What do a goat's eyes do when it lowers its head to feed?

They roll to keep the pupils level

Why do Saanen goats need shade?

Their pale skin is sensitive to strong sun

What is a Sable Saanen?

A coloured goat of Saanen breeding

Saanen Goat

Capra hircus

The Saanen is a Swiss breed of domestic goat (Capra hircus) named after the Saanen valley in the Bernese Oberland, in western Switzerland. It has a short white coat over pale skin and may be horned or hornless. Bred for milk, it is the most productive dairy goat in Switzerland and has spread to more than 80 countries.

Also known as Saanen, Saanenziege, Saanen Dairy Goat

Saanen goat abilities

~70° head dip the eyes correct for
Sideways-rectangle pupils give a wide view, and the eyes roll to keep them level when the head goes down to feed.
- Horizontal pupils are typical of prey animals with eyes on the sides of the head. They give a sharp, wide strip of view along the ground.
- When the head tips down by about 70°, each eye counter-rolls by at least 0.7 of that angle, so the pupils stay roughly parallel to the ground.
- So a goat with its head down in the leaves can keep scanning the horizon for danger.
Sources [1]
~5.5 h cud chewing a day
Leaves go down to the rumen, come back up as cud, get chewed again, then go down for good.
- Goats are ruminants, like cattle and sheep.
- Saanen goats in one study spent about 330 minutes a day chewing cud.
- Cud chewing follows a daily rhythm, set partly by feeding time.
- Kids start out digesting milk with a stomach that works like a simple one.
Cud chewing per day in three goat breeds
Saanen330 min
Bligon438 min
English goat464 min
Figures from separate studies, collected in one 2026 review.
Sources [5, 9]
Trees goats even climb them
Goats are sure-footed climbers. Some even clamber into trees to reach fresh leaves.
- Goats can balance in places that look impossible, and they are the only ruminants that regularly climb trees.
- Goats climb argan trees to browse. They spit out the seeds later while chewing cud, which can spread the trees.
- Farm Saanens given climbing trunks, tyres and platforms become more active and stand up on their back legs to reach things.
Sources [5, 8, 10]
Happy faces goats go to firstStill debated
Shown a happy and an angry photo of the same person, goats went to the happy face first.
- Researchers fixed two photos of an unfamiliar person, one happy and one angry, 1.3 m apart on a wall.
- Goats went to the happy face first, more often and for longer, but only when it hung on the right. On the left there was no clear preference. Scientists think one side of the brain may handle emotions.
- Goats stuck on a puzzle box look at a person who faces them sooner and for longer than at one turned away.
- It is one study at one sanctuary, so scientists want more tests.
Sources [11, 12]
Up to 13 months after weaning, calls still known
A mother goat learns her kid's bleat and still reacts to it long after the kid has grown up.
- Over long distances, mothers and kids recognise each other mainly by voice.
- Scientists played recordings to mothers 7–13 months after weaning. The mothers reacted more to their own earlier kids than to other familiar kids.
- This long memory for voices may help related goats stay close and avoid inbreeding, scientists think.
Sources [13]
37 kHz highest note heard
Goats hear from low hums to very high squeaks, and they are most sensitive around 2 kHz.
- Hearing tests found goats respond to sounds from 78 Hz to 37 kHz.
- Pigs tested in the same study heard from 42 Hz to 40.5 kHz.
- Scientists think hoofed animals use high notes to tell whether a sound comes from in front or behind.
Sources [3]
838 kg milk in one lactation
An x-ray of the udder: Saanens are bred to make plenty of milk, for their kids and for people.
- Swiss Saanens average 838 kg of milk in a lactation of 264 days: about 3.2 kg a day.
- Breeders aim for more than 830 kg in 220 days, with over 3.42% fat and 2.98% protein.
- Saanen milk is plentiful but less rich than Anglo-Nubian milk, which averages about 4.8% fat.
Sources [2, 4, 14]
Pale skin under the white coat
Under the white coat is pale skin that strong sun can harm, so Saanens need shade.
- The breed standard calls for fine, white skin and a short white coat.
- Being pale-skinned, Saanens do not cope well with strong sun.
- Sable Saanens have coloured skin, which helps protect them from sunburn, though white patches can still burn.
Sources [2, 4, 15]

Tap a pin on the model or a part below.

