A heat lamp and deep bedding is usually sufficient to keep goats comfortable. Additionally, these creatures can fall prey to predators quite easily, and must have secure fencing to keep them safe. Pygmies don’t require grains always, like other larger goats. When looking for a pygmy goat, it’s important to purchase them from a reputable source. S o you’ve had chickens for a while and are enjoying those awesomely flavorful homegrown eggs. With these goats, farmers selectively bred the American Pygmy and the Nigerian dwarf breeds. They do have shorter lactation periods than some of the dairy goat breeds and will only be in milk for 120-180 days before drying up. These goats have highly social behavior, and you should keep them in groups. It is a charming and lovely animal which you will never feel lonely if you have it around you. I love what you have learned.I am interested in the Nigerian more for milking. We use these little stainless steel pails to milk our Nigerian Dwarf goats. In the winter, keep your goat’s water from freezing. Read on to learn about the Pygmy Goat. They eat brush and blossoms. Remember, pygmy goats are livestock and still have some characteristics that you may need to really consider. You can do this with a pair of hoof shears very easily. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Animals.NET aim to promote interest in nature and animals among children, as well as raise their awareness in conservation and environmental protection. Goats are ruminant animals who eat plants and digest them through a four-compartment stomach. You can put diapers on them, but you may tire of changing diapers. They love variety so they’ll eat up your trees, bushes, & weeds before they’ll nibble on the grass. Rain rot is a common problem with goats and is brought on quickly in wet, muddy pastures. The human being is always in need of friends no matter what it is. You can find pygmy goat babies for around $75 in the spring. Though their ancestors originated outside of the United States, farmers created this breed in North America. Insufficient water consumption can cause various health problems. March 12, 2016 at 2:44 pm. The domestic goat is a subspecies of the wild goat (Capra aegagrus), and all of the various breeds share the same species. A hay feeder will reduce the amount of hay that is wasted by your goats. Like the Nigerian Dwarf, it derives from the West African Dwarf group of breeds of West Africa. Pygmy goats, like other goat breeds, have unique mineral requirements. Goats are browsers and not grazers like horses and cattle. Your email address will not be published. A goat should eat between 2 to 4 pounds of hay on a daily basis. Hay is the most natural food source for goats, and eating it as the staple of their diet will help keep their ruminen in check. When measuring goat size, there are two main ways that you can measure them. The original ancestors of this breed came from Africa. Goats require a lot of water to digest their food properly and will quickly go off of feed if they don’t have water to drink. Pygmies are extremely social and fun to be around. Goats get their energy by oxidizing the organic matter of food. Some adult meat goats can weigh close to 200 pounds. From Sweden and Germany, the dwarf goats were exported into England, Canada and the United States. Your email address will not be published. Goats and sheep may be of similar size and appearance, but they require different nutrients. Pygmy goats can be any color or color pattern. Just to show how and well, goats can actually do when it comes to clearing weeds, below is a short video: Pygmy goats are small enough that they aren’t intimidating to young children. They are more like deer regarding nutrition, than they are to sheep or cattle, which eat a lot of grass. Grains are usually sold in bags and can be purchased at a local feed mill or farm supply store. Vaccinate your pygmies for tetanus, pulpy kidneys and enterotoxaemia. This breed, which people sometimes mistake for the closely related Nigerian dwarf breed, originates in Africa. This means that in addition to grass they also eat shrubs, bushes, leaves, and virtually any edible plant matter. (Besides the fact that they are just so cute!). How are they different from standard sized goats? This includes fencing and shelter from harsh weather. Some are common in landscaping: oleander, mountain laurel, rhododendrum, azaelia, lily of the valley, larkspur, delphinium, foxglove, some lupines (blue bonnet), braken or brake fern, many mushrooms, groundsel, tansy, and yew. Not all of these plants will lead to immediate death in pygmy goats. Adult goats drink between 2 and 6 liters of water a day. Pygmy goats are a popular breed of goat to raise due to their social nature and small size. Ours also graze on our grass and blackberry bushes, but if we're not watching closely, they'll sneak a bite of our flowers. If you’re interested in goats for dairy purposes but don’t have much room, then pygmy goats may be the best option for you. tall at the shoulder and weigh no more than 80 lbs. Feeding adequate quality feeds to your goats