DOHA: A large flock of white goats was sighted in Al Wukair area of Al Wakrah yesterday.
The goats, known as Saanen that have their origins in Switzerland, were guided by a goat-herd, who spoke Hindi.
The goats were understandably from a private farm of a local Qatari family, for private use.
Community elders say in Qatar the tradition of raising sheep and goats in arid conditions in catching up.
Native to the GCC region are the black sheep, that are small in size and mostly found in the UAE and Oman.
In the Arab world, some 54 breeds of goats are found but as far as meat consumption is concerned, sheep meat (mutton) has been more popular.
But productivity of meat and milk in the region is low on average, experts rue.
In Qatar, for instance, Australian mutton has been subsidised by the government for years on end to ensure people have easy access to it as a cheaper source of protein.
Community elders say some rich families in Qatar have begun raising goats and sheep of rare and good species.
Saanen are heavy producers but their milk is low in butterfat compared to other dairy goats.
Goat meat is low in fat than chicken but higher in protein than beef. It is lower in calories, fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, experts say. So its consumption is rising in the country.
Saanen are generally all-white with forward facing ears.
The Peninsula
