La Mancha goat: photo, video, description of the breed, breeding and care features

History of the breed

The history of the earless breed is lost in the past. There are guesses and there are exact facts. The first mention of short-eared goats is found in the manuscripts of Ancient Persia. How the breed ended up in Spain is not known for certain. The breed owes its name to the Spanish province of La Mancha. From here the Spanish conquerors brought earless goats to California. Meat and dairy goats with short ears began their “conquest” of America.

At the beginning of the 20th century, short-eared goats were brought to an exhibition in Paris. Here it received its current name - after the name of the province from which its journey to America began. After breeding work, the characteristics of the breed changed. The breed received official status only in 1958. At that time, there was an officially registered breeding herd of two hundred heads, representing the earless LaMancha breed.

Exterior of La Mancha

Lamanchas have a strong build and a large udder - a sign of high milk yield. The breed has a variety of colors. There are shades of black, red, brown, brown, white and others. There are also spotted individuals.

To make goats look well-groomed and attractive, their hair is trimmed. External features of the breeds:

• the body is wedge-shaped, massive;
• height at withers for goats – 75-95 cm, for goats – 75 cm;
• weight of goats – 64-66 kg, goats – 52-54 kg.
• a hook-nosed profile that gives Lamanchas a resemblance to Nubian goats;
• strong, well-developed legs;
• There are individuals with and without horns.

When creating the breed, breeders used the most attractive features of Saanen, Alpine, Nubian and Toggenburg goats.

Breed Features

Lamanchas have two unique features - external and internal, which distinguish them from all other breeds. The main differences between Lamanchas are their short ears and gentle disposition. All this is uncharacteristic for goats.

There are two types of ears:

1. Corrugated. There is absolutely no cartilage in such ears. Ear length – 2.5 cm.
2. Miniature . These ears have cartilage up to 5 cm in length.

The originality of the breed is assessed by the length of the ears. If the length is more than 5 cm, the individual is not considered purebred.

Lamanchas have a unique character; they behave almost like dogs - they follow their owners, love affection and attention. In the herd they behave calmly, quietly, and non-aggressively. Females are caring mothers, diligently caring for their offspring.

Description of the LaMancha goat breed

The most striking feature of these animals, which our compatriots who are accustomed to eared goats immediately notice, is the almost complete absence of ears. Strictly speaking, these goats have ears, but they are extremely small and disproportionate to the size of the head. Interestingly, due to the fact that the ears of these goats are very small, it is impossible to attach a tag with a number to them, so the animals have to be branded.

The elegant ears of the LaMancha goat are its unique feature.

The Lamancha goat is a high-yielding breed.

In general, in the description of the LaMancha goat breed, it is noted that they have two types of ears: “elf” - thin and elongated (up to 5 cm), as well as “gopher ears” - short and tightly fitting to the head (up to 2.5 cm). It is noteworthy that individuals with large ears (more than 5 cm) are considered defective and are not registered as purebreds.

It is also easy to recognize the La Mancha by its fairly massive body and large udder, indicating a pronounced dairy specialization of the breed. The height of goats at the withers reaches an average of 74 cm with a weight of about 52 kg (goats) and 64 kg (goats). Most representatives of the breed have a straight muzzle, but there are also individuals with a hump on the nose, which is considered a minor defect.

The coat is usually short, but sometimes it is of medium length. In the second case, animals are often shorn to give them a more neat appearance. There are a wide variety of color options. Most often, black, brown and spotted goats are born, but red, brown, white and others are also often born.

The color of the animals varies from white to dark brown, sometimes with large spots.

The La Mancha goat has a long, strong body, despite its small size.

In all sources that describe the La Mancha goat, it is noted that it is affectionate, easy to make contact, friendly towards humans and generally becomes strongly attached to its owner. When in a herd, goats also behave quite calmly. Females watch their offspring closely, which makes them excellent mothers.