is very important. Goat feed often has added minerals like copper and selenium, which sheep don’t need as much of. You may be thinking that there is no way that a pygmy goat doe can successfully nurse four babies at a time. In the Western U.S., wildfires are a major concern for landowners. You can attach a mineral feeder to the inside wall of their shed or barn. There are three kinds of forage plants - grasses, forbs and browse. In winter, or when you have do not have pasture, nourish your pygmies great excellent grass or timothy hay. As with all goats, the most important feature of their diet should be free-choice, good quality hay or forage. Also provide them an iodized salt block to lick. There is a very long list of plants that are poisonous to goats, as well as other livestock, available online. They are extremely versatile and require less resources than other livestock species. They will entertain you with their goofy personalities. Bermuda hay is a good choice for goats. The pygmy exactly fits this description if you need milk. If you notice a goat that starts to look pot-bellied and isn’t wormy, then you need to restrict the amount of feed they consume. Do you own pygmy goats? You may also have to supplement their diet with feed and minerals also. All photos used are royalty-free, and credits are included in the Alt tag of each image. Eventually, the Pygmy goat was acquired by private breeders and began to be sold as companion animals. Yes, these little goats can make wonderful pets to the right people, but they are not indoor pets. This is where height is measured. All Rights Reserved. They are versatile and can be used to clear land, provide milk and in some cases, provide meat. I know it looks tempting and something that your goats would love to eat, but it can cause urinary calculi, or kidney stones to form. Pygmy milk has been shown to have as much as 11% butterfat. The average pygmy kid weighs between 2-4 pounds at birth. Just like any other domestic livestock, these small goats basically feed on hay, … The descendents of these goats are the pygmies found in the U.S. today. You can fulfill the carbohydrate needs of your goats by feeding them whole and rolled grains. People fully domesticated this breed of goat many years ago. Pygmy goats are generally pretty healthy when they are taken care of properly. One doe can produce 1-2 quarts of really rich milk per day. If you can, purchase feed that is formulated specifically for goats. Any hay that is wasted on the ground can be used to fill chicken nesting boxes or put into the composting bin. You'll need about 135 square feet (12.5 m 2) of space per goat that you have in your herd.Nigerian dwarf goats are very playful, and they love to romp and climb on things. Pygmy goats were brought to the United States from European zoos in the 1950s, and were subsequently used in zoos and for animal research. The milk is super rich and can contain as much as 11% butterfat. You may need to separate individuals before kidding or during a time of illness. They love to eat leaves, brush and other small shrubs and trees. Despite popular belief that goats eat virtually anything, they do not eat everything, but due to their curious nature they will nibble and investigate anything that they deem particularly interesting. Feeding Your Pygmy Goat or Nigerian Dwarf Early cut grass-legume mix makes a fine, all-purpose hay. In addition, have plenty of hay for them to feed as they wish. If you decide to raise pygmies as pets, there are some things that you should be aware of. Also, it’s not easy to potty train them. The pygmy breed has an interesting history that began in Africa. Goats are well-known for their ability to forage on anything from fresh grass to woody shrubs. In fact, pygmy kids will usually be up and nursing within a few minutes after birth. When you’re buying feed for your goats, don’t purchase feed that is labeled for goats and sheep. Even pygmies that don’t produce as much butterfat out perform many dairy breeds by producing over 4% butterfat. While it’s true that she only has two teats to nurse babies with, pygmy does are very successful when it comes to raising multiple kids. Plus, they fertilize while they clean up! This makes them much smaller than many of the standard breeds. It’s okay if goats aren’t right for you, you can still be a homesteader, you can still be self-sufficient. Learn more about what makes them unique, below. It’s easy to treat if caught early. There are several reasons why owning a pygmy goat may make sense for you. Some people also use them to clear bushes and shrubbery from areas. Barber pole worms cannot live in the digestive tract of large livestock, so co-grazing reduces the parasite loads. The Cameroon dwarf goats originated in the French Cameroon area. People also give goats a small handful of grain during milking time to … Like all goats, these mammals have hooves on their ends of their feet with two primary “toes” rather than a single hoof like a horse. Pygmy goats are browsers naturally. Provide a shelter or barn with a dry floor for goats to escape the weather