Breed
Information
The
Savanna Goat was developed under unfavorable environmental
conditions such as; heat, intense sunrays, cold and rain.
The breed moves easily and easily travels long distances
for survival. Good
animal management should allow the Savanna Goat to maintain its
strength, while utilizing a wide range of vegetation (such as
trees shrubs, large bushes which are unpalatable to other farm
animals), and a long breeding season, sexually active and able to
breed anytime of the year. When
evaluating an animal’s value and desirability, the best balance
of all the standards should be sought. The animal who possesses
the greatest conformity to the breed standards when viewed as a
complete package is the best representative of the Savanna breed
or for any breed for that matter.
It
is possible to document and maintain bloodlines through pedigree
and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
Owners and/or breeders should use standards to evaluate
animals when establishing desirability and value. Animals that
meet or exceed standards will survive through the ages while
serving mankind.
Overall
Quality, Size, Appearance and Type
The
Savanna Goat should be of suitable size for maximum meat yields.
It should have good structural conformation which meets
environmental and production needs, high adaptability to
environmental conditions and production needs, high adaptability
to environmental conditions and high fertility. Bucks should be
masculine, proud, robust and well muscled.
Does should be refined and feminine, yet strong, and have a
slightly more angular chest than bucks. They should be able to
breed easily and have the conformation and constitution to easily
raise fast growing kids and the ability to aggressively defend
their kids from predators.
The
Savanna Goat has white short hair.
During the winter months the goats develop extra fluffy
cashmere hair for protection.
The body should be white with pigmented skin in hairless
areas around the head and under the tail to reduce sunburn,
cancers, and skin diseases. A loose, supple skin helps the animal
adapt to wide climatic conditions, and assists in providing
resistance to external parasites.
In
general appearance, the Savanna Goat is a white goat with a
limited amount of freckling of red, blue or black.
Horns curve backwards. Animals should be strong, vigorous,
and symmetrical, with well-balanced muscling.
Ideally, the Savanna Goat is a rapidly growing,
well-proportioned goat of suitable size with the ability to
maximally produce prime cuts of meat to meet consumer demands.
FAULTS:
Are cull characteristic or defects which decrease the
efficiency of the goat for breeding purposes and will ultimately
affect an animal’s functional efficiency, meat production and or
survivability.
I.
CONFORMATION
A.
HEAD
A prominent, strong head with level eyes and must be protected by
well-developed eyebrow ridges. Nose with a gentle curve, wide
nostrils, and well-formed mouth with well-opposed jaws. Two tooth
(1-1.5 years of age) may have no over or under-bite; the jaws
should be perfectly opposed. Four tooth and older (the second pair
of permanent incisors erupt at 1.5 to 2 years of age) animals may
have 1/4-inch overbite. All permanent front teeth (goats have four
pairs of front teeth in their lower jaw, with the fourth pair
erupting at about 4 years of age) should be in the anatomically
correct positions. Horns
should be strong, of moderate length, positioned well apart, and
have a gradual backward curve before turning outward
symmetrically. Horns should be as solid as possible and dark in
color. Ears should be broad, smooth, of medium length and hang
downwards. Short ears should not be acceptable. Disbudded or
dehorned animals should have that noted on their registration.
FAULTS:
Abnormal mouth and jaws, and over-developed lower jaws.
B. NECK AND FOREQUARTERS
Neck
should be of reasonable length and in proportion with body length.
Forequarters full well fleshed, and limbs well jointed and
smoothly blended. The breast should be broad with a deep broad
brisket. Shoulders should be fleshy, well proportioned with the
rest of the body and smoothly blended and fitted into the withers.
Withers should be broad and well rounded and not sharp. Legs
should be strong, well placed and in proportion with the depth of
the body. Pastern joints should be strong, and hoofs well formed
and tight and as dark as possible.
FAULTS:
Neck too long, too short, or too thin; shoulders too loose, any
structural foreleg, muscle, bone, joint or hoof deformities or
abnormalities.
C. BODY (barrel)
Body
should be long, deep and broad. Ribs should be well sprung and
muscled. Loins should be well muscled, wide and long. The top line
should be straight and the shoulder well rounded.
FAULTS:
Concave or swayback; chest too cylindrical or flat, shoulders
weakly attached; poor muscling through the back and loin.
D. HINDQUARTERS
Hindquarters must be well muscled and carry a sufficient amount of
meat. Rump should be broad and long, with a gentle slope. Britches
and thighs well muscled and rounded. The tail should be centered,
upwards and well covered with hair.
The bare skin of the tail should also be pigmented. Legs
should be strong and the leg should have a straight axis from the
hip through the hock, fetlock and pastern. The goat should be able
to stand easily on its hind legs.
Hoofs should be well formed and as dark as possible.
II.
SKIN AND COVERING
Skin
should be loose and supple, with sufficient folds over the neck
and chest, especially in bucks. Ideally, eyelids and other
hairless areas should be pigmented. Ideally, hairless areas around
anus should also be pigmented. . Short hair is desirable. A
limited amount of winter down or under coat (cashmere) will be
tolerated during winter, especially in colder environments.
III.
REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
Sexual
organs should be normal and well developed.
For a buck, two normal testicles in a scrotum should be
present. The scrotum
should not be excessively divided.
For a doe, a well developed but not too large pigmented
udder with two teats ideally. Four separate teats are also
acceptable.
FAULTS:
Udder and teat abnormalities or defects, other than those
specified above, small or abnormal testes, excessive scrotal
splits.
IV.
COLORATION
The
ideal Savanna Goat is a totally white animal and has pigmented
skin, with a limited amount of red, blue or black freckling).
FAULTS:
Skin with no pigment.
