About Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Nigerian dwarf goats are actually a fairly new American breed. Though they started with brood stock from West African, breeding has been done very carefully throughout the nation to develop a true miniature dairy goat. Height standards vary among the various registries, but they should be 22.5" or less at the withers for females, and 23.5" for bucks. In appearance they more"dairy" in their appearance, having an elegant bone structure, rather than their short and cobby cousins the pygmy goats.

Nigerian dwarf goats are found all over the USA, in all sizes and shapes. They are also used to develop new breeds of dairy goats, the miniature dairy goats, such as mini-manchas, mini-Nubians, etc. The Nigerian's size makes it very feasible for suburban families to keep a couple as pets, or as family milk suppliers. Despite their small size, they are excellent milk producers, yielding an average of a half gallon/day during peak lactation. Many does give much more than that. If selecting for milk, make sure to study the DHIR records from either AGS (American Goat Society) or ADGA (American Dairy Goat Association.) These records will tell you which breeders are developing for Nigerian dwarf goats that excel at milking.

If you just want a personable, colorful pet, consider purchasing a wether. These neutered males have none of the buck's bad habits, but stay small and stable in their personalities. Doe moods can change depending upon the season and hormonal changes. Wethers are the same every day. They are also considerably less expensive than their productive littermates, does and bucklings.

If you'd like more information on Nigerian Dwarf goats, as milkers, or as pets, please check out
Personal Milkers: A Primer to Nigerian Dwarf Goats, our ebook -
Wether or Not: Goats as Pets.