Bilberry Goats

The Bilberry Goats are a rare herd of goats that have lived together on Bilberry Rock in Waterford City in the south of the Republic of Ireland for hundreds of years.

Unlike any other breed found in Ireland or United Kingdom, the Bilberry Herd is thought to be related to Pashmina or Cashmere Goats.Fact|date=December 2007 Locals believe they came over with the Huguenots from France over 300 years ago and have lived on Bilberry Rock ever since.

The herd is currently 28 goats - there are 19 billies (male) and eight nannies (female). The young are called kids. The herd is led by a dominant nannie. They are larger than domestic goats with shaggy coats and very large horns. A recent report by European Goat Experts said that they were “amazed to see a primitive herd still living in the wild”, and that the goats are a “unique ancient breed.”

The Bilberry Goat Trust was set up to protect these goats from extinction. The 14 acre (0.1 km²) piece of land where they graze used to be a commonage but was recently sold to a developer who wants to build houses on this historic area. This will render the Bilberry Herd extinct.

Breeding

Mating occurs between August and December. This time is called the ‘rut’. Billies develop a strong musky smell in their scent glands. They will show off their strength to other males by shaking their heads and butting each other with their horns which are extremely long. Most nannies start to breed at a year old. They usually give birth to one or two kids. The kids follow their mothers until they are weaned at 6 weeks old. If they survive their first and hardest year of life, they usually live up to 8 years old.

Conservation

The 14 acres (0.1 km²) of land on which the goats live and graze has recently been bought by a developer who wants to build houses on it. If this happens, it is feared that the goats will become extinct. The Bilberry Goat Herd Protection Trust was set up to see that this does not happen. The Irish Wildlife Trust is actively involved in the campaign. Unfortunately, the feral goat is not a protected species and Bilberry Rock is not a designated area under the Wildlife Act, however Waterford County Council could designate the area as a Special Amenity Area and this would protect the unique Bilberry Goat herd.

References

* [http://bilberrygoats.wordpress.com Bilberry Goats of Waterford]
* [http://www.rte.ie/radio1/shanksmare] RTÉ Radio 1 programme on Bilberry Goats. http://www.rte.ie/radio1/shanksmare/rams/2006/11august.smil