Saanen (Goat) — FarmPal

The Holsteins of goats bred purely for maximum milk production. All white/cream. The world's most productive dairy goat breed. Gentle giants that are calm and easy to handle. Sables are the colored variant.

Origin
Saanen Valley, Switzerland
Conservation Status
common

Traits

130-175 lbs
All white/cream
Highest volume
Gentle
Large breed
Calm temperament

✓ Pros

  • •Highest overall milk production (1-3 gallons/day)
  • •Extremely gentle
  • •Easy to milk large teats
  • •Predictable genetics
  • •Most studied/documented breed

✗ Cons

  • •Prone to sunburn (light skin)
  • •Heat sensitive
  • •Lower butterfat (3-3.5%)
  • •Seasonal breeders
  • •Can be boring/plain looking

Housing Requirements

Space
15-25 sq ft per goat in shelter; 200+ sq ft outdoor exercise area per goat
Fencing
4-5 ft woven wire fence (not field fence kids escape). Add electric hot wire at nose height and top. No gaps larger than 4". Goats will test every weakness in your fence.