A double celebration for Cotswold Farm Park’s oldest Bagot goat
One of the Cotswold Farm Park’s oldest residents has had a very big week. On Tuesday (25th February), Alice the goat gave birth to a happy and healthy nanny goat (female) kid. Today, three days later, it’s cause for a joint celebration as it’s Alice’s 14th birthday.
Alice is a Bagot goat, which have a normal life expectancy of around 8 years. They are also the rarest breed on display at the Farm Park, with only 100-200 remaining in the whole world.
Alice’s new addition is one of 12 expected goat kids at the Cotswold Farm Park this year. When you consider that there were only 35 Bagot nanny kids born in the world last year, that’s quite a number!
Mike Caunter, the Farm Park’s Livestock Manager said;
“With the Bagot goat being our rarest breed at the Farm Park there is always more excitement and anticipation when they are kidding. It is important for the breed to increase in numbers so we always hope for lots of female kids. Alice has given birth to a female this year, which is her fifth daughter in our herd of 15 Bagot goats.”
Cotswold Farm Park, owned by TV presenter and farmer Adam Henson, has been running breeding programmes for rare farm animal breeds since 1971, when the park was established by Adam’s dad, Joe.
According to Richard Broad, Field Officer at the Rare Breeds Survival Trust: “The Bagot is the oldest native breed of goat in the United Kingdom, however it has struggled to find its place in the modern agricultural world. It is often used as decoration in large country estates and an attraction at many of our Approved Conservation Farm Parks. It is positive that they are able to breed successfully at such a great age. Hopefully the work of Cotswold Farm Park and all our other RBST approved farm parks will help increase numbers and conserve genetic diversity within the breed.”
PICTURED: Display Team Member Mandy Hall, with Alice the Bagot goat and her new kid.
Adam Henson's Cotswold Farm is open daily from 10.30 and is situated near Guiting Power on the B4077.
ExploreGloucestershire
1 March 2014
For further information.
OTHER NEWS
