Nubian (Anglo-Nubian)
Nubian (Anglo-Nubian) is a standard-sized dairy breed from the United Kingdom.
Among the highest butterfat of any dairy breed, 4.9 percent butterfat, the richest milk of any standard-size dairy breed here.
Not a goat for fiber, and not a quiet goat for a close neighbor.
Registry name: Nubian. Registered by American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA), American Goat Society (AGS), British Goat Society (BGS).
Nubian and Anglo-Nubian are the same goat sold under two regional names, so don’t let the name on a listing throw you: ADGA and AGS register the US animal simply as Nubian, while the British Goat Society calls the same breed Anglo-Nubian abroad. Either way, you get the same long, pendulous, bell-shaped ears and the strongly convex, Roman-nosed profile.
That head shape comes with genuinely rich milk: butterfat runs about 4.9 percent, higher than any other standard-size dairy breed here, alongside 3.8 percent protein. Nubians often carry more muscling than the Swiss-type dairy breeds too, an unusual trait for a breed bred primarily for milk.
It is a vocal breed, worth knowing before it moves in next to a neighbor’s fence, and it tolerates heat well, which suits warmer climates more comfortably than some of the Swiss imports. It is also one of the most common dairy breeds in the country, with over 12,000 US registrations in 2024, second only to the Nigerian Dwarf.
Not a quiet goat, and not a small one. Anyone who wants both rich milk and low volume should look elsewhere on this list.
How Nubian (Anglo-Nubian) compares
This breed's cited milk yield is 2,018 lb, below the median of 2,237 lb for the 9 dairy breeds with a sourced figure.
Not enough sourced data to compare this breed's doe weight to the all-breed median. 17 of 28 breeds in our list have a sourced doe weight.
Ranked 6th of 9 dairy breeds on milk yield. 10 more dairy breeds are in our list without a sourced figure for this.
Full record
Size
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Size class | Standard2 |
| Mature doe weight | 135 lb or more2 |
| Mature buck weight · sources disagree | 170 lb or more2 One source reports 160 lb or more (AGS Breed Standards, breed standard). |
| Height at withers (doe) | 30 in or more2 |
| Height at withers (buck) | 32 in or more2 |
Appearance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Coat type | Smooth2 |
| Coat length | Short2 |
| Colors | any color or pattern accepted2 |
| Patterns | any color or pattern accepted2 |
| Ears | Pendulous2 |
| Facial profile | Convex (Roman)2 |
| Distinguishing features | Long pendulous 'bell-shaped' ears, Strongly convex (Roman-nosed) facial profile, High butterfat and protein milk, Notably vocal breed5 |
1 more field not found in our sources
| Horns | Not found in our sources* |
Dairy
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Average lactation yield | 2,018 lb1 |
| Lactation yield range | 510–3,840 lb1 |
| Butterfat | 4.9%1 |
| Protein | 3.8%1 |
2 more fields not found in our sources
| Lactation length | Not found in our sources* |
| Milking temperament | Not found in our sources* |
Meat
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Dressing percentage | Not applicable, Bred and registered as a dairy breed; no carcass yield literature was found. |
Mature carcass: Not applicable, Not raised as a meat breed.
Muscling: AGS notes Nubians 'often carry more muscling/fleshing than the Swiss breeds', unusual for a dairy breed.5
2 more fields not found in our sources
| Weaning weight | Not found in our sources* |
| Average daily gain | Not found in our sources* |
Fiber
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Fiber type | None2 |
| Annual fleece yield | Not applicable, Not a fiber breed. |
| Fiber diameter | Not applicable, Not a fiber breed. |
| Staple length | Not applicable, Not a fiber breed. |
| Shearings per year | Not applicable, Not a fiber breed. |
| Down percentage | Not applicable, Not a fiber breed. |
Breeding
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight at first breeding | 70 lb6 |
3 more fields not found in our sources
| Litter size | Not found in our sources* |
| Breeding season | Not found in our sources* |
| Age at first breeding | Not found in our sources* |
Temperament and management
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Noise level | Vocal5 |
| Heat tolerance | High3 |
9 more fields not found in our sources
| Docility | Not found in our sources* |
| Temperament tags | Not found in our sources* |
| Handler experience level | Not found in our sources* |
| Hardiness | Not found in our sources* |
| Cold tolerance | Not found in our sources* |
| Parasite resistance | Not found in our sources* |
| Browse clearing suitability | Not found in our sources* |
Housing: Not found in our sources*
Fencing: Not found in our sources*
Availability
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Availability in the US | Common4 |
| Conservation status | Not listed (The Livestock Conservancy, 2026)7 |
| Population estimate | 12,112 annual registrations4 |
History and registries
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin country | the United Kingdom5 |
Also registered as Anglo-Nubian (BGS, United Kingdom / international). Same breed as the US Nubian, registered under the name Anglo-Nubian by the British Goat Society and used internationally; not a separate breed.
Breeds like this one
Oberhasli
Oberhaslis are calm enough for a first-time owner, yet rare enough that conservationists track their recovery.
Toggenburg
Toggenburg is a standard-sized dairy breed from Switzerland.
LaMancha
LaManchas are bred to have almost no external ear at all, a prized trait, not a fault.
About goats generally
The facts below are stated by extension and veterinary sources for goats as a species, not for this breed specifically, shown separately from the breed's own cited record above.
| Fencing / escape difficulty | High8‡ |
| Hardiness | High8‡ |
| Heat tolerance | High9‡ |
| Cold tolerance | Low10‡ |
| Browse clearing suitability | High8‡ |
Housing: Goats generally don't need elaborate housing -- a simple three-sided structure that blocks wind and rain is enough, at roughly 15 square feet of bedded space per animal. The real hazard is cold, damp drafts rather than fresh air itself: sustained drafty, wet-cold conditions can quickly bring on pneumonia and scours in young kids more than in adult stock.11‡
Fencing: Goats are notorious escape artists, so fencing built for cattle or sheep usually isn't enough. A multi-strand, electrified high-tensile fence with hot wires worked into the first, third and top strands is the standard effective approach; plain woven wire works too, but needs an extra interior electric strand to stop goats climbing on it or catching their heads and horns in the mesh.8‡
‡ Facts marked with a double dagger are about goats generally, not specifically this breed. See "About goats generally" above.
Sources (11)
- Penn State Extension, Dairy Goat Production (Table 2, 2019 DHIR data) · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05 (as of 2019)
- ADGA Breed Standards · breed registry / association, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Cornell CALS, Dairy Goat Breeds · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
- ADGA 2024 Annual Report · breed registry / association, retrieved 2026-09-05
- AGS Breed Standards · breed registry / association, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Puberty and Estrus in Goats | Merck Veterinary Manual · peer-reviewed / government / conservation body, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Conservation Priority List - The Livestock Conservancy · peer-reviewed / government / conservation body, retrieved 2026-09-05 (as of 2026)
- Meat Goat Production | Penn State Extension · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Nutritional Requirements of Goats | Merck Veterinary Manual · peer-reviewed / government / conservation body, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Shelter, Fencing and Predator Control Needs on Pasture | Langston Ag Research · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Goat Housing and Facilities | Penn State Extension (Meat Goat Production and Management Home Study Course) · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
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