Toggenburg Goat Description: This breed is medium size, sturdy, vigorous, and alert in appearance. Slightly smaller than the other Alpine breeds, with the weight on average around 120lbs. The hair is short to medium in length, soft, fine, and lying flat. Its color varies from light fawn to dark chocolate. There are distinct white markings on the ears, face from above each eye to the muzzle, legs, and tail. The ears are erect and carried forward.

Habitat: Domesticated Goats have been raised in almost all habitats. Goats do require grass for grazing, but can thrive in areas of thin growth that would not support other grazers such as sheep or cows.

Diet: Domestic goats are ruminants and eat grasses and shrubs. In captivity they eat roughage all year round. When the season is warm they can graze, but during the winter they are fed by humans. Farmers feed males and females different quantities and different types of foods on farms.

Reproduction: Humans usually control the breeding behavior of C. hircus. Left to their own devices, male goats compete for rank, and the highest ranking males have access to mate with the females. Males fight by butting heads until one competitor surrenders. The breeding season for C. hircus is from late summer to early winter. Mothers of C. hircus nurse their young for 10 months after birth. The main source of parental care is the mother. She provides milk for the young. Since this is a grazing species grass is readily available to the young and no solid food needs to be delivered by a parent. Once the young are grown, they will remain in the herd and compete for rank.

Physical description: Because of its long history of domestication, there are many different breeds of C. hircus. Different breeds can have many different attributes. Typically, adults weigh 45 kg and be 64 cm tall. C. hircus is 1150 to 1700 mm in length. However, weight can vary between 9 and 113 kg and height can vary between 26 and 107 cm in different breeds.
Males have a beard, horns, a rank odor, and are generally larger than the females. The horns are hollow, and grow either scimitar or corkscrew. The hair is generally straight; however, some breeds have a wool undercoat. Coat color varies, and can be black, white, red, and brown. Color patterns include solid color, spotted, striped, blended shades, and facial stripes. The nose can be either straight or convex. European breeds have erect ears and Indian breeds do not. The LaMancha breed has no external ear. The tail is short and curved upward.

Behavior: Domestic goats are social animals and prefer to be in the presence of other goats. The size of captive herds is controlled by humans. Herd sizes in the wild tend to be 5 to 20 members, but can be as high as 100. The herds can contain only males, only females and young, or a mix of both. Goats are diurnal, and spend most of the day grazing. There is a rank structure in the herds. The males butt heads for hierarchy status.

Status: Common

Fun Facts:

	Around the world, more people consume products made from goat’s milk than from cow’s milk.
	Goat’s milk contains more minerals and vitamins as well as lower in cholesterol than cow’s milk.
	The average domestic goat’s heart beats 83 times per minute.
	The Toggenburg Goat is a Swiss dairy goat from the Toggenburg Valley of Switzerland, they are also accredited as being the oldest known dairy goat breed.