Coloring Time!

Please note, for this post I am referencing several pamphlets that I obtained
from the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA):

The ADGA sets "breed" standards for dairy goats.  They recognize 8 different breeds of goats:

• Alpine
• LaMancha
• Nigerian Dwarf
• Nubian
• Oberhasli
• Saanen
• Sable
• Toggenburg

Each of these breeds have very unique positive qualities (and sometimes drawbacks)!  I sometimes get asked why I chose Alpines.  Although Nubians are probably the most popular breed of goat, I chose Alpines because I had convenient access to purchasing some Alpines in my area.  I do like there excellent milk production and hardy breed.  While some breeds (LaMancha in particular) are described as "laid back," Alpines are basically the opposite.  But that is what I like about them!  Who wouldn't want a goat with so much spunk they try to escape when their owner opens the gate to see them? Ha!

Anyway, Alpines are of French descent.  There are some "French Alpine" registered goats, but most Alpines are "American Alpines" because their specific ancestry cannot be traced back to France.  (Interesting note, if you breed a French Alpine and an American Alpine, you get an American Alpine.)

They also are the only breed with specific coloring names.  According to the ADGA Breed Standards, there are 8 different colorings for Alpines, called by their French names.  The French names are always hard for me to pronounce.  Personally, I like to call them by their English colors (i.e. "that tan goat...")!  But in order to clarify for myself, and for any others who might be a bit confused about Alpine colorings, I am posting the technical French coloring list below:

• Cou Blanc (White on the front, black on the back--like Elly May)
• Cou Clair (Light shading to dark)
• Cou Noir (Black on the front, white on the back--opposite of Elly May)
• Sundgau (Black with a few white markings--just like Frankincense)
• Pied (Spotted-imagine what throwing a pie at a goat would look like!)
• Chamoisee (Black face, dorsal stripe, and legs--like Charlotte)
• Two-tone Chamoisee (Light front--like Edna)
• Broken Chamoisee (Similar to Chamoisee, but with some "irregular" markings)

To give a visual:

Elly May--Cou Blanc

Frankincense--Sundgau

Charlotte-Chamoisee

Edna--Two-tone Chamoisee

And, Edna's kids are due in less than two weeks.  She carries the potential for all of these colors.  It will be a fun surprise to see what color goats she has!