in. Throughout Africa there are several types of pygmy goats. It’s interesting to note that goats are very efficient when they eat. While their ancestors lived in a variety of arid African habitats, nowadays these goats live in primarily manmade habitats. They can, however, live happily in your backyard. The best way to make sure that your pygmies stay healthy is to feed them correctly. Check the photos below for some of the more common Nigerian dwarf goats should have free and unrestricted access to clean and fresh water. Pygmies are really popular as farm animals and pets. The pygmies that led to the pygmy goats found today in the United States are descendants of the Cameroon Dwarf goats. Required fields are marked *. It’s important to consider the size of the goat when you start thinking about housing and fencing needs. Goats eat primarily hay or pasture. If you only have a budget for one dairy goat, then get 3 dwarf goats. Such plants as fescue, orchard grass, bluegrass, etc., are examples of grasses. Because of this, it’s important to check your goats frequently for anemia. Goats are prone to getting hoof rot, which can be easily avoided by providing them a dry place to escape muddy pastures. So if you have 3 goats, for example, you'll need about 405 square feet (37.6 m 2) of space. My goats are wethers, which means they are castrated males. This charismatic little breed has a number of interesting traits and behaviors. Pygmy does that have babies they are nursing will need additional water to produce the large amounts of milk that they make. Pygmy goats are small and have compact little bodies. How are they different from standard sized goats? A flake or two of a quality square bale is generally enough for a day. Sunflowers (the entire plant), beets, mangel beets, pea vines, Jerusalem artichokes, pumpkins, carrots, kale, turnips, squash, and sweet corn (husks and stalks) can all be added to their diet. True to their name, pygmy goats are small in size and are much smaller than standard sized goats. Keep the minerals in a location where they will stay dry. Unlike cows and sheep, these creatures do not graze, but browse on virtually all plant matter. You can expect them to get excited when they see you. Always provide them adequate amount of fresh and clean water. When free-fed, goats will only eat as much mineral supplements as they need. They are an easy goat to raise and have a … If the goat shows signs of anemia, worm it immediately before bringing it home and spreading the parasites to goats you may have at home. Depending on the soil in your area, there may be enough minerals to support your goats. For fulfilling necessary minerals and vitamins demand, you can feed your goats corn, oats, sweet feed and goat ration. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. Don’t let your goats graze their pastures down to the soil. You can also feed your Pygmy goats fruit and vegetable scraps from the kitchen to add variety to their diet. Although you can provide some grain to the nursing and pregnant does and growing kids. Provide them with some elevated sleeping areas to keep them entertained and off of the potentially wet ground. They eat an incredibly variety of different plants. Pygmy goats are a popular animal raised on farms for a reason. They will be happier and so will your budget. Make sure that your goats are getting the minerals that they need. Goat minerals provide ample selenium and other minerals to keep them healthy. Pygmy kids are weaned at 8-12 weeks of age. Reading Time: 6 minutes Keeping goats with chickens is possible and can benefit both species. Typically, the more kids, the smaller they are in size. Goats like to graze and they make good use of forages they eat. Provided with proper nutrition, they are generally pretty healthy. They have a list of really helpful resources and breeders that can help you find the right goat for you and your family. The reason why it would result in a faster clearing is that the Boer goats will consume all the tall shrubs and weeds while the pygmy goat will take care of small plants and weeds. They will call to you when they see you, come when they are called and will follow you around for attention. If you think you can handle raising a pygmy goat, know that they make really good pets and they are fun to own. find registered breeders though the National Pygmy Goat Association here. Farminence was founded as a way to educate people that are interested in becoming more self-sufficient. This makes them the perfect candidate to clean up overgrown woods and brushy pastures. Pygmy’s are considered a small or dwarf MEAT breed. Check the hooves for signs of damage, soreness or rain rot while you are trimming them. Most grow to a maximum of 20 in. Many dairy breeds weigh around 120 pounds at maturity. However, you must provide ample space and pasture for them to graze and exercise, medical care, and shelter from the elements. Reply. You must do your research before deciding on this or any pet. Do this with a dry floor for goats to escape muddy pastures each. 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