Attappady Black is an all-black meat goat from the Attappady hills of Palakkad district in Kerala. It is one of Kerala's two registered goat breeds (ICAR-NBAGR), kept mostly on open grazing, and it is rare: NBAGR's figures put it at about 10,000 animals (ICAR-NBAGR).
How to recognise it
- All black, legs included, with bronze-coloured eyes (ICAR-NBAGR, KAU study).
- Horns: both bucks and does have horns. They are small and curve outward and then back (KAU study, ICAR-NBAGR).
- Ears and tail: medium ears, about 13.5 cm long, hanging down beside the face, and a bunchy, curved tail; some goats have tassels on the neck (KAU study).
- Weight: adult bucks weigh about 35 kg and does about 31 kg (KAU study, ICAR-NBAGR).
- Kids: about 1.6–1.7 kg at birth (ICAR-NBAGR).
What it is good for
- A meat goat. NBAGR lists meat as its use (ICAR-NBAGR).
- Kids: about 1.3 kids per kidding on average. Does first kid at about 14 months, with about 8 months between kiddings (ICAR-NBAGR).
- Little milk: about 17 kg in a whole lactation (ICAR-NBAGR).
- Made for hill grazing. The breed is adapted to conditions in Attappady and is kept mainly on grazing (ICAR-NBAGR).
Where it is mainly found
NBAGR places the breed in Palakkad district, mainly in the Attappady block: the high hills between the Nilgiris to the north and the Muthikulam hills to the south (ICAR-NBAGR). A KAU survey found it only in Attappady, reared mainly by the tribal communities there (KAU study). Today it is found mostly in remote hamlets of the Pudur, Agali and Sholayur panchayats (KVASU review).
It is a small population. The KAU survey counted about 9,350 animals, about 40% of the area's goats (KAU study), and the 2013 breed survey about 10,200 (ICAR-NBAGR). Kerala's 2024 goat breeding policy plans to improve the breed inside its home area with selected bucks, by natural mating and frozen semen (KVASU review).
Looking for Attappady Black goats?
Search “Attappady Black” in the Kattutharai app to find Attappady Black goats for sale near you, or see all goats for sale. The seller names the breed and Kattutharai does not check it, so look at the animal yourself before you pay.
Rearing tips
- Grazing by day, shelter at night. In Attappady, flocks of 5–80 goats graze by day and are housed only at night (ICAR-NBAGR). Choose a feeding system that gives enough grazing or cut green fodder.
- Shelter from the rain. Keep the night shed dry and airy; see Goat shed and housing: space, floor and roof.
- Bucks: in a small population, related goats mate easily. Bring in an unrelated buck and change him in time: avoid inbreeding.
- Kids: see Goat kid care: colostrum, creep feed and weaning.
- Health: follow the vaccination and deworming advice in Goat health: vaccination schedule and deworming.
Buying tips
- Check the breed signs: a fully black coat and legs, bronze eyes, small horns curving back and medium hanging ears. White patches, long drooping ears or a very tall, heavy body do not fit the breed's description (KAU study, ICAR-NBAGR).
- Not every black goat is an Attappady Black. Other black breeds look different: compare Salem Black, Kanni and Osmanabadi.
- Pure animals are scarce. Even in Attappady, the breed made up only about 40% of the goats in the KAU survey (KAU study), so a goat from the area is not always pure. Ask where it was born and see the mother. KVASU's University Goat and Sheep Farm at Mannuthy also keeps the breed (KVASU); ask your nearest veterinary hospital about government farms that sell breeding goats.
- The breed name in an ad is the seller's word. Kattutharai does not check it, so see the goat yourself, check its teeth and follow How to buy goats safely: health, age and fraud checks.
Frequently asked questions
Is Attappady Black good for a beginner?
It suits a grazing farm in similar hilly country. It does well on grazing, but pure stock is hard to find outside Attappady.
How big does an Attappady Black goat grow?
Adult bucks weigh about 35 kg and does about 31 kg.
Is Attappady Black the same as Salem Black?
No. Both are black, but they are separate registered breeds: Attappady Black from Kerala and Salem Black from Tamil Nadu (ICAR-NBAGR).
Why is it called Attappady Black?
It is named after its home, the Attappady hills of Palakkad (ICAR-NBAGR).
Next
Kerala's other registered goat breed is the Tellicherry (Malabari). Read Goat feeding: fodder, concentrate mix and water and How to buy goats safely: health, age and fraud checks, see all breed guides, or browse goats for sale.