Dairy Goat
Capra aegagrus hircus
Domesticated goats kept primarily for milk, valued by smallholders for their hardiness, low feed requirements, and ability to thrive on marginal land where cattle struggle.
Species
Caprine
Family
Bovidae
Climate requirements
Highly adaptable, from arid/semi-arid lowlands to cooler highland areas (1000-2200m); more drought- and heat-tolerant than dairy cattle, needing far less water per litre of milk produced.
Husbandry guide
House goats in a raised, slatted-floor shelter to keep them dry and reduce parasite load, providing 1-1.5sqm space per animal. Feed a mix of browse/forage, crop residues, and a modest dairy concentrate ration during lactation, with free-choice mineral licks and clean water. Deworm routinely (goats are highly susceptible to internal parasites) and vaccinate against CCPP and enterotoxaemia per local schedule.
Economic importance
A key resilience asset for smallholders in drought-prone areas, providing daily milk income and requiring far lower capital and feed input than dairy cattle, making it especially important for arid and semi-arid county economies.
Breeds
Toggenburg
A Swiss dairy goat breed, brown with white facial stripes, well established in Kenya's highland dairy-goat sector for its steady milk yield and adaptability to cooler climates.
Average 2-4 litres/day under good smallholder management, with milk valued for its relatively mild flavour compared with some other dairy-goat breeds.
Alpine
Primary uses: Meat, Milk. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Anglo-Nubian
Primary uses: Meat, Milk. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Angora Goat
Primary uses: Meat. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Black Bedouin
FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Boran
Primary uses: Meat, Milk, Savings/Security, Skins/Hides. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Kalahari Red
Primary uses: Meat, Milk, Skins/Hides. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Oberhosli
FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Saanen
Primary uses: Meat, Milk. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Small East African
Primary uses: Meat, Milk, Savings/Security, Skins/Hides. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.
Somali
Primary uses: Meat, Milk, Savings/Security, Skins/Hides. FAO DAD-IS conservation risk status (Kenya): Unknown.