Calliopy Ranch

Today many people are familiar with the LaMancha diary goat, either by name or by their relatively unusual appearance. The history of the LaMancha dairy goat is quite obscure, with its true origins being virtually unknown. References have been made to short eared goats dating as far back as ancient Persia. Were these related to the LaMancha diary goat of today? There’s no true way to tell, but a more recent history is easier to trace.

Today many people are familiar with the LaMancha Diary Goat, either by name or by their relatively unusual appearance. The history of the LaMancha Dairy Goat is quite obscure, with its true origins being virtually unknown. What is known about the LaMancha Dairy Goat is that there have been references made to short eared goats dating back to ancient Persia. Were these related to the LaMancha Diary airy Goat of today? There’s no true way to tell, but a more recent history his a big easier to trace.

The Background of the LaMancha Dairy Goat

It’s thought that the first LaMancha Dairy Goats were brought to California as Spanish missionaries were settling in the area. It’s not know if these were true LaMancha’s but it is thought that these short eared goats were at the very least related to the LaMancha of today. The Spanish used the goats for many different things including milk and meat, in fact the goat became known as the “poor man’s cow” because it could provide the same things as the cow, but for less. As the missionaries spread out, so too did the short eared goats that they brought with them, with LaMancha’s being found in more and more areas.

In 1904 a crate of short eared goats were sent to the Paris World’s Fair for exhibit. There was an inscription on the crate but all that could be read was “LaMancha, Cordoba, Spain” and so the name LaMancha stuck. LaMancha became the accepted name of the short eared goats worldwide. Today the name is synonymous with the short eared, or more precisely, the no eared goats.

The first herd of LaMancha Dairy Goats was owned by a woman named Phoebe Wilhelm. She had about 125 LaManchas in the 1920’s. It wasn’t until 1958 that the first true LaMancha was accepted as a breed for registry. This first true LaMancha was Fay’s Ernie, L-1. There would be approximately 200 individual animals that were accepted as the original stock. This herd of 250 were breed to develop hybrids in which all have the physical features of the LaMancha. While the first American LaMancha wasn’t registered as a breed until 1958 since then they have become very popular and can be found throughout the country!

Much of the reason that the LaMancha Dairy Goat is so loved is for its dairy character, their adaptability, and of course their unique look. Many people don’t know the name of the LaMancha; they simply know them as the goat that has no ears. While this is a relatively new breed of dairy goat it is better known than other species because of their unusual appearance. While the history of the LaMancha Diary Goat is quite obscure, it’s future appears bright and clear.

Copyright 2008 - Calliopy Ranch