What is a Nigerian Dwarf?
All of our Nigerians are registered with the American Goat Society (AGS), but can also be
triple registered with the Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association (NDGA) and the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA).
What is a Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat?
These small dairy goats have a big future. These colorful miniature dairy goats have risen in popularity
as a multi-purpose goat. The Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goat is of West African origin. Their conformation is
similiar to that of the larger dairy breeds having body parts in balanced porportion to their small size.
The nose is straight, ears being upright and forward in position, with short to medium length hair on a soft coat.
A healthy Nigerian Dwarf doe can produce over 2 quarts of sweet milk per day, however, due to their gentle, lovable
personalities, most dwarf owners breed their goats for the companionship and pleasure these little caprines offer.
Nigerians have a calm, even temperament making them ideal for children, the elderly, and disabled. Even breeding
bucks can be handled with ease. These "knee-high" miniatures do not require the space their larger counterpart
dairy goats need, making the care for them practical for the small farm owner.
There are 2 maximum height standards on the Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goat reflected by the 2 registries available
in the United States. The ideal for both registries on does is 17" - 19" at the top of the withers with AGS's
maximum height being 22.5" and NDGA's maximum height at 21". For bucks, both registries have an ideal height
of 18" - 20" with AGS's maximum height at 23.5" and NDGA's at 23". The average adult weight of a Nigerian Dwarf
dairy goat is about 75 pounds.
The most commonly asked question of the Nigerian Dwarf Goat is: What is the
diffence between these and the African Pygmy Goat? Although they share similar African origins, they are each
a separate and distinct breed. Pygmy goats are bred to be short and cobby in stature with heavy bones. Nigerian
Dwarf Dairy Goats are bred to have length of body and the refineness of structure in proportion to true dairy
character.
Color is one of the big factors that make breeding the Nigerian Dwarf dairy goat so popular. You can never
be sure what color the babies will be until they are born, even then you can't be sure because many times their
color changes as they mature. The main color families are black, white, chocolate, red and gold; with any number
varying shades and pattern combinations. Any color or pattern is acceptable in breed standards.
