[farmershort]

Hi All,

I've read through a couple of old threads on the subject (circa 2012 I think) with a couple of TAS members noted as keeping either english goats, and/or old english. I've also read through the EGBA and OEGS website to try and understand the differences and current status. I'm unclear from the OEGS website whether or not the breed is actually officially a breed. neither of them are listed on the RBST watchlist (which was a suprise!).

So what do people keep currently (flushing out OE and EG breeders/owners here on TAS)?

Can someone shed a bit more light on the whole OE situation -I realise the society has only existed since 2004, but is this purely an exercise in selective breeding to match some old pictures? how old are the reference sources?

We're attracted to them for a number of reasons: natural hardiness, relatively low popularity commercially (helping a breed), suitable milk yield for a smallholding, dual purpose, native british breed (depending on the historic perspective), looks!

Advice welcomed - but please don't try and convert me to GG's I know they're also a very popular choice.

Thanks

[Buttermilk]

[member=2552]jinglejoys[/member]

[farmershort]

ah, thanks Buttermilk - I remember that TAS handle from one of the old threads.... was [member=26309]jaykay[/member] the other?

[Anke]

Jaykay is not around anymore. But if you go onto the goaty friends facebook site (you have to join) a few people on there keep OE and English goats.

There are some complicated reasons why RBST does not list either of them, lack of herd book and established pedigrees, registration etc all part of it. But there seem to be a few enthusiastic breeders around...

[Talana]

Th e person I know that keeps English goats says it can be quite expensive registering them as they have a grading up herdbook ( started off with BT grading up to English) and you have to pay costs of panel traveling to inspect goats for registration of english type. But she likes them for their hardiness for where she lives.
As far as I know the Old English type is basically more like a feral goat I could be wrong but I think they accept feral goats into old english breed and registering on type. Whether that is still the case or still open herd book or not I don't know. Then there's the Arapawa supposedly English goats went to New Zealand by Captain Cook now imported back to the UK.  Bagots did outcross for a while but i think their herd book is closed now and does have RBST support.
As Anke said RBST don't support them for  a variety of reasons, but they don't support the pure toggenburg and pure saaanen either (as originally imported) despite always being a closed herd book and now being on Defras Native Rare Breed Register as closed herd book since imported in the 18 /1900's. I have pure toggs and theres a lot less of them than guernseys.
Best get in contact with the two English goat society's and as Anke said there is a few English goat breeders on goaty friends on facebook. I used to have a white feral type goat - smaller than guernsey but larger than pygmy not much use for milking, just really a pet on the timid side.  Good luck let us know what you find out.