HERITAGE BREED PRESERVATION
ARAPAWA GOAT BREEDING
One of our initial works in the area of breed preservation was with Conner Prairie and the Arapawa Goats. According to the Livestock Conservancy, the Arapawa goat derives from the extinct Olde English milch goat that would have been brought to the country by English settlers. Historic records show that goats of that breed were released in 1777 by European colonist Capt. James Cook on Arapawa Island, known today as Arapaoa Island, located off the northern tip of the South Island of New Zealand. They were left on the island as a future, renewable source of meat and milk for the area. Although they eventually went extinct in the U.S., the breed thrived on Arapawa Island.
They were first imported to the U.S. in 1993.
The Arapawa goat is critically close to extinction – it is estimated that there are fewer than 300 in the U.S. and 600 worldwide. The RSG Foundation worked with Conner Prairie to use semen stored at the Smithsonian to perform Laparoscopic Artificial Insemination on 7 female does.
BREED EXPANSION
AUSTRALIAN WHITE SHEEP
The RSG Foundation supports educational efforts focused on expanding Australian White sheep genetics in the United States and globally. Developed by Tattykeel Farms in Australia, the Australian White breed is recognized for its eating quality, strong maternal traits, and commercial production value.
These initiatives help producers better understand opportunities for importing and exporting Australian White genetics while supporting responsible breed development and access to elite bloodlines.
Learn more about the Australian White breed and available resources at https://www.cawg.us.
