Damascus goat
The Damascus or Damascene is a Middle Eastern breed of dairy goat, named after the city of Damascus in Syria. It is variously also known as the Aleppo or Halep for the city of Aleppo; as the Shami or Chami, for the historical region of Ash-Sham or Greater Syria; or as the Baladi ('local'). It is widely found in the Near and Middle East, including Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria and Turkey; it is also present in Bolivia and Malawi. The Damascus goat is a high-yield producer of both milk and meat, and therefore has been attributed a high priority by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. A goat of this breed ranked first place at the Mazayen al-Maaz goat beauty contest in Riyadh in 2008.
| Life Span | 12-14 years |
| Weight | 25-75 kg |
What to Know Before Buying a Damascus goat
Finding a responsible Damascus goat breeder requires more than browsing classified ads or responding to social media posts. The USDA requires any breeder who sells goats commercially — especially those selling online or through third-party dealers — to hold a federal license and submit to regular inspections. A legitimate breeder should be willing to provide their USDA license number, invite you to visit their facility, and show you where the animals are housed and socialized.
Before committing to a purchase, ask the breeder for veterinary health records, vaccination documentation, and any genetic testing results relevant to the Damascus goat. Reputable breeders will also ask you questions in return — about your living situation, experience with animals, and ability to provide long-term care. A breeder who asks no questions and is eager to ship an animal immediately is a significant red flag.
Use the search tool below to check whether any USDA-licensed facilities breeding Damascus goats appear in our database. If they do, review their inspection history carefully. Look for patterns of violations, pay attention to severity levels, and compare their compliance grade with other breeders in the same state. This due diligence takes minutes and can save you from supporting a facility with documented animal welfare problems.
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Search our database of USDA-licensed facilities to find inspected breeders and check their compliance history.
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