The Irish Goat is a traditional Irish breed of domestic goat. It is a dual-purpose breed, used both for meat and for milk.[4]: 366 It is an endangered breed and may survive only in feral populations.[3] It is distinct from the feral Bilberry Goat of Waterford.[4]: 366
 Near Glendalough | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland |
| Distribution | country-wide |
| Use | |
| Traits | |
| Weight | |
| Height | |
| Horn status | horned in both sexes[2] |
| Beard | yes[3] |
| |
History
editThe Irish Goat is the traditional domestic goat of Ireland. A herd-book was started in 1918.[4]: 366
In 1994 a breed population of 6650 was reported to the DAD-IS breed database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,[2] and in 2007 its conservation status was listed by the FAO as "not at risk".[1]: 65 It has since become an endangered breed: in 2019 breed numbers were reported to be 25–30, and conservation status was "at risk".[2] According to The Old Irish Goat Society, it survives only in feral populations and is extinct in domesticity.[3] It was not on the goat watchlist of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust in 2019.[5]
Characteristics
editThe Irish Goat is long-haired, bearded and horned in both sexes; the hair may be black, grey or white.[4]: 366 [3]
References
edit- ^ a b Barbara Rischkowsky, D. Pilling (eds.) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251057629. Accessed January 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Breed data sheet: Irish Goat / Ireland (Goat). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed December 2019.
- ^ a b c d The Old Irish Goat. The Old Irish Goat Society. Accessed December 2019.
- ^ a b c d Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN 9781780647944.
- ^ Goat watchlist. Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Accessed December 2019.