One of the interesting features of the breed is also the fact that when crossed with other breeds, La Manchas pass on their characteristics to their offspring in an almost unchanged form.

Productive qualities

La Manchas are bred to produce tasty, rich milk. The production of meat products is secondary. Productivity characteristics:

• Fertility. Females bring 4-5 kids per lamb.
• Milk productivity. Average daily milk yield is 5 liters. Record holders give 9 liters each. Average annual milk yield during the lactation period is 700-900 liters.
• Fat content. The milk has excellent taste characteristics and high fat content - about 4%. There is no specific smell.
• Meat productivity. The live weight of adult animals is 60-70 kg. Maximum – 100 kg. The meat yield from the carcass is 70% of live weight.

Productive characteristics of LaMancha goats

None of the available sources provides even approximate figures regarding how much milk La Mancha goats produce during the lactation period. Most materials indicate that the average daily milk yield is 4-5 liters, which is probably the peak during the period of maximum productivity. If we assume that the average daily milk yield for the entire lactation period is 3-4 liters, then it turns out that a goat produces about 800 liters per year.

The milk fat content of La Mancha goats is at an average level - about 4%. At the same time, the milk is very tasty, without any foreign odor. As for meat productivity, one carcass yields up to 70% of the animal’s original weight.

If a female gives birth to a kid with ears larger than 5 cm, it is not registered as a purebred.

It is also noted that this breed is characterized by increased fertility. On average, 3-4 kids are born.

Characteristics of the appearance of a LaMancha goat include a number of characteristics:

• Various colors ranging from black, white and brown.
• The body is long, height eighty centimeters.
• Legs are strong.
• Horns are developed, and half of the individuals of the breed have them.
• Beautiful, smooth fur.

This species has a distinctive feature associated with their ears, which are practically invisible. In females, the udder takes on large sizes. Ear lengths over five centimeters are characteristic of mixed species, and are not related to purebred individuals.

The female provides four liters of milk per day. Milk acquires a pleasant taste and smell, given the acceptable level of fat content. Individuals of this breed are endowed with a gentle disposition and calm character. Located towards the person. Animals are resistant to cold thanks to their thick coat.

To ensure that milk production does not fall, it is important to maintain a balanced diet for the animal. Despite the fact that individuals tolerate cold and poor nutrition well.

Short-eared goats of this breed are raised to produce not only high-quality meat, but also tasty fatty milk.

In a herd, the animal is characterized by calmness, a quiet disposition and the absence of any aggression.

If you provide the animals with clean and warm housing, then your goats will not have their characteristic odors.

Dairy goats: characteristics, description of the dairy breed (read more)

Individuals produce a maximum of eight liters of milk daily. The sale of individuals is carried out mainly after winter and the difficulty lies in the fact that tags cannot be attached to the animal’s ear due to its small size.

On a note! The characteristic of this species is their responsiveness to humans and their attitude towards animals. An affectionate attitude towards the animal will provide you with large milk yields.

The species is characterized by two types of auricle: gopher and elf. Representatives with gopher ears are characterized by a length not exceeding two and a half centimeters, and they have a dried-out appearance. Individuals with elf ears are five centimeters long and have a raised or lowered edge.

The peculiarity of the species - unpretentiousness combined with the friendliness of the species ensures its attractiveness among breeders. Although this species does not have any distinctive qualities in terms of milk volume, it is not of interest to breeding breeders.

Advantages and disadvantages

Breeders, goat breeders and simple goat breeders find many advantages in La Mancha:

• able to adapt to different conditions of detention;
• not capricious, do not require special conditions of detention;
• high milk yield;
• there is no repulsive odor, which is present in many breeds of goats;
• friendly disposition and contact.

The disadvantages of Lamancha are not critical:

• The ears are so small that it is even impossible to attach a tag to them - the animals have to be branded. The brand is placed on the hairless part of the tail.
• The “Roman” profile of the Lamanchas is classified as a defect. But this feature of appearance can hardly be considered a disadvantage - many breeders are not at all embarrassed by the hooked nose of goats.

