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Please note that should you wish to reproduce or use any information contained on this website it is requested you contact us for authorisation and guidelines prior to use. To research the origin, history and present status of British feral goat herds, with the overall aim of identifying the remaining British Primitive Goats and preserving a viable gene bank of these for the future.
We are not an animal activist organisation, but one based purely on factual research, with the overall aim of preserving a viable gene bank for the future of the British Feral Goat.
We currently recieve no funding for our research so are completely self financed by individual members.
We are currently attempting to secure funding for our projects and also to encourage promotion of the feral goat UK and world wide.
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Our email address is : feralgoatuk@yahoo.co.uk
HOMES URGENTLY WANTED FOR BRITISH PRIMITIVE GOATS British Primitive goats are ideal for conservation grazing purposes! We are urgently seeking homes for goats from a well known herds of feral British Primitive goats due to a substantial herd reductions planned for 2007 and we are doing our best to try and establish breeding units in other locations to safeguard the gene pool. The British Primitive Goat is a relict of the type of landrace goat that was common throughout the country prior to the introduction of modern Swiss and Nubian goat breeds in the mid to late 1800s and early 1900s. It stems from the introduction of the first goats into Britain by Neolithic farmers and as such has a long founded cultural and historical value. Whilst any goats living a feral existence are fun to watch, British Primitive Goats have the added bonus of offering excellent promotional opportunities in terms of education and tourism. In Britain the public has relatively few opportunities of watching large wild mammals at close quarters and it is a great pity that the original goat of our country is not more valued. Few people will fail to be impressed by the sight of a mature, fully horned male goat and the charm of small kids is surely undisputed. The British Primitive Goat has been eradicated from many sites in Britain and Ireland over past decades. Also, many herds have been spoiled by intermixing with modern breeds of goats which destroys the distinctive characteristics of the old breed. It is imperative that we try and establish a safe gene pool for the remnants that are of good breed type. Please contact us as soon as possible on the general site email if you can help. We can assist with transport arrangements if necessary. These are excellent goats and this is an opportunity not to be missed!
LAST UPDATE -13 December 2006 |
Breed Status
The British Primitive Goat encompasses what has previously been known as known as the Old English/Scottish/Welsh/Irish, British Landrace or Old British Goat. The breed descends from the goats introduced by the first farmers in the Neolithic period. It was this little, hairy all-weather goat that was moved aroundthe periphery of Europe by the Celts, Vikings and Saxons. it sustained the people of the bronze and iron ages alongside a few cattle and sheep. Kept as a multi-purpose animal by subsistence farmers, and having to find most of its living in a harsh climate, these early imports soon developed into a hardy all-weather breed that reared its kids, gave some milk, and then went on to be invaluable for its meat, skins, hair and tallow. It commended itself as being hardy and self sufficient on marginal land, almost predator proof, uncomplaining when neglected, versatile and able to convert nutritionally poor herbage into a meagre return for its owners.
STATUS : The British Primitive Goat is now one of our rarer breeds. 200 years ago there were not less than a million domestic goats, belonging to out old British breed, in Scotland and Northern England. As agricultural practices changed, however, the goat became less and less popular. When, in the 1870's, a Victorian goat revival began to reinstate it as 'the poor man's cow', culminating with the founding of the British Goat Society in 1879, no one was by then interested in the old British breed. They were simply too small, hairy and inconveniently horned. What was wanted was a big goat with a short and smooth coat and no horns that gave plenty of milk. And so it was that foreign breeds were introduced from India, the Middle East and Switzerland. All our domestic breeds of today are descended from these foreign imports, and our primitive breed would have died out completely but for the fact that some escaped or were turned loose on the hills to run wild. Hence the origin of the Cheviot goat nearly 150 years ago. To date, 233 locations where feral herds were once to be found have been identified. But having all died-out in domestication our feral poulation has been in decline now for some time. By the 1950's, at least 60 of the original 233 locations no longer supported feral goats, often due to shooting off as softwood plantations were devloped on upland areas that had formerly been hill farms. By 1990 the number of herds had again diminished - this time to only 45, with a total population of around 4000. (RSPB Inversnaid Goat Management Plan, 1990)
Recent large culls (eg. c. 1200 in Galloway) have seen numbers drop dramatically. Known introgression with modern breeds has spoiled some herds. The number of true British Primitive Goats has therefore been severely reduced (possibly to c. 1500)..
Urgent action is needed to protect, preserve and promote what is rapidly becoming a remnant of our Primitive breed. We have been fortunate in persuading Battersea Park Zoo and Windsor Great Park to hold small populations of these animals.
HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE: This is the breed that was brought by the first farmers, was kept by the builders of Stonhenge, changed hands constantly during the Anglo-Saxon invasion and Viking raiding; was the herding goat of the Mediaeval manor, and the mainstay of the Cheddar Cheese industry. We had NO other breed until the late 18th century. |
Please contact us if you have information regarding feral goat populations in the UK
Contact Telephone: 07855 914 272 SCROLL DOWN TO SEE MORE |
This site is updated regularly - last update: 13 December 2006
What do you think? why not send us an email!
CAN YOU HELP?
We are currently looking for photos of any feral goats spotted in the Rowardennan area of Loch Lomond, Scotland. Please note, we have photos of the goats at Inversnaid and Inverarnan, but it is the herd located a mile or so past the Rowardennan Youth Hostel that we are trying to get photos of.
*Do you want to assist in our research projects, fundraising or promotion of the group?
*Do you have an old 4x4 you no longer need?
*Can you assist us with accomodation near feral populations when we are undertaking research?
*do you have a 'walkie talkie' system you no longer need?
*any ideas, suggestions and offers of support are welcome.....please contact us for more information |
Male Feral - Galloway Wild Goat Park
This Billy is in his 6th year and I have named him 'Billy 1'. He is mainly seen with another 3 'blue' males, one of which is called 'Elvis'. They live within the enclosed park in the Galloway Forest. These goats are very easy to see and love to meet visitors!
You will notice if you visit the area that the males and females do not socialise together unless it is the mating/kidding season. The males within the enclosure are usually a few hundred metres away from the females throughout the year. So if you want to see Billy1 and Elvis you will need to look that little bit harder! Have you seen Billy1 and Elvis recently....drop us an email and let us know.
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