What Are the Different Types of Alpines?

French Alpine

• French Alpine goats refer to the variety brought to the United States from France. This type of alpine originated in the Swiss Alps. The French Alpine is the result of breeding to produce a certain size goat, with the emphasis on good dairy and milk production. Females weigh 135 pounds or more; for males, the weight increases to at least 170 pounds. The withers, the ridge between the shoulder blades, is the point of measurement for height. For females it is 30 inches, and for males, it's 34 to 40 inches at a minimum.

British Alpine

• The British Alpine is a New Zealand goat that is a direct descendant of animals imported from England in 1956. The stock traces its ancestry to one Swiss female. This type of goat is known for its distinctive coloration: a black goat with white markings on the face and legs. This distinguishes it from the French Alpine, which comes in many colors. This type of goat produces a high quality of milk for both nutrition and flavor.

New Zealand Alpine

• In addition to the British Alpine, New Zealand is home to a second rare breed. Known simply as the Alpine, it is a second type of dairy goat that resulted from crossbreeding. They are similar to the British Alpine, without the direct lineage. In 2002, there were fewer than 4,000 of both types of Alpines registered with the New Zealand Goat Breeders Association, according to the Rare Breeds Conservation Society of New Zealand.

Colors

• French Alpine goats exhibit many colors. These include Cou Blanc, meaning white neck. This goat has white front-quarters with black hindquarters. Two other varieties are Cou Clair, meaning clear neck with tan front-quarters, and Cou Noir, or clear black, indicating black front-quarters. Other colors include Sundgau, which denotes a French Alpine that is black with white markings, and Pied, or spotted. Chamoisee is a color of brown or bay. If another color interrupts the solid color, it becomes Broken Chamoissee.