Sonia champions the British Alpine Goat breed

Sonia Gibbons’ interest in British Alpine Goats came about by accident 12 years ago. Her daughter, a primary school pupil at the time, needed to adopt a goat for her school’s Agricultural Day.

This first goat was not a British Alpine, although he was a handsome dairy breed wether who introduced her to the type of bond that one develops when they obtain a dairy goat . Sonia drove a route to work past a property where a breeder owned several beautiful black and white goats which took her eye and strenghtened her resolve to obtain a breeding pair . No guesses as to the breed of those animals . Today, Sonia is the President of the Alpine Goats of NZ Association . She feels that Alpines “grow into your heart” . In fact, being lactose intolerant means that goats milk helps improve her health immensely . Although only about 1,000 of these animals are farmed in New Zealand, their distinctive characteristics and unique attributes make them highly sort after, Sonia says . The first batch of Alpines arrived in New Zealand from Australia in the fifties . They are now farmed across the country, with a concentration developing north of Auckland . At present, Alpines do not produce as much milk as Saanens . But Sonia believes that had a genetic programme been more rigorously administered over the years, the Alpines would have out-performed Saanens .

As a hobby farmer, she manages to produce over 4 litres a day per goat . A top-producing Alpine should get over 5 litres, but even that figure is significantly behind the quota for commercial Saanen goats that on average produce around 6 to 8 litres . Nowadays, moves are underway to open up the genetic programme to breed Alpines that are able to produce more milk . Sonia also enters her goats in various shows, including the AMP Show which has a dairy goat section . Her preparations for showing her goats is aided by her membership and the goats registration with the New Zealand Dairy Goat Breeders Association . She feels that Alpines, as “classy, pretty animals”, have a good chance of winning awards . The NZ Alpine Goat Association is affiliated to the New Zealand Dairy Goat Breeders Association (NZDGBA) . This organization provides support and training for all dairy goat breeders, as well as dairy goat enthusiasts, across New Zealand . The NZDGBA defines the British Alpine Goat as a Swiss type . “They are large in size, graceful, with a smoothly blended body exhibiting an attractive dairy type . Predominantly black, they have the same white Swiss markings as the Toggenburg . ”

For further information go to: https://www.nzdgba.co.nz/british-alpine