Sable Goats

Sable doe   (Photo from NZ Dairy Goat Breeders Association)

      The Sable dairy goat is essentially a » Saanen that is not white in colour – the result of the pairing of two recessive genes. In New Zealand it was first recognized as a separate breed about 1985, being developed from Herd Register Saanens. It can be any colour but must not have more than 50% white.

      The milking ability of the Sable is the same as the Saanen, but some breeders claim it has other attributes that are superior to the Saanen. The variety of coat colours is often preferred to the white of the latter.

      By the middle of the year 2002, 268 Sables had been registered with the New Zealand Dairy Goat Breeders Association, representing 0.5% of registered dairy goats in this country.

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