Chegu Goat

The Chegu is a high-altitude pashmina breed of the western Himalayas, reared in the cold uplands of Himachal Pradesh and parts of Ladakh. Alongside the Changthangi, it is one of India’s two pashmina (cashmere)…

Indian BreedPashminaHimachal & Ladakh origin

Breed Overview

White or grey with a coarse outer coat over its precious pashmina, the Chegu is a dual-purpose mountain breed valued for both its fibre and its meat, and it is well-suited to the harsh, cold conditions of the high Himalaya.

Key benefits of the Chegu Goat

Produces prized pashmina (cashmere) fibre
Dual value from fibre plus meat
Superbly adapted to cold high-altitude terrain
Economical on natural alpine grazing

Key Characteristics

White or grey coat with a fine pashmina undercoat
Medium mountain frame with a coarse outer coat
Large spiral horns in both sexes
Produces prized cashmere fibre plus meat

🐐Physical Characteristics

A medium mountain breed, usually white or grey, with a coarse guard coat over a fine, soft pashmina undercoat. It has large spiralled horns in both sexes and a hardy frame built for cold, rugged terrain.

🥛Milk Production

A low 0.5–1 litre/day — sufficient to rear kids, as the breed is prized for its pashmina fibre and meat rather than for dairy.

🌦Climate Suitability

Adapted to the cold, high-altitude Himalaya. The harsh climate is essential to fibre quality — the colder the winter, the finer and denser the pashmina undercoat it grows.

🌾Feeding Requirements

Grazes sparse alpine pasture and hill browse, needing little supplementation. A hardy, economical breed for high-altitude pastoral systems.

Advantages & Disadvantages

✓ Advantages

✓Produces prized pashmina (cashmere) fibre

✓Dual value from fibre plus meat

✓Superbly adapted to cold high-altitude terrain

✓Economical on natural alpine grazing

✗ Disadvantages

✗Very low milk — not a dairy breed

✗Fibre yield lower than the Changthangi

✗Suited only to cold, high mountains

Tips for Beginners

Buy from certified breeders

Insist on documented lineage and a health card to guarantee purebred, disease-free stock.

Build raised, airy housing

A dry, well-ventilated shed with slatted flooring prevents hoof rot and respiratory disease.

Vaccinate on schedule

Follow the PPR, ET and FMD schedule from day one — prevention is far cheaper than treatment.

Balance the ration

Combine green fodder with a mineral-rich concentrate to sustain healthy growth and milk yield.

Start small, scale steadily

Begin with 5–10 does and one quality buck; expand only once you master routine management.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is one of India’s two pashmina-producing breeds, growing a fine, soft cashmere undercoat prized for luxury shawls, alongside providing meat.

In the cold, high-altitude uplands of Himachal Pradesh and parts of Ladakh in the western Himalaya, where the harsh winter is essential to good fibre quality.

Both produce pashmina, but the Changthangi of Ladakh’s Changthang plateau yields the finest, best-known cashmere; the Chegu is a Himachal/Himalayan pashmina breed also valued for meat.