of condensation on the walls is unacceptable, which indicates high humidity, and this, in turn, leads to animals contracting pneumonia.
For Nubians, cleanliness in the room is important; they will not lie in the dirt, they will behave restlessly, and as a result, milk production will decrease. Change bedding frequently. You can use straw or sawdust, which absorb liquid well.
Special wooden beds are made for goats. Animals do not sleep on the floor.
Diet
Animals need to be well fed so that they produce a lot of quality milk. The diet should be varied and balanced. Sample menu in winter:
- Hay 3-5 kg should be of good quality, not dry and it is better if the hay has not been wetted by rain;
- Straw can replace hay by 25%, but it requires preliminary preparation. Most often, the straw is chopped;
- Grain concentrates 2 kg should not be used in large volumes, since insufficient doses of roughage (hay, straw) disrupt the digestion of goats;
- Vegetables 3 kg (pumpkin, zucchini, fodder beets, carrots), branches or leaves. Root vegetables are a good milk extractor in winter.
The basis of the diet is hay; goats are very fond of prepared brooms from pine, willow, willow, hazel, and rowan. Barley and oats increase milk yield; it is best to steam them.
Vitamin and mineral supplements must be present in the diet of Nubian goats. Vitamin preparations include ready-made preparations for meat and dairy breeds; mineral preparations include salt and chalk.
In summer, the diet is based on meadow grasses.In the evening you can give some hay, vegetables, oats.
Each breeder determines the diet himself; violation of the feeding schedule leads to a decrease in animal productivity and stress. Dairy goats should be fed at least 3 times. Clean water should always be freely available.
Breeding
The Nubian goat produces 2-3 kids; high rates of offspring production make the breed profitable in terms of breeding. The Nubian can be crossed with other goat breeds to improve production characteristics.
The pregnancy of Nubian goats lasts 150 days. Kids are born large and viable. In the first minutes of life, they should receive maternal colostrum, which launches the immune system.
Conclusion
Raising Nubian goats can be a profitable business. The demand for purebred animals, despite the high price, is growing every year. Products from goats are of high quality; milk, which does not cause allergic reactions, is especially valued.
Good day. I also have Nubian goats. I am very pleased with the milk. The cheeses turn out great.