DNA
Aren't They Spanish?
Recently, Phil Sponenberg from the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, working with Spain, has been looking at goat DNA. At first, the results were very confusing: it looked as if San Clemente Island goats were not Iberian at all. Their DNA is so far off in left field that it looked as if Alpine, Boers, and Saanens were more closely related to Spanish goats than were San Clemente Island goats.
Recent findings, however, show that San Clemente Island goats are indeed of Iberian origin, but the genetic drift from their ancestors is so great, they're barely the same goat anymore. Is it possible that this could have happened within the past 500 years? Yes, according to Dr. Sponenberg. But they are so distinct from other Spanish goats that they certainly need to be conserved as a seperate breed.
San Clemente Island goat breeders across the country have been getting involved in broadening the DNA sampling to discover more about San Clemente Island goats. It's pretty fun stuff, so if you have a purebred San Clemente Island goat that has not sent in a hair sample, please drop us a line.
The results of the recent samplings sent in from SCI breeders should arrive in January or February 2009.
A brief summary of Sponenberg's initial findings can be viewed or downloaded here.
The more unusual these goats are, the more that genetic diversity comes into play. Keep breeding responsibly.
Thanks for the information on this page goes to Phil Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and to Ámparo Martínez Martínez and Juan Vicente Delgado Bermejo, our Spanish colleagues.
San Clemente Island Goat Association