Zhongwei goat

Zhongwei
Other namesChung-wei, Chzhun'veiskaya
Country of originChina
DistributionNingxia
UseFiber, Pelt
Traits
Weight
  • Male:
    39 kg
  • Female:
    24.5 kg
Horn statusHorned
  • Goat
  • Capra aegagrus hircus

The Zhongwei (Chung-wei) is a breed of goat from the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Gansu Province of China. It lives on arid desert steppes, and is adapted to a diet of salty and sandy plants and shrubs. It is used primarily for the production of kid pelts,[1] and secondarily for cashmere fiber.[2] The breed has low genetic variability, likely due to the historic selection of pelt production traits. It is closely related to the Funiu White, Hexi Cashmere, Luliang Black, and Taihang breeds.[3]

Males weigh 39 kg on average, and females weigh 24.5 kg on average. Both males and females grow spiral horns.[2] The fur color is white, and occasionally black.[4]

  1. ^ Zheng, Piliu (1985). "Livestock Breeds of China" (PDF). FAO Animal Production and Health Paper.
  2. ^ a b "Breeds of Livestock - Zhongwei Goats — Breeds of Livestock, Department of Animal Science". www.ansi.okstate.edu. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
  3. ^ Du, Xiaoyong; Cao, Jianhua; Han, Xu; Hao, Huaizhi; Yu, Mei; Zhang, Guixiang; Zhao, Shuhong (2017). "Genetic diversity and population structure among eight Chinese indigenous goat breeds in the Yellow River valley". Small Ruminant Research. 148: 87–92. doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres.2016.12.034.
  4. ^ Porter, Valerie; Alderson, Lawrence; Hall, Stephen J. G.; Sponenberg, D. Phillip (2016-03-09). Mason's World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding, 2 Volume Pack. CABI. ISBN 9781845934668.