~70° head dip the eyes make up for
- Goat pupils are wide, sideways rectangles. Pupils like these are typical of prey animals with eyes on the sides of the head.
- Sideways pupils give a sharp, panoramic picture of the ground ahead and behind: useful for spotting danger.
- When a grazing animal tips its head down by about 70°, its eyes roll the other way by at least 0.7 of that angle, so the pupils stay roughly level with the ground. Scientists watched this in goats, sheep, horses, deer and moose.
Sources [1]
78 Hz–37 kHz goat hearing range
- A Saanen's ears stand up and point upwards and forwards.
- In hearing tests, goats heard sounds from 78 Hz up to 37 kHz. They were most sensitive at about 2 kHz.
- Only 2 goats were tested in that study, so the exact limits may vary a little.
Sources [2, 3]
- A Saanen can grow horns or be naturally hornless. The Swiss breed standard accepts both.
- Goats whose horns were removed as young kids are accepted in the standard too.
- Look closely before you guess a goat's sex: horns alone don't tell you whether it is a buck or a doe.
Sources [2, 4]
Chromosome 10 where the wattle gene sits
- Both male and female goats can grow beards.
- Wattles, also called tassels, are the two little dangles on the throat. Inside is a soft core of cartilage covered with normal skin.
- Wattles run in families: one copy of the wattle gene from one parent is enough. Studies of Swiss and dairy goats traced it to chromosome 10.
Sources [2, 5, 6, 7]
- Goats are browsers: they prefer leaves, twigs and shrubs, unlike grazers such as cattle and sheep.
- Curious goats nibble and taste things to find out whether they are food, including paper, cardboard and clothing. That is how the tin-can myth started.
- Goats even climb argan trees to browse. Later they spit out the seeds while chewing their cud, which can help spread the trees.
Sources [5, 8]
~330 min cud chewing a day
- Goats are ruminants: they swallow food, bring it back up as cud and chew it again.
- In one study, Saanen goats chewed cud for about 330 minutes a day, roughly 5.5 hours.
- A newborn kid's stomach works like a simple stomach at first. It drinks milk before the rumen takes over.
Sources [5, 9]
838 kg milk per lactation (Swiss average)
- The Saanen is Switzerland's most productive milk goat: on average 838 kg of milk in a lactation of 264 days.
- Swiss breeders aim for more than 830 kg in 220 days, with over 3.42% fat and 2.98% protein.
- Small coloured spots on the udder are allowed by the breed standard.
Sources [2, 4]
White coat and skin
- Saanens have a short white coat that lies flat, over fine white skin.
- Pale skin copes badly with strong sun, so Saanens need shade in hot, sunny places.
- Swiss judges take points off for coloured flecks in the coat, even a few black hairs.
Sources [2, 4]
- Goats are agile climbers that balance in tricky places. They are the only ruminants that regularly climb trees.
- On farms, climbing trunks, tyres and platforms keep Saanen goats more active and cut down repetitive stress behaviour.
- Hooves keep growing, so keepers trim them regularly to prevent lameness.
Sources [5, 10]
90 cm buck height at the shoulder
- The Saanen is the largest Swiss goat breed.
- The Swiss standard asks for bucks 90 cm tall at the withers (the top of the shoulders) and does 80 cm.
- Minimum weights are 85 kg for bucks and 60 kg for does.
Sources [2, 4]

Real Saanen goats

Photos from Wikimedia Commons. Pick a photo with a 3D button to change the model.

