Saanen goat

Saanen

Nanny on the Engstligenalp
Conservation status	FAO (2007): no concern [1]
Other names	German: Saanenziege French: Chèvre de Gessenay Italian: Capra di Saanen
Country of origin	Switzerland
Distribution	worldwide
Standard	SZZV (German) SZZV (French) SZZV (Italian)
Use	milk
Traits
Weight	Male: minimum 85 kg [2] Female: minimum 60 kg [2]
Height	Male: 90 cm [2] Female: 80 cm [2]
Skin colour	white
Coat	short, smooth
Hair colour	white
Face colour	white
Horn status	horned or hornless
Goat Capra aegagrus hircus

Flock in a commercial operation in Sernur, in the Mari El Republic of the Russian Federation, showing both horned and hornless animals

The Saanen ^[a] is a Swiss breed of domestic goat. It takes its name from the Saanental in the Bernese Oberland, in the southern part of the Canton of Bern, in western Switzerland. It is a highly productive dairy goat and is distributed in more than eighty countries worldwide. ^[3]

History

The Saanen originates in the historic region of Saanen (French : Comté de Gessenay) and in the neighbouring Simmental, both in the Bernese Oberland, in the southern part of the Canton of Bern, in western Switzerland. ^[4]

It is reported from more than eighty countries. ^[3] The total world population is reported to be over 900000 head. ^[3] Of these, some 14000 are in Switzerland. ^{[5] : 404}

It has since the nineteenth century been exported to many countries of the world, and has given rise to many local sub-breeds, often through cross-breeding with local goats. Among these local variants are the Banat White in Romania, the British Saanen, the French Saanen, the Israeli Saanen, the Russian White, the Weiße Deutsche Edelziege  [ de ] in Germany, and the Yugoslav Saanen. ^{[5] : 404}

A black variant, the Sable Saanen, was recognised as a breed in New Zealand in the 1980s. ^{[5] : 398}

Characteristics

The Saanen is the largest breed of Swiss goat: ^{[5] : 404} billies stand about 90 cm (35 in) at the withers and weigh a minimum of 85 kg (190 lb). ^[2] It has white skin and a short white coat; some small pigmented areas may be tolerated. ^[2] It may be horned or hornless, and tassels may be present. The profile may be straight or somewhat concave; the ears are erect and point upwards and forwards. ^{[5] : 404}

Use and management

The Saanen is the most productive milk goat of Switzerland, ^{[5] : 404} which has the most productive milking goats in the world. ^{[5] : 345} Average milk yield is 838 kg in a lactation of 264 days. ^{[5] : 404} The milk should have a minimum of 3.2% milk-fat and 2.7% milk protein. ^[2]

The Saanen is not well suited to extensive management, and is usually raised intensively. Being pale-skinned, it does not tolerate strong sun. ^{[5] : 404}

Notes

1. English pronunciation /ˈsɑːnən/ ; ^{[6] : 337} German: Saanenziege, French: Chèvre de Gessenay.

References

1. Barbara Rischkowsky, Dafydd Pilling (editors) (2007). List of breeds documented in the Global Databank for Animal Genetic Resources, annex to: The State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. Rome: Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN   9789251057629. Archived 23 June 2020.
2. Rassenstandards (Ausgabe 01.01.2014) (in German). Fédération suisse d'élevage caprin/Schweizerischer Ziegenzuchtverband/Federazione svizzera d'allevamento caprino. Archived 3 February 2015.
3. Transboundary breed: Saanen. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2025.
4. Saanenziege / Switzerland (Goat). Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed August 2025.
5. Valerie Porter, Lawrence Alderson, Stephen J.G. Hall, D. Phillip Sponenberg (2016). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding (sixth edition). Wallingford: CABI. ISBN   9781780647944.