Zhongwei

The Zhongwei goat is a Chinese breed from the Zhongwei area of Ningxia, a dry region along the Yellow River near desert and semi-desert grazing. It is one of the better known local Chinese goat breeds because of its fiber and pelt history. Zhongwei goats are commonly light colored, often white, though broader records may include darker or mixed animals. They have been kept for meat, cashmere-type undercoat, and especially the lustrous, wavy kid pelts that gave the breed a distinct place in regional animal production.

Flocks are usually managed under extensive or semi-extensive conditions, using desert-edge pasture, crop residues, and stored feed during cold months. Protection from wind, careful kidding management, and attention to nutrition are important where forage quality changes sharply by season. Breeding programs may select for fleece quality, pelt curl, growth, and the ability to thrive under arid conditions. Because the breed is tied to a specific production tradition, sourcing from known local lines matters more than coat color alone.

Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Brown, Brown and White, Buckskin, Chamoisee, Cou Blanc, Cou Clair, Cream, Fawn, Gold, Moonspotted, Pinto, Red, Red and White, Roan, Spotted, Sundgau, Swiss Marked, Tan, White