BuckAdult male. Taller and heavier than a doe, often with a big beard.Swiss standard: at least 85 kg and 90 cm at the shoulderA Saanen buck in Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria. Photo: Haeferl, CC BY-SA 3.0
DoeAdult female. Short white coat, upright ears, horned or hornless, often with wattles.Swiss standard: at least 60 kg and 80 cm at the shoulderA Saanen at Buttercups Sanctuary for Goats, UK. Photo: ChristianNawroth, CC BY-SA 4.0
KidYoung goat. Twins are the usual birth, and kids drink milk before their rumen takes over.Born after a pregnancy of about 150 daysA Saanen doe nursing her kid at a farm fair in Croatia, 2016. Photo: Silverije, CC BY-SA 4.0
BuckAdult male. Taller and heavier than a doe, often with a big beard.Swiss standard: at least 85 kg and 90 cm at the shoulderA Saanen buck at a farm fair in Croatia, 2016. Photo: Silverije, CC BY-SA 4.0
DoeAdult female. Short white coat, upright ears, horned or hornless, often with wattles.Swiss standard: at least 60 kg and 80 cm at the shoulderA Saanen doe browsing. Photo: Bill Tyne, CC BY-SA 2.0
Saanen goats in Vendée, FrancePhoto: Damien Hardy, CC BY 2.5
Saanen goats on Holy Isle in the Firth of Clyde, ScotlandPhoto: RHaworth, CC BY 2.5

Saanen goat by the numbers

Measured values from studies and breed standards. Some are for goats in general.

Buck height: 90 cm; at the withers, Swiss breed standard (does: 80 cm)⁠[4]; Buck90 cmDoe80 cm
Minimum weight: 85 kg; for bucks in the Swiss standard; does at least 60 kg⁠[4]; Buck85 kgDoe60 kg
Milk per lactation: 838 kg; Swiss average over 264 days, about 3.2 kg a day⁠[2]
Milk fat goal: > 3.42%; Swiss breeding goal; protein goal over 2.98%⁠[4]
Cud chewing: ~330 min; a day, about 5.5 hours, in a study of Saanen goats⁠[9]
Hearing: 78 Hz–37 kHz; best at about 2 kHz (2 goats tested)⁠[3]
Pregnancy: ~150 days; twins are the usual result⁠[5]
Countries: 80+; world population reported at over 900,000⁠[2]
Puzzle memory: 10 months; goats still solved a two-step food box after this long⁠[16]
Herded for: 10,000 years; goats were first tamed in the Zagros mountains of western Iran⁠[17]

Saanen goat myths and facts

Tap Myth or Fact for each claim, then check the answer.

0 of 8 answered

“Goats eat tin cans.”
“Only billy goats have beards.”
“Goats have rectangular pupils.”
“The dangles on a goat's throat mean it is a boy.”
“Goats can tell a happy face from an angry one.”
“A mother goat forgets her kid's voice once it has grown up.”
“Every Saanen kid is born white.”
“A white coat makes the Saanen perfect for hot sun.”

Saanen and goat records

Records for Saanens and for goats in general.

Oldest goat ever
22 years 5 months
McGinty, a pygmy goat
Hayling Island, UK, 2003 · Guinness World Records⁠[18]
Most productive Swiss milk goat
838 kg
Saanen goat
average milk per lactation of 264 days⁠[2]
Largest Swiss goat breed
90 cm
Saanen goat
buck height at the withers, at least 85 kg⁠[2, 4]
Widest spread of the three breeds compared here
80+ countries
Saanen goat
Boer: 72 countries · Anglo-Nubian: 60+⁠[2, 19, 14]
Earliest dated goat herding
10,000 years ago
Goats in the Zagros mountains, Iran
the first known switch from hunting wild goats to herding them⁠[17]

A year with a Saanen herd

Goats in temperate places breed with the seasons, so a herd's year follows the length of the days.

Early autumn
Breeding season starts
As the days get shorter, does come into season. The breeding season runs from early autumn to late winter.⁠[20]
Autumn to spring
Five months of waiting
A goat pregnancy lasts about 150 days.⁠[5]
Late winter to spring
Kids are born
Twins are the usual result, though single kids and triplets are common too.⁠[5]
First weeks
Milk first, cud later
Newborn kids digest milk with a stomach that works like a simple one. The rumen takes over as they start eating plants.⁠[5]
Spring to autumn
Milking season
A Swiss Saanen gives on average 838 kg of milk over a 264-day lactation.⁠[2]
Late winter to late summer
Browsing and climbing
Most does take a break from breeding. Goats browse leaves and shrubs, and farm goats stay active with things to climb.⁠[20, 5, 10]

Saanen goat history

From wild mountain goats to a white dairy breed found worldwide.

