In the early 1970’s breeders started to collect red goats out of the indigenous goats in South Africa and Namibia. The poorly adapted goats were completely eliminated by natural selection and only the best adapted goats survived.
The aim was to have a hardy, very adaptable meat goat that could survive the harsh conditions of the African landscape while still maintaining high birth rate, high survival rate and a profitable meat carcass. Emphasis was also put on mothering traits and adaptability. The so-called Kalahari Reds were born, named after the colour of the sand in the Kalahari Desert.
The dominant red/brown colour of the Kalahari Reds makes the goats very suitable for cross breeding programs to improve the colour of the indigenous goats. DNA tests conducted found a great genetic divide between the Kalahari Reds and other South African goat breeds.
