In 1906 Maltese goatherds went on strike to prevent the authorities from sampling the milk for presence of the infective bacterium to avoid culling their goats.

They are usually naturally polled, have a straight profile with ears ranging from horizontal or semi-pendulous to long lop with curled tips.

In Malta, the most common practice nowadays is to use milk for the production of a variety of traditional cheeselets known locally as ġbejniet, irkotta and other goat cheeses.

[12] In Sicily, milk is used to make ricotta and traditional caprino cheeses including Padduni, which has PAT status.

[14] Additionally, the remaining Maltese goat population has been severely impacted by years of cross-breeding with other imported commercial breeds.

[17] In August 2024, Darryl Grech, Founder of Breeds of Origin Conservancy and President of the Maltese Goat and Sheep Co-operative Society, through a letter addressed to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights, officially requested that the indigenous goat of the Maltese islands should be classified as a critically endangered 'Traditional Population' and the breed recognized as 'Local' and 'At-Risk'.

The campaign's first target was to raise awareness about the decline of the indigenous goat of the Maltese islands with a traditional narrative ballad.

[19] On the 29th of September 2024, the first livestock show dedicated to the indigenous goats and sheep of the Maltese islands was held in Żejtun, Malta.