10,000 years ago
Goats are tamed
People in the Zagros mountains of western Iran began herding wild goats.⁠[17]
Origins
White goats of the Saanenland
The pure-white Saanen comes from the Saanenland and Obersimmental in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland.⁠[21, 2]
1800s
Off around the world
Since the 19th century, Saanens have been exported to many countries and crossed with local goats into new white breeds.⁠[2]
1950s
White only
The American Dairy Goat Association accepted only white or cream Saanens in its registry.⁠[15]
1980s
Sable in New Zealand
The coloured Sable Saanen was recognised as a breed in New Zealand.⁠[2]
2005
Sables recognised in the USA
After a proposal from the International Sable Breeders Association, coloured Saanens could be registered as Sables.⁠[15, 2]
2025
Today's Swiss standard
The latest Swiss standard asks for bucks of 90 cm and does of 80 cm, and more than 830 kg of milk in 220 days.⁠[4]

Saanen vs Boer vs Nubian goats

Three well-known breeds of the same species, Capra hircus, bred for different jobs.

Saanen goat vs Boer goat vs Nubian goat
	Saanen	Boer	Anglo-Nubian
Origin⁠[2, 19, 14]	Saanen valley, Switzerland	Eastern Cape, South Africa (from about 1920)	Britain (1800s), from British and imported lop-eared goats
Bred for⁠[2, 19, 14]	Milk	Meat	Milk; kids also grow well for meat
Ears⁠[2, 19, 14]	Upright, pointing forwards	Broad and drooping	Long and drooping
Colour⁠[4, 19, 14]	White coat, white skin	White body, red-brown head, pigmented skin	Any colour, solid or mottled
Milk a day⁠[2, 19, 14]	About 3.2 kg (838 kg in 264 days)	1.5–2.5 kg	About 3.9 kg
Milk fat⁠[4, 19, 14]	Over 3.42% (Swiss goal)	About 7.7%	About 4.8%
Countries⁠[2, 19, 14]	80+	72 (2025)	60+

Boer and Anglo-Nubian figures are breed averages from summaries and vary a lot between herds.

Is the Saanen goat endangered?

No. The Saanen is a domestic breed kept in more than 80 countries.

IUCN Red List

Not Evaluated (NE)

Trend unknown

The world population was reported at over 900,000 goats, about 14,000 of them in Switzerland, where the Saanen has the second-largest goat herdbook.⁠[2, 21]

Domestic breeds are not on the IUCN Red List

Threats

Strong sun
Pale skin makes Saanens sensitive to strong sunshine, so they need shade in hot places.⁠[2]
Bare pens
On intensive farms, goats may have little chance to climb and play.⁠[10]
Hoof trouble
Without regular trimming, hooves overgrow and can make goats lame.⁠[10]

What’s helping

Herdbooks and standards830 kg
Swiss breeders keep herdbooks and a breed standard with goals for size and milk.⁠[21, 4]
Things to climb
Trunks, tyres and platforms made farm Saanens more active and reduced repetitive stress behaviour.⁠[10]
A place for coloured kids2005
Since 2005, coloured kids of Saanen parents can be registered as Sables in the USA instead of being turned away for their colour.⁠[15]

The wild ancestor

Wild goat (Capra aegagrus)Near Threatened
Domestic goats descend from this mountain goat, first herded about 10,000 years ago in the Zagros mountains.⁠[22, 17]

Saanen goat quiz

12 questions. Every answer is somewhere on this page.

Question 1 of 12Score 0

Which country does the Saanen goat come from?

Saanen Goat field notes

Diet, food web, safety and badges from the Snappit field guide.

Diet & Feeding

Saanen goats are browsers that nibble leaves, twigs and shrubs, plus hay on farms, turning them into nutritious milk.

