Other Names : Abkhasian, Abkhazskaya
The Abaza is an indigenous breed of goat from northeast Turkey. They are used for dairying, but also have relatively good meat production. Due to its small population size, there is a high degree of inbreeding within this breed, placing it “at-risk”.
Their hair is short, soft and pinkish-white in colour, with coloured markings around the mouth, eyes and legs. The males have long, flat, scimitar-shaped horns, while the females are usually polled.
As dairy goats, this breed has well-developed udders and an average lactation yield of around 200 kg (440 lb). The milk produced from Abaza goats is used to create Abaza cheese, a nationally and internationally renowned semi-hard, lightly salted cheese.