What are the disadvantages of the breed?

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There are not many disadvantages, this is one of the reasons for the prevalence of the LaMancha breed throughout the world.

• The ears are small, so the identification number (tag) is placed in the tail area. This can be difficult and, moreover, not all breeders are happy with it.
• LaMancha goats are very demanding in terms of attention. Showing care and attention is as important to them as fresh food in the trough. If you don’t have time to communicate with the animal, it’s worth getting several animals so that they won’t be so bored when alone.
• A Roman nose is considered a defect. However, it cannot be called a clear drawback. Many breeders like the Roman nose of the animal, because it adds aristocracy to them.

LaMancha goats need care

Care and maintenance

La Manchas are active and energetic. For good health and high milk yields, they need extensive pastures. Despite their thick hair and good cold tolerance, goats of this breed need a warm room and nutritional adjustments in winter.

Requirements and conditions for care

The unpretentiousness of Lamanchas does not mean that they do not need care.

Conditions of care:

• Housing. A barn is built for the goats - the room is spacious, dry, light and ventilated. The concrete floor is made with a slope so that liquid can drain. Goats are kept not only in a classic barn, but also in an insulated pen or in a regular goat shed. In a classic barn, the room for goats is divided into stalls - the animals get their own territory, and at the same time they can communicate with each other.
• Litter. Straw is laid on the floor. Layer thickness is an important strategic point. Goats love warmth, comfort, and prefer thick straw bedding. If you save on flooring, cunning animals will make up for the shortfall with hay from the feeder. Having saved on bedding, the owners will lose on the “misuse” of feed.
• Attitude. To prevent goats from becoming stubborn and capricious, they need attentive attention from their owners. Without enough care, they will deliberately attract attention with bad behavior. Goats need affectionate treatment no less than good nutrition.
• Hygiene. La Manchas are clean and do not like dirt. That is why they do not smell like goats of other breeds. If there is dirt around the goats, milk yield drops.
• Walking. From the beginning of spring to mid-autumn, goats are kept free-range.
• Nutrition. High milk yields require adequate nutrition, adjusted along with the changing seasons.
• Water. Animals must have access to water around the clock. Especially in the heat.

Some owners keep goats and a breeding goat in the same enclosure - neither the goats nor the milk acquires its scent.

Goat nutrition

In summer, Lamanchas are kept on pastures, where, along with lush grass, they eat branches of bushes and low-growing trees.

Alfalfa and clover are goats' favorite foods and increase the amount of protein in milk. These legumes are given to goats in limited quantities.

Goats eat almost any vegetation, but their diet should not include buttercups, milkweed and aconite - these plants will harm the animals. By observing goats grazing, they determine which herbs they like best, and they are stored for the winter.

To prevent milk production from falling in winter, the goats’ bodies are saturated with nutrients that animals lack in the absence of green feed. For winter feeding, brooms are prepared in the summer - birch, oak, walnut (hazel). Bran, oats, straw chaff, chopped carrots are introduced into the diet of dairy goats - all ingredients are mixed together. Weeds and food debris are also added there.

Approximate daily diet for adult goats:

Read more about the nutrition of domestic goats and kids here.

Where to buy purebred goats/Nurseries and price

It will not be easy to buy kids, females, or especially breeding male goats in our country. There are no large nurseries that breed this particular breed in Russia yet, so you will have to rely only on small farms or bring animals from abroad.

• In a private farm in the city of Anapa, in the Krasnodar Territory, breeder Elena Yuryevna Yakovenko offers goats and male goats of the LaMancha breed.
• The private farm “Teply Dvor”, located in the town of Borovsk, Kaluga region, offers goats and female goats of the same breed aged from five months. All animals have documentation, the coloring is similar to Alpine goats, the wool is thick, suitable for growing in cold conditions.
• In the Northern region of Veliky Novgorod, the private breeding farm "Europe VN" offers imported kids and adults of the LaMancha breed from the United States.
• In Novosibirsk, not far from the Lenin Square metro station, breeder Maria Averkova offers kids from high-yielding goats, including La Mancha.

