Lappgetter/Sápmi Goats

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Lappgeten Niejte var det första djur som flyttade in på Djuptodal och hon blev med tiden barnens bästa vän. Lappgeten är en lokal lantrasrest från norra Sverige, som upptäcktes så nyligt som 2001. Rasen härstammar från de getter som samerna höll och är anpassad till renbetesmark. Idag finns det dock bara en ytterst liten spillra av denna tåliga ras kvar och jag är stolt över att under en period ha fått vara en del av bevarandet av lappgetterna. Jag har idag inga lappgetter kvar på grund av tidsbrist men dessa härliga, humoristiska djur är källa till mycket glädje.

DSC06849Besök gärna Föreningen Allmogegetens hemsida för att läsa mer om lappgeterna eller på Samer.se för mer historik kring samernas gethållning.

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The Sápmi goat Niejte was the first animal that moved in with us on Djuptodal and with time she became the kids’ best friend. The Sápmi goats are a remnant of a local heritage breed from northern Sweden that was dicovered as recently as year 2001. The breed origins from the goats that the sami kept and it is adapted to reindeer grazing grounds. Today, there are not many individuals left of this tough breed and I am proud to have been a part of the preservation of the Sápmi goats. Today I have no goats left due to lack of time, but these wonderful animals with a great sence of humor are a source of great joy.

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1 Comment

One thought on “Lappgetter/Sápmi Goats

  1. Now in 2014 we are actually the largest “gene bank” for Lappgetter and the breed is expanding well considering its start from only 7 “founder” animals discovered at two different locations, growth to 65 by the end of 2008, and current total of several hundred. Presently we have 4 bucks and 15 females, several of which are bred to two additional bucks not with us, so quite the exciting flock of range managers and forest thinners 😉 They obviously are very attuned with this area and grow fat on an amazing variety of organisms (more than just plants because they also eat various species of wild mushrooms and lichen) which are wholly wild and otherwise often overlooked by domestic animals. In contrast to the heritage breed of Northern European short-tailed (Viking sheep of a wholly different family than modern sheep) “forest sheep” we also have (Helsingefår) the Lappgetter are perfectly content to graze far out onto the bog (they also eat cranberries and sedges). And of course they also cherish climbing. 5 strand high voltage high-tensile wire fence usually confines them well… except when they are “in the mood” and not only the bucks, but also the females will do just about anything to find find the right buck, which often is not the one i had in mind for them 😉 Nonetheless, throughout the year they together graze over about 60 of our 65 acres (excluding when the most friendly few get to follow me around loose), so they have grown not only in numbers but also in range and impact here, and it is very nice to see the land open up again and many of the sun and wind loving species which are otherwise on the decline return, like the swarms of dragonflies, snipe, woodcocks, grouse, and pollinators 😀 Similarly, their milk is fantastic, and although they don’t really have “wool” they do grow a very dense winter coat of both long outer guard hairs and a very fine and luxurious wool-like undercoat; just a few days ago i found an wonderfully soft little birds nest built of large proportions of goat hair and moss and couldn’t help but wonder how crucial such a simple “byproduct” may be for our fine feathered friends and their parental success this far north where a cold snap is an ever present risk. Others have likewise noted that goat hair is the preferred fiber even when there is bountiful wool and horse hair to be found… there is always more to learn and more to enjoy 😀

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