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The Nigerian Dwarf Goat is a miniature breed of dairy goat originating in West Africa and developed in the United States.
The balanced proportions of the Nigerian Dwarf give it the appearance of the larger breeds of dairy goats, but does stand
no more than 22.5" and bucks no more than 23.5". Any color or combination of colors is acceptable.
| Paul & Riot |
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| 2007 Northwest Oregon Dairy Goat Association Buck Show |
| Paul & Rhapsody |
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| 2007 Central Oregon Goat Show |
Housing
Ultimately, housing depends on how many goats you have and where you live. Mainly, you need to provide some type of shelter
for them to stay warm/dry in the winter and shaded from the direct sun in the summer. Fencing must be substantial enough
to keep out predators such as stray dogs and coyotes. Also keep in mind, Nigerian Dwarf Goats are small. They can squeeze
through gaps in fencing that larger goats cannot. In contrast, their small size does not seem to impede their jumping and
climbing ability. Make sure the area around your fencing does not have any items near it (boxes, boards, trash cans, etc.).
The goats will definitely use this as a ladder to get over the fence. The ultimate result will be goats on your deck, on
top of your car, or in your flower beds (yes, all of these happened in our early experiences).
Food
Again, this depends on how many goats you have and where you live. These are the basics:
Grain: Dairy goats need 14-16% protein. We blend a combination of vitamin/mineral pellets, corn, barley, oats, and black
oil sunflower seeds. Goat ration can be purchased at your local feed store. The quantity of grain fed to goats varies depending
on age, sex, body condition, stage of reproduction, and milk production. Young and dry does get approximately 1 cup of grain,
while pregnant and lactating does receive between 2-5 cups. Bucks should receive grain during the breeding season. Otherwise,
bucks and wethers should only get grain as a special treat. Close attention should be given to grain intake in bucks and
wethers to help prevent urinary calculi.
Hay/Grass: Goats need quality grass and/or alfalfa. Wethers should only get alfalfa as a special treat. During dry weather,
our goats graze in the pasture and browse in the forest. When it's rainy, we cut a variety of native trees/shrubs from our
forest area and bring it up to the barn for them. During the winter, we supplement with grass and alfalfa.
Minerals: Loose minerals designed for goats can be purchased at your local feed store. We also add baking soda to our
mixture.
Water: Clean water at all times is a MUST. Change it often in the summer and make sure it doesn't freeze in the winter.
We have several watering locations throughout our barnyard, pasture and fenced forest.
Milking
A healthy Nigerian Dwarf doe can produce a surprising amount of sweet milk for her small size (up to two quarts per day).
In addition, Nigerian Dwarf milk is higher in butterfat (6-10% and higher in protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds).
We milk our does to supply our family with milk, cheese and ice cream.
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| Pholia Farm milking stanchion. |
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| Pholia Farm girls at work. |
Summer milks from behind, which is not unheard of, but fairly uncommon. Summer did not come to this "style" on
her own, she learned it from Follow. Follow was the first goat Summer ever milked. Follow had been raised at Pholia Farm
where they have a very impressive milking system (which attaches from behind). Summer tried to milk her from the side (like
most folks do), but Follow would have none of that. She knew the "right way," and quickly convinced Summer of this
fact.
UPDATE: We will be adding pictures of our new Hoegger milking system soon. Since we will be milking about 15 goats by
the end of the summer, we felt it was time to invest in a milking machine. We'll keep you updated on our progress.
Other Information
This page provides just a start for those interested in owning Nigerian Dwarf Goats. You should also familiarize yourself
with vaccinations, deworming, disbudding, grooming/hoof trimming, and testing for diseases such as CAE (Caprine Arthritis
Encephalitis) and CL (Caseous Lymphadenitis). There is far more information to be gained from the sites listed below.
Associations
American Dairy Goat Association
American Goat Society
Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association
Excellent Information
Camanna's Petite Paradise
Fias Co Farm
Pholia Farm
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