Four-horned goat
The four-horned goat is a mutant of the domestic goat ( Capra aegagrus hircus ) with four instead of two horns , which first appeared in the Austrian Alps. The four-horned character is inherited dominantly and independently of the coloring. Therefore, numerous breeds of domestic goats were crossed, such as the Tauernschecken , peacock goats and Pinzgauer radiant goats . Although the four-horned goat is not yet recognized as a breed in its own right, it is being used as part of conservation and genetic resources-Studies like other endangered breeds of domestic animals observed. The need for action to maintain them is classified as acute.
features
The four-horned goat is a small to medium-sized goat with a stretched, straight back, a flat, long, narrow pelvis and a less deep chest. The animals are usually four-fold horned, whereby the goats develop a less powerful horn. The goats have a long neck in harmony with the body. The head is also long and comparatively broad. The coat is medium to short haired. Long-haired animals are also tolerated. Overall, the body has a uniform brown or black color scheme in different gradations, without sharply defined transitions or spots (except for the piebalds).
With the exception of a light spot on the forehead at the base of the horn or ray markings, as well as a small mirror in the anus area and light legs, the monochrome animals do not have any pure white or brown color markings on their entire bodies. Some animals have a dark eel line on the back and stomach and light-colored legs (boots) below the knee or ankle joint. The field of vision bears the color of the coat drawing with mostly dark gray to black areas. Occasionally there are also animals drawn completely in black as a color variant. Another variant is the brown and white or black and white drawn four-horned goat. In the phase of the population building, animals with slightly different color drawings (no light-colored boots, no rays etc.) as well as limited color variants are tolerated. In the case of the male goats, from the first generation of offspring, a strict selection is made according to breed criteria, in the case of the female animals in a somewhat graded form. There are also dwarf four-horned goats
Spread and endangerment
Today the four-horned goat can still be found in remnants throughout Austria and in some zoos in Germany. In Austria the four-horned goat was on the verge of extinction until recently. Arche Austria has taken on this old Austrian mountain goat breed and launched a rescue operation. The population in Austria was limited to around 35 breeding animals in 2009. The population of breed typical animals is estimated at around 70-100 animals in Austria.
Breeding history
The four-horned goat represents one of the oldest goat breeds in Austria. Four-horned goats were already an attraction in the menageries of the aristocrats in the baroque era . Prince Eugene kept and bred them in his zoo . Today, a breed in the Meierhof of Schloss Hof, built by Eugen, is a reminder of this baroque tradition.
The distribution area later extended over the entire Austro-Hungarian monarchy and as far as Spain, where it was crossed with native goat breeds . The lack of planned breeding work eventually led to the four-horned goat being gradually displaced. Since the four-horned goat is not recognized in any breeding association and many breeders and keepers do not belong to any breeding association (zoo animal husbandry), it is difficult to establish a systematic breeding program at all.
Many four-horned goats look very similar to other breeds (peacock goat, Tauernscheck). This has to do with crossbreeding that has taken place in the meantime , because many breeders have not found any unrelated breeding animals. That is why the cooperation between the breeders and the exchange of breeding animals is particularly important. The most common color is the chocolate brown with rays drawing. This is likely to be an original color and not an interbreeding with Thuringian forest goats .
In 2009, the planned maintenance breeding began. Meanwhile 9 breeders in Austria are participating in the conservation measures. In cooperation with the Upper Austrian Goat Breeding Association, regular maintenance breeding is to be established.
Grants
The four-horned goat is not listed as a highly endangered goat breed on the ÖPUL 2007 breed list. After the results of the genetic differentiation and official recognition by the ÖNGENE are available, it is not yet foreseeable whether the four-horned goat will be included in a funding program as an eligible breed.
Performance data
| Body measurements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Buck | goat | |
| Height at withers | 70-90 cm | 60-80 cm |
| Body mass | 50-80 kg | 40-75 kg |
To ensure milk production, a performance test of the fawns (30 day weight) is carried out by self-monitoring between the 30th and 35th day of life.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ruth M. Wallner: Old Races. Goats and sheep. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management, Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture, Vienna, and State of Salzburg, Rauris 2004, p. 26
- ↑ Agricultural genetic resources of the Alps (PDF; 120 kB) Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe, St. Gallen 2001
- ↑ colors beats photos of different color variants of the four-horn goat
- ↑ a b Vierhornziege ( Memento of the original from July 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at Arche Austria
- ↑ Garden: The Garden Fortress Architecture & Living, 4/2009
- ↑ Racka sheep and four-grain goat, interview with Mag. Katharina Zoufal, head of the animal area, Schloss Hof. http://oe1.orf.at/programm/313822 ORF radio series "Vom Leben der Natur", 24. – 28. September 2012, audible for 7 days
