By Purpose:
* Dairy goats: Bred for milk production, like Saanen, Toggenburg, and Alpine.
* Meat goats: Bred for their meat, like Boer, Kiko, and Spanish.
* Fiber goats: Raised for their wool, like Angora and Cashmere.
* Dual-purpose goats: Used for both milk and meat, like Nubian and LaMancha.
* Pet goats: Smaller breeds like Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf are popular pets.
By Region of Origin:
* European breeds: Alpine, Saanen, Toggenburg
* American breeds: LaMancha, Nubian, Boer
* Asian breeds: Kashmiri, Jamnapari, Angora
* African breeds: Kiko, Damascus
By Coat Type:
* Short-haired: Boer, Kiko
* Long-haired: Angora, Cashmere
* Hairless: Nigerian Dwarf (some individuals)
By Horn Type:
* Polled: No horns
* Horned: Have horns
Here are some popular goat breeds:
* Alpine: Large dairy breed with long, drooping ears.
* Saanen: Large, white dairy breed with short, erect ears.
* Toggenburg: Medium-sized dairy breed with brown and white markings and short, erect ears.
* Nubian: Large, dairy breed known for its long, floppy ears and distinctive Roman nose.
* LaMancha: Dairy breed with very short, nearly absent ears.
* Boer: Meat breed with a distinctive white body and brown head.
* Kiko: Meat breed with a sturdy build and strong hooves.
* Angora: Fiber breed known for its long, luxurious wool.
* Cashmere: Fiber breed known for its fine, soft cashmere wool.
* Nigerian Dwarf: Small, friendly breed popular as pets.
* Pygmy: Another small breed popular as pets, known for its short legs and curly horns.
This is just a small sampling of the many goat breeds out there. To learn more about specific breeds, you can visit websites like the American Dairy Goat Association, the American Goat Society, and the American Angora Goat Breeders Association.