Abergelle

The Abergelle, also spelled Abergele in some sources, is an indigenous goat of northern Ethiopia, especially associated with Abergelle areas of Tigray and neighboring Amhara. It is a small to medium framed Capra hircus landrace shaped by dry lowlands, escarpments, and crop-livestock villages rather than by a formal show standard. Animals are short-haired and variable in color, with a compact body, good walking ability, and the thrift needed to use thorn scrub, crop residues, and sparse seasonal grazing.

For households in its home region, the Abergelle goat is a source of meat, occasional milk, cash income, and animals for social or ceremonial use. Management is usually extensive or semi-extensive, so survival, mothering, kid growth, and drought tolerance can matter more than maximum mature size. Development and conservation programs that work with Abergelle goats often need to balance selective improvement with protection from unchecked crossbreeding, since the local adaptation is the main reason the population remains valuable.

Colors: Belted, Black, Black and White, Brown, Brown and White, Buckskin, Chamoisee, Cou Blanc, Cou Clair, Cream, Fawn, Gold, Moonspotted, Pinto, Red, Red and White, Roan, Spotted, Sundgau, Swiss Marked, Tan, White