| The Breed Standard The breed was developed as a rugged commercial goat for sub-standard conditions. Note the focus on practical traits for producers. The Savanna Goat was not designed to become a show animal. GENERAL The Savanna Goat should be a strong virile functionally efficient goat with a lively but not wild carriage. The ewes must be of medium size but should appear refined and feminine. Ewes with lambs at foot should have good mothering ability and should aggressively defend their lambs against dogs and other predators. Rams must be masculine, proud, robust and well muscled. Savanna Goat was developed under very unfavorable environmental conditions and must be able too easily endure unfavorable conditions such as heat, intense sunshine, cold and rain. The breed moves easily and can if necessary travel long distances in search of fodder and water. The Savanna Goat should also be able to utilize a wide range of plants such as trees, shrubs and small as well as big bushes which are hard and even unpalatable to other farm animals. The Savanna Goat must have a long breeding season and be sexually active and be able to breed any time of the year. NECK, FOREQUARTER, LEGS AND HOOVES The neck is well muscled and reasonably long so that the goat can easily reach as high as possible to browse on branches and pods of various types of thorn trees. The forequarter is well muscled and of medium width, there will be strong discrimination against a narrow or very wide forequarter. The front legs are well placed and straight. The cannon bone of both the front and hind legs should be short and strong. The pasterns of the front and hind legs must be strong and springy and must be slightly sloping. Against straight or weak pasterns will be strongly discriminated. Hooves of both front and hind legs must be strong, hard, black and reasonably big. The two sections of each hoof must be close to each other. The hooves should not be overgrown and the hooves of Savanna Goats must not easily become sore and develop foot rot. Thascapulas or shoulder-blades must be strongly attached to the forequarter and withers. The processes spinosus and withers should be some what higher than the back and rump. In the case of older rams medium sized skin folds are found on the forequarter. BACK AND CENTRE PIECE The centre piece should be reasonable long and deep on the goat and must possess enough capacity to eat sufficient roughage and to convert it into meat and energy. The back and eye muscles (muscles longissimus dorsi) must be strong and wide and not straight but should also not be weak. The centre piece of older animals must not be cylindrical or lack depth. HINDQUARTERS AND HIND LEGS The hindquarters should be wide and the hind legs must be well apart and straight. The rump must show a reasonable slope just like that of the gemstock (Oryx Gazella). Hindquarters must be well muscled and carry a lot of meat. The hocks must be strong and muscular and the tendons of the hocks must be prominent and easily seen. The hocks should not turn in or out and the goat must be able to stand easily on it's hind legs. REPRODUCTION AND GROWTH RATE The Savanna Goats have very good reproductive and fertility. Ewes have very good mothering traits and are very protective as far as their kids are concerned. About twenty two percent twins and triplets are born under extensive conditions, and ewes should be able to rear their kids without excessive aid and nutrition. Ewes including stud ewes should be able to kid in the veld and also rear their kids in the veld. Against difficult parturition excessively aid kids will be discriminated. Savanna Goats should always be easy care animals. |
Rising Sun Ranch
Savanna Goats
We raise Fullblood Savanna Goats and Commercial Goats
| Welcome We breed and sell fullblood and purebred Savanna Goats in Kentucky. Also known as Savannah Goats. Our commercial herd is comprised of Savanna goats and Heritage Spanish goats. Rising Sun Ranch is committed to contributing to the development and overall improvement of the American meat goat. Our goal is to be successful with our own commercial herd and like our fellow commercial goat producers we know that lower maintenance animals are the key to achieving this success. We place mothering and parasite resistance paramount in our program and have selected Savanna Goats to elevate the overall herd performance in these important areas. Savanna Goats were developed in South Africa for superior hardiness. They are large carcass meat goats known for exceptional mothering and parasite resistance. We are pleased with the hardy traits that our Savanna Goats exhibit and will continue to focus on the intent and goals of the original breeders in our fullblood program. We are excited about the Savanna’s positive influence on our commercial herd and invite you to share the benefits that a fullblood or Percentage Savanna Goat can offer you. Please review the breed standard below and our Savanna Goats history page for more information. |
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