Royal Golden Guernsey Goats
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On 16th July King Charles granted the Golden Guernsey Goats the ‘Royal’ title. The King and Queen were visiting the Channel Islands, which are Crown Dependencies, like the Isle of Man. Although they are not part of the United Kingdom, ‘the UK is responsible for the defence and international relations of the islands.’ The Channel Islands are among the Crown’s oldest possessions, dating from before the Battle or Hastings in 1066, when they were part of the Duchy of Normandy.
I’m sure the royal visit featured in the broadcast media, but we have been avoiding all news programmes for fear of endless analysis of the failed English bid to secure the UEFA European Cup.
The Royal Golden Guernsey Goat is an exceedingly rare breed of dairy goat, with fewer than 1400 in the world. They are thought to have descended from golden or red coloured goats brought to Guernsey by merchants from the Mediterranean. Their coats range in colour from light blonde to dark bronze and may be long or short or any mixture between. They are known as scrub goats, because they can survive on less productive land and are often used to clear brambles and other unwanted plants.
They have been present in Guernsey for about two hundred years and were nearly lost during the German occupation in the Second World War when most livestock was slaughtered. Miss Miriam Milbourne, who had been breeding them from the 1930s to save them from extinction, managed to hide her small herd from the Germans, risking execution if she had been exposed.
They are docile and affectionate and smaller than other dairy goats. They yield less milk, around four or five pints, but what they give is higher in butter fat and protein, making it ideal for cheese and yoghourt production.
I have never heard of these and their coats are pretty. I'm glad they were saved from extinction.
ReplyDeleteThere's something about goats that I really like.
DeleteWe had a GG/Saanen cross, she was gorgeous and a good milker. One of the last goats we had before giving up, we sold her and her offspring to a new goat keeper who has kept the line going.
ReplyDeleteMiss my goats
I've never kept goats - in another life, maybe.
DeleteWe have been to Guernsey a couple of times and walked there extensively. I wish I had seen these. They are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThey are lovely, aren't they?
DeleteThe word Royal does not really impress me anymore. Most of Hospitals in Australia have the term "Royal" included at the beginning of the name. They are usually just beauacratic
ReplyDeleteGrumpy old man :-P
Delete'Royal' denotes them as something of note. I hope they continue to be bred and protected across the world.
DeleteThe look like goats, so they must be goats. It is a rare breed indeed and I am sure breeders are careful about which goat breeds with which. I remember from our dairy farm, Friesian cows gave huge volumes of milk, but Jersey and Guernsey cows were more valued for the high butter fat content of their milk.
ReplyDeleteIt's a choice between quantity and quality - a necessary choice in business.
DeleteAll nearly extinct animals need to be carefully protected, even if they are ugly or poisonous. But the Royal Golden Guernsey Goats you have shown are handsome, shiny, useful to farmers and provide tasty milk. Why have they not been easier to protect?
ReplyDeleteThat I could not discern. Maybe they are difficult to breed or don't have twins. They can be milked for two years before having to be in kid again.
DeleteSo amazing that they survived Adolf Hitler's horrible war on the world. Who knows how many things and animals we did lose. We certainly know it was too many human lives. Enjoyed reading about the high protein.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know that some things survive horrible events.
DeleteOh my, such a beautiful animal- I would love to have some of their locks to felt into something. Stunning colour!
ReplyDeleteThe range of colours would look so good in an item.
DeleteI'd never seen or even heard of these beautiful animals. I'm sure they appreciate their "royal" title :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm hearing you on your reason for avoiding all news programmes! xxx
We'll soon be onto the Olympics, but somehow football will continue to dominate the sports news, or is that just my perception?
DeleteWhat a fascinating read! The Royal Golden Guernsey Goats' recognition with the 'Royal' title is such a wonderful nod to their historical and agricultural significance. I had no idea they were so rare and that their history included such a dramatic story of survival during WWII. It's heartening to know they are being honored and preserved.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I just posted a new blog entry on how to style jeans and a tank top for date night. I'd love for you to check it out and share your thoughts.
Looking forward to your next post!
Thank you, Melody. I will have a look, though jeans and tank tops are more for my granddaughters than me:-)
DeleteThese goats are such a fabulous colour.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
It's such a rich colour - beautiful.
DeleteWhat fancy looking goats! How brave of Miss Melbourne to shield them from harm.
ReplyDeleteSpell check is too quick for me. That should be Milbourne.
DeleteSpell check is too clever for its own good, sometimes.
DeleteLinda cabra. Te mando un beso.
ReplyDeleteGracias, Citu.
DeleteSome very interesting goats. You always find the most interesting things to write about!
ReplyDeleteKind of you to say so:-)
DeleteBeautiful looking goats.
ReplyDeleteI do like goats.
DeleteI love little stories like this! Fascinating, and all due to a woman who loved them so much she risked her life to save them.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many unsung heroes, ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
ReplyDelete