You'll feel like Heidi as you watch this handsome goat grazing on your back lawn because, as its name suggests, it would look very much at home in the Swiss alps.

Very pretty and ever so slightly proud, the British Alpine has a black shiny coat and white markings around its face, legs and tail.

Being rather inquisitive and nosy sorts, goats have a habit of munching your garden shrubs, many of which will poison them. Keep them away from rhododendrons, azaleas and laurels in particular.

Berkshire
A black, prick-eared pig with white-tipped ears, nose and feet. It’s thought that its larger and coarser ancestor was first referred to by Cromwell’s troops during the Civil War.
Today, Berkshires include Chinese and Siamese blood and are therefore smaller, but they still have the character and confidence of a pig twice their size.
Like all coloured breeds, they have experienced a serious decline in numbers, but the new taste for traditional meats means they are regaining popularity.

Originally known as the orchard pig, its distinctive black spots were once thought to be bruises caused by the windfall apples on which it was reared. The Old Spot is renowned for its bacon, but there is a huge demand for its meat in general. It is very laid-back and easy to manage. Its lop ears make it slow and placid, although it can be difficult to move around. Tough and hardy, Old Spots thrive on sparse grazing, but they also love nothing better than to dig and root up the ground.

The Berkshire is an attractive pig. Its meat has a distinctive flavour and makes particularly good sausages. With their strong personalities, pleasant temperaments and confident manner, Berkshires seem to expect to be liked. Being prick-eared rather than lop also means they can see and move around more easily. Although the Berkshire is thought of as a small-to-medium pig, they can grow to be quite large - something to bear in mind if you are short of space.

This bovine beauty has long dark lashes, a soot-black nose and butterscotch body, but she's not just a pretty face. Jersey cows' milk contains 25 per cent more butterfat than average milk, resulting in a richer taste. Great served with scones and jam or even stirred into a recipe for fudge. While they do tend to yield less than other breeds, this is more than made up for by their high resistance to disease, and happy-go-lucky nature.

Jerseys have a strong constitution, so you shouldn't have to worry about big vets' bills. Its lifespan is on average 10 per cent longer than those of other dairy breeds, and as it matures earlier and calves regularly and easily, it will line your pockets for longer. They produce less milk than Friesians, but what they do provide is much creamier.

Named after the Channel Island on which it was bred, this cow is also known as the Golden Guernsey due to the colour of its cream. Good-natured and handsome, the breed ranges in colour from pale brown to darker shades. They can prove to be real cash cows, as teamed with their luxurious golden cream (caused by their ability to digest betacarotene), they also yield high quantities and are thought to be one of the UK's longest-living dairy producers.

With their strong mahogany and white bodies, and pretty faces, the Ayrshire cow is another striking-looking breed. Mild-mannered, yet highly characterful, these cows can be a pleasure to keep. They also produce a high yield of milk that is rich in butterfat - providing you with jugs of smooth and delicious Ayrshire cream, ideal for whipping or even ice cream, fresh to your table each day.

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