The cost of a purebred animal can be quite high, although it cannot be compared with the Saanen or even Nubian breed. A breeding goat will cost only 20-25 thousand, and a female goat is even cheaper, up to about fifteen thousand rubles. Kids are sold for 5-8 thousand, depending on age, weight, personal parameters and other things.

Reviews about goats

Nadezhda Sorokina, 48 years old, Stary Oskol:

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“Not so long ago, the children gave my husband and I a goat with a kid, and we immediately became friends with them. Before this, there had never been goats on the farm, but La Manchas turned out to be unpretentious, they eat everything, they love tree branches and shrubs. I would like to note that there is absolutely no smell either from the goats themselves or from their milk. I specifically went to “sniff” the neighbor’s simpletons, but it turned out I hadn’t lost my sense of smell. I think it would be a good idea to breed such animals, since I get about 2-3 liters of milk per milk yield when milking twice a day.”

Olga Kalyuzhnaya, 54 years old, Razdolye village:

“We bought the LaMancha goat quite recently, now she is only nine months old, so I can’t say anything about milk and offspring yet. After the purchase, the whole village came to see my unusual pet, she was so good. Her ears are small, like shells, and her son thinks she looks like a llama. The goat's character is very affectionate, she rubs against her legs, loves to have her side, neck or back scratched, puts her head on her knees and touchingly looks into her eyes when she wants something “yummy.” I’m going to buy a few more LaManchas for breeding.”

Breeding

Lamancha goats are not cheap. To develop your business and increase your herd, you need to raise goats yourself. Due to the prolific nature of the breed, a decent herd is formed in a short time.

Puberty

La Manchas, like goats of other breeds, become sexually mature at 8 months, but the first mating occurs only at 1.5 years. It is not recommended to become pregnant before this period - the first lambing may be painful. The hunting period in mature females is observed every 15-20 days and lasts 24-48 hours. During such periods, females become restless and lose their appetite.

If a female avoids mating, she may be overeating - with obesity, inhibited sexual development is observed. At the beginning of autumn, when most females are born, potential breeders should not be fed. It is recommended to remove concentrated feed from the diet of females during this period.

Bearing offspring

Goats hatch in August-September, and offspring are born in February-March. Gestation among Lamanchas lasts 150 days. 1.5 months before lambing, the goat stops milking so that the fetus receives more nutrients and the offspring are born healthy. Milking is stopped gradually so as not to harm the goat’s health.

While bearing offspring, the female should receive double attention:

• Nutrition is regular and balanced, in accordance with the norms and current physiology.
• Maintenance - pregnant females should be kept in a warm, bright, dry and ventilated area.
• Walks – regularly in the fresh air. They walk goats outside, both before and after lambing.
• Weight is maintained at normal levels. Obesity interferes with normal labor. Enhanced nutrition is allowed only after lambing - for two months, in order to increase milk yield.

Lambing and care of young animals

At the first lambing, 1-2 kids are born, with subsequent lambings - up to 5 kids. Lambing usually goes easily, and women in labor cope without human help. The process goes quickly - an hour and a half, no more. The success and speed of lambing depends on the health of the individual female and the location of the fetus.

Young animals are kept in a room with a temperature of at least 12 °C. Newborn goats are provided with a separate stall. During the first 10 days, goat kids feed only on mother's milk. Gradually they are weaned from the udder, introducing regular feed into the diet. If mother's milk is not available, kids are fed artificial milk formula or pasteurized goat's milk. In many farms that breed high-milk goats, kids are weaned immediately - in order to obtain high milk yields.

