Like sheep, goats also belong to the family Bovidae. The genus Capra comprises the domestic goats. The species Capra hircus denotes the true goat. Some goat breeds grow long hair coats, while others do not. Similarly, goats of some breeds are fairly good milk producers, while others are very low yielders. The province of Sindh and Punjab, Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir are the habitat of most of the goat breeds found in Pakistan.
Name of breed: Beetal
Type: Milk/meat
Habitat: Almost all districts of central Punjab, extending to Multan
Colour: Golden-brown or red-spotted with white or black patches
Size: Large
Average body weight (kg): 45-55
Average wool yield/annum: Smooth-coated, generally not clipped
General description: Massive head, Roman nose, long, broad & pendulous ears, spiraled horns, longer in males; long stout legs; short tail; udder well-developed & long teats, milk yield 190 litres during 150 days lactation; more than 50 % twin or triplet births; Beetal males raised especially for sacrifice on Eid-ul-Azha, body weight being 70-80 kg.
Name of breed: Dera Din Panah
Type: Milk/meat
Habitat: Muzaffargarh & Multan districts
Colour: Black
Size: Large
Average body weight (kg): 45-50
Average wool yield/annum: 1.5 kg/head
General description: Large head with Roman nose, hair on the chin, long broad ears; cartilaginous appendages on sides of neck, long and thick spiraled horns; hairy body; tail medium covered with rough hair; udder and teats well-developed, milk yield 160 liters in a 150-day lactation; twin births common.
Name of breed: Hairy Goat
Type: Milk/meat/ hair
Habitat: D.G.Khan
Colour: White
Size: Small
Average body weight (kg): 25-30
Average wool yield/annum: 3 kg/head
General description: Hairy body; milk yield 180 litres in a 140-day lactation.
Name of breed: Kajli (Pahari)
Type: Meat
Habitat: D.G. Khan in Punjab & Loralai district in Balochistan
Colour: Black but some white, brown or grey animals also exist
Size: Small
Average body weight (kg): 25-30
Average wool yield/annum: 1 kg/head
General description: Head small, ears erect, horns thin, white or brown hair streaks run from base of horns to muzzle; udder medium, 120 litres milk in 120 days; twins rare.
Name of breed: Nachi
Type: Meat/ milk
Habitat: Bahawalpur, Multan, Muzaffargarh & Layyah districts
Colour: Black but black and white-spotted too
Size: Medium to large
Average body weight (kg): 40-50
Average wool yield/annum: 0.6 kg/head
General description: Medium head, Roman nose, small & thin horns, medium ears; udder well-developed, 150 litres milk in 100-day lactation; twin births common; because of dancing gait, these goats called ‘Nachi’.
Name of breed: Pothwari
Type: Meat
Habitat: Pothwar area of Punjab & adjoining parts of Kotli & Mirpur districts in Azad Kashmir
Colour: Black, grey or white
Size: Small
Average body weight (kg): 25-30
Average wool yield/annum: 0.6 kg
General description: Head & ears of medium size, hairy growth on chin, horns spiralled in males but smooth in females; udder not well-developed, 110 litres milk in 150 days; only 10 % twin births.
Name of breed: Teddy
Type: Meat
Habitat: Sargodha, Gujrat, Jhelum & Rawalpindi districts in Punjab & adjoining areas of Azad Kashmir
Colour: Creamy-white, brown, black or patched with these colours
Size: Small
Average body weight (kg): 25-30
Average wool yield/annum: Generally not clipped
General description: Compact body; small droopy ears, slightly prominent nose, horns may have spirals; both horned & polled specimens found; bucks often have beards; udder moderately developed, short conical teats, 65 litres milk in 130 days; twins & triplets occur at about 50 & 15%; early maturity & high prolificacy important features of this breed.
