Being a native breed, our goats have evolved in our climate and habitats, making them perfectly suited to their conservation grazing role. They are hardy and grow thick winter coats with a fluffy underlayer to keep warm enough to enjoy living outside all year round. In the spring they naturally shed the fluff (which nesting birds love) to make sure they stay nice and cool in the hot summer sun. They are great at selectively grazing and browsing the vegetation, naturally choosing the nutrients they need in order to stay fit and healthy, whilst knowing to avoid poisonous plants or even offsetting the toxins they eat in one type of plant with beneficial compounds found in another! This means that we rarely have to treat them for illnesses or disease and when they do need treating we use natural remedies where possible.
History
The Royal Golden Guernsey Goat is a rare native breed which was first recognised in Guernsey in the early 19th Century. Their presence today is thanks to Miss Miriam Milbourne, who initially kept these goats in Guernsey before protecting them during the Second World War when most of the livestock in the country were wiped out. After the war she began a breeding programme with her herd, resulting in the breed becoming officially recognised in the 1960s and the first goats coming over to Britain. Characterised by their golden coloured coat, which can range in shade from pale to dark, their docile nature and medium size, the breed has built up a good reputation for family milk production with a high quality creamy milk, however, they are still classed as a 'Priority' breed under the Rare Breed Survival Trust Watchlist. In 2024 Golden Guernsey goats were given Royal Status by King Charles III and are now known as Royal Golden Guernsey Goats.