Primary Foods

leaves
hay
clover
alfalfa
shrubs
twigs
Foraging Method: Foraging

Age differences: Young kids drink milk from their mother before transitioning to solid plant foods.

Ecological connections

HumanKept by
Saanen goats are kept by people, mainly for their milk.
White CloverEats
Saanen goats graze on white clover and other pasture plants.

Safety

Danger 1/5 · Very low

Saanen goats are friendly, but it's best to approach them calmly and with an adult.

Traits

Collections

Mammals

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae
Genus: Capra

Sources for these Saanen goat facts

24 studies and references · checked Oct 16, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Saanen Goat?

Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How long is Saanen Goat?

70-90 cm

How much does Saanen Goat weigh?

60-90 kg

How long does Saanen Goat live?

8-12 years

What does Saanen Goat eat?

Saanen goats are browsers that nibble leaves, twigs and shrubs, plus hay on farms, turning them into nutritious milk.

How many babies does Saanen Goat usually have?

1-3

How long is Saanen Goat's gestation?

145-155 days

Where do Saanen goats come from?

From the Saanen valley and the neighbouring Obersimmental in the Canton of Bern, Switzerland. Since the 19th century they have been exported widely and are now reported from more than 80 countries.

How much milk does a Saanen goat give?

In Switzerland, Saanens average 838 kg of milk in a lactation of 264 days, about 3.2 kg a day. Swiss breeders aim for more than 830 kg in 220 days.

Do Saanen goats have horns?

Some do and some don't. Saanens can be horned or naturally hornless, and the Swiss breed standard accepts both.

Can Saanen goats get sunburnt?

Their skin is pale, and the breed does not tolerate strong sun well, so Saanens need shade in hot, sunny places. Coloured Sable Saanens have darker skin, which helps protect them.

What is the difference between a Saanen and a Sable goat?

Colour. Sables are Saanen-type goats in any colour except white or cream. New Zealand recognised them in the 1980s, and the USA has registered them as a separate breed since 2005.

Do goats really eat tin cans?

No. Goats are curious browsers that nibble and taste things to check whether they are food, including paper and cardboard, but they don't eat metal cans.

Why do goats have rectangular pupils?

Wide, horizontal pupils give prey animals a sharp, panoramic view of the ground around them. When a goat lowers its head, its eyes roll so the pupils stay roughly level.

Is it safe to pet goats on a farm?

Approach goats calmly with an adult and follow the farm's rules. Afterwards, wash your hands with soap and running water to help stop germs from spreading.

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Saanen goat abilities

Level Pupils

Cud Chewer

Born Climber

Face Reader

Kid-Call Memory

High-Note Hearing

Milk Maker

Sun-Sensitive Skin

Saanen Goat eyes

Saanen Goat ears

Saanen Goat horns

Saanen Goat beard and wattles

Saanen Goat mouth

Saanen Goat rumen

Saanen Goat udder

Saanen Goat coat and skin

Saanen Goat hooves

Saanen Goat size

“Goats eat tin cans.”

“Only billy goats have beards.”

“Goats have rectangular pupils.”

“The dangles on a goat's throat mean it is a boy.”

“Goats can tell a happy face from an angry one.”

“A mother goat forgets her kid's voice once it has grown up.”

“Every Saanen kid is born white.”

“A white coat makes the Saanen perfect for hot sun.”

Breeding season starts

Five months of waiting

Kids are born

Milk first, cud later

Milking season

Browsing and climbing

Goats are tamed

White goats of the Saanenland

Off around the world

White only

Sable in New Zealand

Sables recognised in the USA

Today's Swiss standard

Threats

What’s helping

The wild ancestor

Which country does the Saanen goat come from?

What shape are a goat's pupils?

What do a goat's eyes do when it lowers its head to feed?

In a 2018 study, which photos did goats go to first?

How long after weaning did mother goats still react to their kids' calls?

What was the highest-pitched sound goats heard in hearing tests?

What are the two dangles on some goats' throats called?

About how much milk does a Swiss Saanen give in one lactation?