British Alpine

HISTORY

The breed has been well documented in British Goat Society Monthly Circulars and Year Books.

Mrs Soames was the first to establish a herd of this type which was strong by 1911. Before this, the type had arisen as a result of the British effort to produce a better goat irrespective of type, although Swiss blood predominated.

The beautiful black and white colouring is believed to have arisen from a goat imported from the Paris Zoo in 1903.

In another of his books called, "The Book of the Goat", Holmes Pegler has this to say about the Sundgau, one of the three types of French goats he describes. "This goat, a variety of the Alpine, is said to be of Alsatian (French Alpine region, bordering Germany) origin. M Crepin (a French authority) claims it as being the heaviest milker of his experience, having given the incredible quantity of 8 litres (over 6 quarts) in a day.

The 1923 British Year Book mentions the 1904 importation of five female Alpines and a request for more (six) of what is now called the British Alpine type. Enquiries were to be made in Holland, Switzerland and France. I have not been able to confirm the arrival of the last mentioned but as illegal imports through zoos calling them deer were common, records may not have been made.

The type was common enough by 1919 for the British Goat Society to describe it and call it British Alpine. It had special show classes by 1920 and a Herd Book was opened by 1926. By 1943 it was necessary to have seven or eight grandparents in the British Alpine section to qualify for the Herd Book.

Mrs Abbey who produced the famous Didgemere herd over twenty years was largely responsible for making it the second largest British breed capable of winning in shows against all breeds. This herd is strongly represented in the group on one buckling and two in kid does imported to this country in 1956 by Mrs CJ Hopping. This was the basis on which the breed was developed both here and in Australia.

Other British herd names in the original imports were Tamar and Malpas.

Alpines in other countries refer to goats of the same type but varying colours that originated in the European Alpine regions. Thee North American countries call their Alpines French Alpines as they have developed from an original import of 22 goats selected in 1922 by the same M Crepin mentioned by Holmes Pegler. Seven colours have special names one of which is Sungau for the black and white British Alpine type. Other colours are unnamed.