The Ultimate Guide: Common Goat Breeds in the Middle East – Know Your Options Before Choosing Your Herd!

Introduction:

When it comes to raising goats, the breed you choose makes all the difference — from productivity and resilience to profitability. In the Middle East, we have a rich variety of goat breeds, each with its own strengths. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most common goat breeds you’ll find in the region, with a simple breakdown for each one.

Damascus goat breed

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1. Aardi Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight (Females): 40-55 kg

🔹 Details: The Aardi goat is a pure Saudi breed, especially from the Najd region. It’s known for its large frame, beautiful appearance, and excellent adaptation to desert conditions.

2. Baladi Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 35-45 kg

🔹 Details: Baladi is a catch-all name for local goats across the Middle East. They are hardy, low-input goats, but smaller than some specialized breeds.

3. Barbari Goat

🔹 Also known as: Hindi / Pakistani

🔹 Purpose: Meat & Milk

🔹 Target Weight: 30-40 kg

🔹 Details: Originally from India and Pakistan, this breed is popular across the Gulf for its fast growth and efficient feed conversion.

4. Bargod Goat

🔹 Also known as: Cross between Baladi & Aardi

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: Around 40 kg

🔹 Details: This is a local hybrid commonly found in Saudi Arabia, combining the traits of Aardi (size) and Baladi (hardiness).

5. Beetal Goat

🔹 Also known as: Pakistani Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat & Milk

🔹 Target Weight: 40-50 kg

🔹 Details: The Beetal is a well-known Pakistani breed, popular for good milk yield and high-quality meat.

6. Boer Goat

🔹 Also known as: None

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 60-75 kg

🔹 Details: Originally from South Africa, Boer goats are world-famous for meat production, and they are increasingly popular on commercial farms in the Gulf.

7. Damascus Goat

🔹 Also known as: Shami Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat & Milk

🔹 Target Weight: 50-70 kg

🔹 Details: This is the celebrity goat of the region, famous for its striking head shape, long ears, and high milk production.

8. Habsi Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 35-40 kg

🔹 Details: This is a traditional Yemeni breed,. It’s known for toughness and heat tolerance.

9. Jabal Al Akhdar Goat

🔹 Also known as: None

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 35-45 kg

🔹 Details: Native to Oman’s Green Mountain, this breed is built for life in rocky, mountainous terrain.

10. Jaziri Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 35-45 kg

🔹 Details: A local Emirati goat, common in traditional farms across the UAE. Valued for good meat quality and easy management.

11. Kalahari Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 50-65 kg

🔹 Details: Originally from South Africa, this heat-tolerant meat breed is becoming more popular in the Gulf.

12. Mahali Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 30-40 kg

🔹 Details: This is a traditional Yemeni goat, known for its ability to survive in very tough environments.

13. Masri Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 40-45 kg

🔹 Details: Masri goats refer to Egyptian-origin goats, which can include Baladi, Saidi, or Nubian types. They are fertile, productive goats that adapt well to farming systems in the Gulf.

14. Nubian Goat

🔹 Also known as: Sudani Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat & Milk

🔹 Target Weight: 45-55 kg

🔹 Details: The Nubian is famous for its long ears and rich milk. It’s also very heat-tolerant.

15. Saanen Goat

🔹 Purpose: Milk

🔹 Target Weight: 50-60 kg

🔹 Details: Saanen is a Swiss dairy breed, famous for high milk production. It’s common in modern, intensive farms in the Gulf.

16. Salali Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat

🔹 Target Weight: 30-35 kg

🔹 Details: This is a small desert goat, found especially in southern Saudi Arabia.

17. Sinai Goat

🔹 Also known as: Sinawi Goat

🔹 Purpose: Meat & Milk

🔹 Target Weight: 30-40 kg

🔹 Details: This is a Bedouin goat from the Sinai Peninsula, famous for surviving harsh deserts.

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, choosing the right breed depends on your farm’s goals — are you focused on meat, milk, or both? Each region also has local breeds that are adapted to local climate and feeding systems.

If you’re unsure which goat breed is best for your farm, we at Greener Herd can help you make the right choice based on your location and needs.