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Nubian type goats on the banks of the Nile around 1900

The Anglo-Nubian originated with the crossing of goats bred in England and goats imported from the East. It is a breed that has been created  and developed in the UK.

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.  These goats were mated with goats in England, and the resulting cross-bred animals gained the name Anglo-Nubian in 1893.    

N1 Sedgemere Chancellor

N3 Bricket Cross

  At the turn of the twentieth century, four males were brought to England. These were N1 Sedgemere Chancellor (Jumna Pari) in 1896, N2 Sedgemere Sangar (Zairaibi) in 1903, N3 Bricket Cross (Chitral district of Pakistan) in 1904 and N4 Bricket Zoo, previously in the Paris Zoo (he was only recognised officially as Nubian in 1913).

1910 the BGS authorised the setting up of a separate Anglo-Nubian section of the Herd Book. The initial entry was limited that were descended from at least one of Chancellor, Sanger or Cross and had no other foreign blood on the dams side for six generations. There were 22 progeny from Chancellor, 69 from Cross out of the 451 goats that were listed. Hence Sedgemere Chancellor and Bricket Cross were the two males, who through their progeny, had the greatest effect on the establishment of the breed.

1915 Miss Pelly started her Theydon herd of Anglo-Nubians. Her goats were high yielding and had very good butterfats. The goat in the Miscellany gallery named Theydon Belle Q*Q*Q*Q*, born in 1930 was the first "four star" Anglo-Nubian. In 1938 the first Anglo-Nubian Q*5 RM2 Theydon Bellaritza was from her herd. The herd gained a high reputation and made a major contribution in the early development. 

1925 Malpas Herd was founded by Mr Egerton. After the opening of the probationers record in 1929 he managed to substantial increase in yield by using AN sires. He used some of Miss Pelly's breeding (the male Beau Brocade) on Leazes Decrest (a BA), eventually producing R3 Malpas Magnolia Q* AN from that line. (gave 3,458 lbs milk in 289 days).

1929 Anglo-Nubian Probationers Record opened by the BGS because it was impossible to import further Nubians. It was possible for females to enter this record if three of the four grandparents were AN and the goat passed an inspection by a BGS judge. Once in the register, the use of an Anglo-Nubian male ensured entry in the Anglo-Nubian Record (Register) (later renamed to be Register)

Miss Rochford (centre) holding Champion Berkham Gingerdjaz in her left hand. All were Berkham goats sired by Catina Djasper - one of her influential males 1975-1980.

1941 Miss Rochford was granted the Berkham Prefix. She bred 33 Breed Champions, 21 Sires of Merit and 4 Champions. She bred the first AN Breed Champion in 1949 (Berkham Evelina), The first AN Champion in 1965 (Berkham Electra) and the first AN Sire of Merit in 1976 (Berkham Ebenezer). Her breeding has had a profound impact on the quality of Anglo-Nubians. Her goats were exported all over the world. There are more photographs of Berkham goats in the Champions gallery.

1944 saw the start of the  Wayward Herd. Miss Lupton, who was later the first President of the ANBS, believed in goats milk, selling it and promoting its use at every opportunity. She was a very shrewd breeder and bred a particular sort of Anglo-Nubian.. She like her goats to be a dairy type (“racehorse not carthorse”) and she would not keep goats that gave less than 5% butterfat.  Having worked for Miss Lupton since 1965, the prefix was transferred to Margaret Eginton in 1977 – who tries to follow Miss Lupton's ideals. The prefix Wayward appears in most of the pedigrees of leading AN goats in the UK, and of course many have been exported. Cheswadine and Bramblings are just two herds where roots can be traced back to Wayward, but there are many others. 

1943 The BGS closed the Anglo-Nubian Register,  using instead the grading up process using a higher percentage of AN relatives is used to bring fresh blood into the Anglo-Nubian section of the  Herd Book. There are special safeguards to avoid the introduction of Swiss characteristics in the breed (see BGS current regulations)

2002 The last entry in the BGS Herd Book No.128  was AN031212 , indicating that 31,212 Anglo-Nubian goats have been registered to November 2002. At its peak in the 1980's there were well over 1000 AN registered per year. By 1998 the number had fallen to 427 compared with 493 in the British Saanen section of the Herd Book. The British Section (containing some upgrading AN) was 720 for the same 12 month period.
The fall in numbers of registrations has been partly the result of increasing legislation, restrictions and costs making "small herd" commercial goat keeping uneconomic.  The FM outbreak (2001) was responsible for the loss of some very good herds of AN, but in 2003 there are signs of a recovery.

The time line continues...