IN THE BEGINNING...

The Anglo-Nubian, is a man made breed. The Anglo-Nubian was created crossing the common English goat with "exotic" bucks from Africa and India. The name Nubian is associated with the long, droopy ears and convex nose of this type of animal and actually has nothing to do with the location of where the animals was imported from.
The name "Nubian" originated in France. Three animals of this type were imported into England before the English begun their Anglo-Nubian breeding program. Aida and Arabi Pasha went to England from France in 1878, and Ali Baba followed in 1891. It was thought that these early animals might be a combination of Zaraibi and Syrian, and they did not play an important role in the creation of the modern Anglo-Nubian except to contribute to their name.

'Sedgemere Chancellor'– a Young Jumna Pari, imported into the U.K in 1896, one of the four “exotic” bucks from which the Nubian Breed evolved. Jumna Pari was bred for meat and milk in India.

From the end of the nineteenth century goats were carried on P & O steamers on their return voyage to provide a fresh supply of milk for the passengers, including infants. When the ships docked in London the lop-eared, ' Roman' nosed Eastern goats were eagerly bought by interested goat keepers. The term "Nubian" goats was used to describe any goats from the Near, Middle or far East that had the typical appearance of the Jumna Pari breed from India and the Zairaibi breed from Egypt.

By 1896 the Anglo-Nubian was recognized as a breed with only four imported goats, all males, being recognized, two from India. The description of these goats, according to the British Goat Society Herd Book, are as follows:

· No.1. Sedgemere Chancellor. Nubian (Jumna Pari) Horned. Imported 1896.

· No.2. Sedgemere Sangar. Nubian (Zaraiby or Zaraibi)Horned. Imported 1904.

· No. 3. Bricket Cross. Nubian (Chitral) Horned. Imported 1904.

· No. 4. Bricket Zoo. Nubian Hornless. Imported 1904, previously in the Paris Zoo (he was only recognised officially as Nubian in 1913).

1910 the British Goat Society authorised the setting up of a separate Anglo-Nubian section of the Herd Book.The two bucks imported from India, Sedgemere Chancellor and Bricket Cross, had the most influence in the development of the breed. The British Herd Book records no less than 72 progeny of Bricket Cross and 29 of Sedgemere Chancellor. The other two were less used and less successful. Sedgemere Chancellor sired the first recognized Anglo-Nubian star milker Sedgemere Louise.

ON TO AUSTRALIA...
The first Anglo– Nubians arrived in New South Wales in 1954. The two does were Mearsghull Barba who was in kid to Berkham Lummox and produced Hookstone Pioneer and then Hookstone Coronet who has no recorded progeny. Pioneer was then mated to his dam to produce Hookstone Vanessa. He also Appendix Progeny recorded.
The first import into South Australia was Playford Petulant, then came Berkham Harriet who was in-kid to Pixies Set, who produced Wingfield Solomon. The other doe was Malpas Melisade, in-kid to Malpas Manuel, who produced Wingfield Zadok. Solomon and Zadok sired many kids but the does did not breed again.
On the last shipment to Australia in 1958 before the Blue Tongue ban came into effect, arrived five does, three to the Wingfield Stud– Berkham Esmerelda, Berkham Vanilla and Wayward Lucinda. Harlings Hurdler and Pixies Mertaten were imported by Mrs Horton.
The ten named goats above form the entire genetic base for the Anglo-Nubian Breed in Australia and New Zealand.

'BRICKET CROSS'

A Zaraibi, from Africa, is tall, rangy, slender, & usually the jaw is very overshot. The coat, short & sleek except on the thighs, is any colour or combination of colors. The production is said to have been quite high. Around 10-12 litres a day.

INTO NEW ZEALAND....

Anglo-Nubian Dairy goats were first brought into New Zealand from England in the 1930’s with a government importation of several animals with the aim of setting up a goat milking industry. This venture did not develop as hoped and eventually the government participation was dropped. Many goats were liberated into the bush, so it is not surprising to observe Anglo- Nubian features in our New Zealand Feral goats.

In 1971 Anglo-Nubians were again imported into New Zealand by Mrs. May Deane of Northland. Two kids, Kyeema Deidre and Kyeema Nigel, unfortunately Nigel never bred as he died suddenly at the age of eight months. In 1975 Mrs Deane imported three more Anglo– Nubians, Sarnia Siran, Tannenbaum Mark and Tannenbaum Katherine. Waipuna Velvet was the progeny of Siran out of Kathryn. No further pedigrees were registered although both Siran and Mark were used extensively for cross—breeding programmes with Saanens and Toggenburgs.