Rough feed is given carefully - in newborn goats the proventriculus does not yet work. From the 11th day, goat kids are given porridge and hay. In the fourth week of life, the kids are taken out to pasture - they are gradually accustomed. They give root vegetables, grated apples, and oatmeal. At the age of one month, less and less milk is given, replacing it with bran, grass, root vegetables and concentrated feed. From this age, young animals receive mineral supplements - chalk, salt, bone meal.

From the age of two months, goat kids do not need porridge. The young animals are given hay, feed, and cake. Goats should have access to clean water - they should be given water at least three times a day. From the age of six months, the main food of the young animals becomes grass, hay and tree branches.

Reproduction

Puberty in La Mancha goats occurs at 8 months, but veterinarians recommend that the first mating be carried out at the age of one and a half years, when the animal is stronger and is able to bear and safely give birth to kids. Moreover, a prolific LaMancha goat can produce 5 kids at a time.

On the eve of mating, goats are fed moderately; if they are obese, they try to avoid mating. Pregnancy lasts 5 months, during which time the animal must be carefully and carefully looked after. The mating season for goats begins in the fall, with young animals appearing in February-March.

Diseases and prevention

La Manchas, like all dairy goats, are distinguished by their endurance and good health. Diseases arise against the background of poor, unbalanced nutrition and violation of maintenance rules. Sick goats are easily recognizable; they have:

• poor appetite;
• Milk yields are falling;
• rapid pulse.

Due to poor care, goats may develop:

• mastitis;
• gastrointestinal diseases;
• respiratory diseases;
• hoof diseases;
• parasitic diseases - animals become infected with helminths or blood-sucking insects (pyroplasmosis, echinococcosis, fascioliasis).

To avoid non-contagious diseases, it is enough to provide animals with decent care and maintenance. Goats will be protected from infectious diseases by timely vaccination, regular examination by a veterinarian and careful attention to the livestock.

Additional information about goat diseases can be found here.

Prospects and benefits

Breeding high-yielding Lamanchas, in the absence of competition in the domestic market, is an extremely profitable business that can be organized in any climatic zone.

The difficulty of raising goats is due to the unpopularity of goat milk - in Russia the market for goat milk is poorly developed. Reasons for the poor development of goat farming:

• Most consumers have never tried goat milk and are biased towards it.
• The Russian Federation does not produce high-tech equipment for goat breeding farms. This forces farmers to use manual labor, which reduces the profitability of production. Or you have to buy expensive imported equipment.

Farmers who bred La Manchas state that the breed provides good profits, but the start-up costs take too long to pay off. And most importantly, for the farm to become profitable, in addition to the farm, it is necessary to organize its own processing workshop. Selling cheeses, feta cheese and other dairy products is much easier than selling goat milk itself.

If you decide to start a business in this area, then our next article may be useful to you.

Farmer reviews

The attitude of farmers towards Lamanchas is ambiguous - some are delighted with earless goats, others do not even recognize them as a separate breed. Lamancha owners note the high taste characteristics of the milk. Many farmers claim that it tastes like Nubian goat milk - slightly sweet, thick, with a rich taste.

★★★★★
Valentina Egorova, Saransk. We have a small farm.
We recently bought a Lamancha - an expensive breed, but we didn’t regret it. These are very calm goats, affectionate and milk-producing. Milk really doesn’t have a special goat smell, which is why many people don’t like it. We bought a male and are going to breed offspring. ★★★★★
Petrashov E.R., Urmary. The goat is already 2 years old.
We bought a 5 month old goat. We read that milk is tasty and odorless. It turned out to be true. Our whole family drinks this milk with pleasure, and our neighbors buy it. What’s also unusual is that it’s a very affectionate animal, it doesn’t fuss or butt like ordinary goats. Rubbing on hands and walking on heels. It looks something like a llama - its nose is hooked, but there are no ears. Hide

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The LaMancha goat breed is one of the most attractive, both for a small household and for large-scale breeding. Highly productive dairy goats, eating a minimum of feed, are able to adequately replace a dairy cow.

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