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Photo courtesy of Volker Simon, © 2001, Email V.Simon@web.de

The Thuringian Forest Goat was developed around the turn of the century from the native Thuringian land goats, into which a limited number of Swiss Toggenburg goats were crossed. The original area of this breed was Thuringia, but now it has spread across the entire German Federal Republic. The Thuringian Forest Goat is medium sized with two types—a fine version and course version. There are both horned and polled animals in each version. The coat is short to medium length and close lying. The base color will be dark brown to black with white markings. Any color approaching red or any sign of a dorsal stripe (such as is seen in Oberhasli goats) is considered a serious fault. The typical Thuringian Forest Goat has a pronounced face mask with white stripes, white upright ears, and white from the upper eye area to the tip of the muzzle. The lower legs will be white also. It is a striking goat to see.

Weight and height range Does 70-75 cm; 40-60 kg Bucks 80-85 cm; 60-80 kg The Thuringian Forest Goat is known for its parasite and disease resistance as well as its undemanding fodder requirements. (It is often used for brush clearing and field maintenance.) It is classified as a dual purpose animal, producing both milk and meat. It is a seasonal breeder producing only one set of kids per year. Most of the births are twins, but triplets are not uncommon. Milk production is 700-1000 kg with an average butterfat of 3.5%. Breed Target Apart from the primary target of protecting and preserving this threatened breed, it is also important to select for high milk and meat production, as well as high fertility rates. In the continuation of the integrity of the breed, outcrossings to other breeds should be avoided. All crossbred stock must be indicated as to percentage of foreign blood and their registration paperwork must note this. Present stock: 300 purebred animals. Registry Associations Hessischer Ziegenzuchtverband e.V. www.ziegenzucht.de Landesverband Niedersächsischer Ziegenzüchter e.V. www.lnz-online.de Reference: Zak Thatcher, WA and Volker Simon, Germany Photograph: Photo courtesy of Volker Simon, © 2001, Email V.Simon@web.de

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