Mrs. Duna Monro from Keri Keri imported Arilla Lolita in 1975 but never registered her in New Zealand, Mrs Munro later imported Tassiedale Tara and Kelham Romeo.

Mr and Mrs Ward of Pakia Stud mated the Saanen doe Pakia Joy to Sarnia Siran, the does Pakia Fatima and Pakia meg resulting.

Mrs Helen Asplech of Birchwood Stud mated the Saanen doe Pakia Joy to Sarnia Sira, Birchwood Anna and Birchwood Ada resulting. Anna was mated back to her sire and produced Birchwood Sarah who became the foundation doe for the Caliph herd.

A group developed in the far north with Mrs E. Pickery(Pikari), Barry and Wynn Ingham (Barwyn) and Ian and Bev Mc intyre (willowdale) joining the converts to the Nubian Breed.
Mrs Lauris Peck (Windsong) of the Wairarapa purchased her first Appendix Nubians from Mrs May Deane in 1978, later buying Thornmere Aurelia from Lyndsay Innes and Clifton Logan from Gay Dodson of Nelson.

In 1975 Ruth Dawson (Opuha) imported Tognu Zhar into Nelson. He had four Cross-bred daughters registered who were retrieved years later and by Mrs Kay Slow (Khariba) and were bred to imported bucks. From these initial importations, enthusiasm for the bred in Nelson spread. Ruth Dawson was joined by Gay Dodson (Clifton), Kay Slow (Khariba), Glynis Buschl (Glynnubi), Ruth Dalley (Yorkvalley), Beverley Handly (Smallfields) and Morry and Jean Surgenor (Woodlands).

In Auckland the McKerras Family caught on and bought Birchwood Sarah and her daughter Birchwood Sage, then the importation of Keotong Cloe, Emma and Emily Rama Leah, Leithmount Lara and Candice from Tasmania. The Bucks Rama Levi and rama Cainaan cemented the enthusiasm. More to catch on in the Auckland are were Heather and Bruce Neagle (Jaandir), Lorraine and Kelvin Crann (Camelot), Dot and Don Goodall (Baramor), June Kelly (Kellylea) and Phillip and Michelle Clague (Habbakkuk). In 1980 Lyndsay and Collette Innes (Thornmere) imported twin sisters Brookfield Ilinga and Ikara who were both Mated to Rama Levi, from these two matings the basis of the Thornmere Stud developed, with the later addition of Georgefield Chief purchased from Mrs Jessie Kirk.

In the Christchurch area avid enthusiasts Jim and Ailsa Watson already had dairy goats when they were smitten with the Anglo– Nubian, they imported Koetong Apollo, Maisie and Wanda and Tassiedale Seth.

Other Breeders in and around Christchurch to emerge were Ray and Gail Messervy (Strontian), Terry and Linda Sullivan (Yellowstone), Helen Chevallier (Kakahu) and Dave and Fran Goulden (Glendou).

Further south in Otago Mrs Jessie Kirk imported Balook Rajah, Brookfields Elsa and Tassiedale Tina as the foundation of her Georgefield Stud. From this are Nubians spread as far south as Invercargill to Bill and Gwen Milne.

These stud names along with Filleo, Riversleigh, Arilla, Donnalea to mention a few can be found back in our Nubians pedigrees today. There have been many Breeders to join in over the more recent years, all of these making a part of the history of our Nubians today. These earlier breeders, breeders now and those to follow, all play a very important part in History and the future of the Anglo-Nubian Breed in New Zealand.

The most recent import by Osment Dairy Goats in Cambridge (2007)consists of 4 bucks and 10 does. These Anglo-Nubians have been sourced carefully to ensure strength in the breed continues. These goats are the first Anglo-Nubians to be imported in the last 16 years. A long overdue addition to the NZ genepool. With the high cost of importing and long quarantine periods for the goats in Australia the costs of bringing them in is signifacantly higher than it was years ago which has contributed to the lack of recent imports.

Resources
Anglo Nubian Breed Society (UK)
Those Supercilious Nubians-written by M.Mckerras