Murciana goat
Encyclopedia
Murciana, also called Murcian, Murcien, Murciene and Royal Murciana is a dual-purpose (for both milk
and meat
) breed of goat
originally bred in the Murcia
province along the Mediterranean
coast of southeastern Spain
.
s, Oberhasli
s, and Saanens
, and carried horizontally. The breed is known for yielding excellent producers of milk that is especially rich in butterfat. Goats from the Murcia and Malta
breeds, including the Murciana, are more likely to breed out of season than are goats of the French Alpine and related breeds, due to concerted breeding efforts to culture this tendency, which may allow year-round freshening and milking. This breed may have actually originated in Africa
.
and Yecla
.
Display ads in The Goat World of the time indicate the Murciana goats were in the U.S. by 1920, referred to as the "Royal Murciana." Dr. C. P. DeLangle, in his article The Murcien Goat, printed in the August 1921 issue of The Goat World wrote of them, "The Murcien goat is one, if not the handsomest goats known." By 1936, the Murcianas may have become scarce in the U.S., as the January issue of the Dairy Goat Journal called for help to re-establish the breed, noting there did not seem to be a pure-bred buck in America, and that a Mrs. Katherine Kadel had the only purebred does at that time. The same article also noted a reliable supply of Murcianas could be found in Mexico, in a herd imported from Spain that also contained Granada goats.
, originally bred in the 1930s by Mrs. Eula Fay Frey of Glide, Oregon
, in the United States
. The registered Murciana whose bloodline ran through Mrs. Frey's herd was owned by a Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gordon and her primary foundational buck was a bright red Murciana-Nubian cross named Christopher.
The long-isolated feral goats of the Channel Islands
, off the coast of California
, such as the San Clemente Island goat and the Santa Catalina Island goat, are thought to be descended from goats brought to the island by Spanish missionaries
and settlers, including La Blanca Celtiboras, La Castellana Extremenas, and later the more common dairy and meat goats of Spain, the Malaguenas and Murcianas.
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
and meat
Meat
Meat is animal flesh that is used as food. Most often, this means the skeletal muscle and associated fat and other tissues, but it may also describe other edible tissues such as organs and offal...
) breed of goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
originally bred in the Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
province along the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast of southeastern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Breed Characteristics
While it is shorter-eared than many goats, the Murciana ear is shaped like those of the Swiss breeds, such as AlpineAlpine (goat)
Alpine is a breed of domestic goat known for its very good milking ability.They are multi-colored and have no set markings. They have erect ears, horns, and have a dish-face....
s, Oberhasli
Oberhasli
Oberhasli may refer to:* Oberhasli, a historical region in the Bernese Oberland in the canton of Berne, Switzerland* Oberhasli District, a former district* Oberhasli , a breed of goat named after the Bernese district...
s, and Saanens
Saanen goat
Saanen goats are a white or cream-colored breed of goat, named for the Saanen valley in Switzerland. Saanens are the largest of the goat dairy breeds. Does typically weigh 150 lb or more, with bucks weighing over 200 lb . The Saanen breed also produces the most milk on average, and tends to have a...
, and carried horizontally. The breed is known for yielding excellent producers of milk that is especially rich in butterfat. Goats from the Murcia and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
breeds, including the Murciana, are more likely to breed out of season than are goats of the French Alpine and related breeds, due to concerted breeding efforts to culture this tendency, which may allow year-round freshening and milking. This breed may have actually originated in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Primary regions
Primary Murciana goat farming areas are in the region of Murcia, in the communities of JumillaJumilla
Jumilla is a municipality in southeastern Spain. It is located in the province of Murcia, close to the town of Yecla.-Economy:Jumilla is home to the world's largest photovoltaic solar power farm, with an installed peak power capacity of 20 megawatts. The solar farm consists of 120,000 solar...
and Yecla
Yecla
Yecla is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the extreme north of the autonomous community of Murcia, located 96 km from the capital of the region, Murcia....
.
History
By the early 16th century, Murciana goats were well established in Spain, as were several other Spanish breeds, including the Malaguena goat, the La Blanca Celtibora goat, and the La Castellana Extremena goat, due to breeding policies set by Spain's long-established Sheepmaster's Guild.Display ads in The Goat World of the time indicate the Murciana goats were in the U.S. by 1920, referred to as the "Royal Murciana." Dr. C. P. DeLangle, in his article The Murcien Goat, printed in the August 1921 issue of The Goat World wrote of them, "The Murcien goat is one, if not the handsomest goats known." By 1936, the Murcianas may have become scarce in the U.S., as the January issue of the Dairy Goat Journal called for help to re-establish the breed, noting there did not seem to be a pure-bred buck in America, and that a Mrs. Katherine Kadel had the only purebred does at that time. The same article also noted a reliable supply of Murcianas could be found in Mexico, in a herd imported from Spain that also contained Granada goats.
Bloodlines
The breed forms part of the ancestral bloodline of the American Lamancha goatAmerican Lamancha goat
American Lamancha, or more commonly, simply Lamancha or LaMancha, is a formally recognized breed of dairy goat, first bred in Oregon by Mrs. Eula Fay Frey...
, originally bred in the 1930s by Mrs. Eula Fay Frey of Glide, Oregon
Glide, Oregon
Glide is a census-designated place in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,690 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The registered Murciana whose bloodline ran through Mrs. Frey's herd was owned by a Mr. and Mrs. Harry Gordon and her primary foundational buck was a bright red Murciana-Nubian cross named Christopher.
The long-isolated feral goats of the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, off the coast of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, such as the San Clemente Island goat and the Santa Catalina Island goat, are thought to be descended from goats brought to the island by Spanish missionaries
Spanish missions in California
The Spanish missions in California comprise a series of religious and military outposts established by Spanish Catholics of the Franciscan Order between 1769 and 1823 to spread the Christian faith among the local Native Americans. The missions represented the first major effort by Europeans to...
and settlers, including La Blanca Celtiboras, La Castellana Extremenas, and later the more common dairy and meat goats of Spain, the Malaguenas and Murcianas.