The SA Milch Goat Breeders’ Society acts as an information portal and industry mouthpiece for all milk goat breeders and farmers in the country. Their goal is to encourage good breeding practices and quality farming, as well as educate new farmers on the industry and the importance of choosing the right milk goat breed to farm with.
SA Milch Goat Breeders’ Society provides members with an in-depth outline of Milk Goat Breed Standards, which sets out the proper breeding requirements for every individual milk goat breed. Information is available in English and Afrikaans, as many farmers are not bilingual.
Furthermore, SA Milch Goat Breeders’ Society advocates the health benefits of goat milk as opposed to cow’s milk. It is said to be a superior milk in terms of human digestion, lactose intolerance, as well as its added vitamins and minerals.
One of South Africa’s first milk goat breeds to be imported was the Saanen, a sturdy white goat with no markings. Unfortunately, no official effort was made in SA to keep the breed pure, but there have been a large number of goats registered throughout the years.
From 1958 to 1985, the SA Stud Book and livestock Improvement Association (SASBLIA) registered 2388 Saanen females and 530 Saanen males, whilst 139 females and 42 males were registered from 1985 to 1991. Today, 432 Saanen females and 120 Saanen males are registered in South Africa.
Milch goats (milk goats) have the advantage over cows, as they can be kept on poorer grazing where dairy cows cannot be kept so economically...