A BRIEF HISTORY
The Nigerian Dwarf goat is one of two miniature goat breeds in this country originating in West Africa.There are several recognized breeds of small and dwarf goats in West Africa, and it is from these native African herds that the first "miniature" goats were imported into the United States. Although illegal imports are suspected earlier, the first documented imports arrived in this country in the 1930's and 1940's, for the benefit of several private and public zoos and preserves.
There were two distinct types of small goats imported, one being short, cobby, with short legs, and the other being more slender, with a longer body and proportionally longer legs and a more streamlined appearance. In the earlier years, in fact until about the 1960's and 1970's, little distinction was made between the cobbier type that became the African Pygmy goat, and the more dairy-type goat that became known as the Nigerian Dwarf.
Over the years, selective breeding has resulted in the two distinct breeds that are recognized today in the United States: the African Pygmy Goat and the Nigerian Dwarf.
NIGERIAN DWARF REGISTRIES
There are several registries that maintain herdbooks for the Nigerian Dwarf Goat in North America.
Nigerian Dwarf Goats were first registered by the International Dairy Goat Registry (IDGR) in 1982, followed by the American Goat Society (AGS) in 1984, and the Canadian Goat Society (CGS) in 1985. A privately-owned breed-specific registry called the Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association (NDGA) was formed in 1996.
AGS is an all-breed purebred dairy goat registry, and is the largest register of Nigerian Dwarf Goats, having over over 20,000 Nigerian Dwarfs in its herdbooks as of September 2002. AGS sanctions a large and ever- increasing number of shows across the nation every year, with "hot spots" being Texas, the Northeast, and the Northwest.
BREED STANDARD
The breed standard for the Nigerian Dwarf Goat, as set forth by the American Goat Society, reads in part as follows:
Parts of the body are in balanced proportion; an animal with a disproportionately large head, or one with a relatively large body on short legs is not acceptable. The nose is straight, though there may be a small break or stop at the level of the eyes. The ears are upright.
The coat is soft, with hair that is short to medium length.
Any color or combinations of colors is acceptable.
Breed disqualifications are:
Curly coat
Pendulous ears
Roman nose
bucks over 23.6"
does over 22.4"
evidence of myotonia (this is associated with fainting goats)
The above breed standards are rather brief and don't really describe adequately what one of these little goats actually looks like. Using the AGS scorecard for a basis, this is what a Nigerian Dwarf doe should like:
General appearance will be of femininity and refinement, paired with good condition and strength.
Head will be refined and fairly long, with either straight or slightly dished profile. Eyes are large and soft, ears are medium-length and well set on the head. Face is very animated and expressive. Neck is long and slim, and blends smoothly into tight shoulders with high, sharp withers. Body is long, deepening from heart girth to flank to allow plenty of room for internal organs and kids. Ribs are flat, spaced wide apart, and well-sprung. Topline is level, with only a slight slope from hips to tail. Legs are wide apart, straight, with short, strong pasterns and short feet with tight toes. Skin is soft and pliable, with fine hair.
The crowning glory of any dairy goat is her udder, and the Nigerian Dwarf is no exception. The "perfect" udder is capacious, attached very high and wide, with milkable teats, and a smoothly blended foreudder.
WHAT ARE THEY GOOD FOR?
Milk of Course!
A well-bred, well-fed Nigerian Dwarf doe can produce a surprising amount of sweet milk for her small size. The 2000 All-Time Breed Leader for milk production is WGF Millie *D, who earned that honor by milking 1,545 pounds in a 305-day lactation, with butterfat averaging 5.8%. The All-Time Breed Leader for Butterfat, Gay-Mor Reggae's Nestle Quick 2*D, milked almost as much with 1,499 pounds with an amazing 7.1% butterfat!
Although the records above are of course exceptional, a properly cared for doe should easily produce 1 to 2 quarts a day of high-butterfat (averaging about 6%) , high-protein milk. This makes the breed an excellent choice for the family who can't use the gallon or more a day that a larger dairy goat can provide. Since Nigerian Dwarfs are also year-round breeders, they can also have their place in a commercial dairy as an off-season source of very rich milk. Many breeders enjoy making cheese, fudge, soap and other goat milk products.
Companion Animals
The Nigerian Dwarf goat is extremely popular as a pet and companion animal for people and other animals. It's calm, even temperament and engaging personality combined with its convenient size and flashy colors make it a great companion for all, including children, the handicapped and the elderly. Even breeding bucks can be handled easily and are non-aggressive. Most breeders disbud kids soon after birth, so horns are never a problem. Dwarfs have been used as companion animals for horses, llamas, and even ostriches and emus.
The Thrill of Competition
The best way to show others what you are accomplishing in your breeding program is in the show ring. Classes are usually held for milking does, junior does, bucks and occasionally wethers and dry (not milking) does.
Shows are excellent learning experiences, as unlike with many other animal shows, goat show judges are required to orally give reasons for their placings of a class.
Many goat shows include showmanship classes for children and adults alike. The showmanship classes for the younger set are usually held as "teaching" classes so the children are given a good foundation in the skills of properly showing a goat. Even very small children can usually handle a gentle, well-trained miniature goat, and it can be an excellent introduction for them into showing livestock, and a good confidence builder.
HUSBANDRY AND HEALTH CARE
Nigerian Dwarfs are a hardy, naturally healthy breed. They can thrive in all climates, but do need shelter from extreme conditions and especially from rain, as they hate to get wet. For the beginning goat keeper with just a few goats, a spacious dog house can work just fine. A good quality grass or alfalfa hay and/or free choice pasture should be the mainstay of their diet, with milking does and growing kids being given grain in accordance to their needs.
A vaccination program is usually recommended. Commonly given are Clostridium Types C & D Toxoid ( known as C&D) and tetanus. Ideally, the pregnant doe is given shots 2 to 4 weeks before kidding, in order to boost her antibody levels to better protect her kids at birth. Kids are born with no immunities - their protection comes from the immunities in their dam's first milk, or colostrum. If the dam was vaccinated, then kids should be vaccinated at 6 weeks, and boostered 2 to 4 weeks later. Adult goats should be boostered annually. Other vaccinations may be commonly given in your area - ask your vet for details.
Some parts of the country are deficient in certain minerals, such as selenium, zinc and copper. Deficiencies in these can cause kidding problems, hoof problems, poor hair coat, depressed immune systems, and other problems. Talk to your vet and/or breeders in your area for more information.
Goats are susceptible to parasites, both internal and external. Depending on location and management practices, goats should be wormed as often as every other month. Safeguard and Panacur (fenbendazole) and Ivermectrin products are commonly used and usually effective.
REPRODUCTION
Nigerian Dwarfs are a precocious and prolific breed, reaching sexual maturity as early as 7 weeks of age. For this reason it is very important to have buck and doe kids separated no later than 2 months of age. Bucks can be used for breeding as soon as they are ready and able, but most breeders chose to wait until doelings are at least 7 months of age, and some wait quite a bit longer, depending on the maturity of the doe. Twins are most common, followed by singles and triplets. Quads, quints and even more have occurred. The does are easy kidders and good mothers, seldom needing assistance in either delivering or caring for their babies. Most breeders do prefer to be close at hand during delivery however, just in case. The kids average about 3 pounds at birth and are usually on their feet and nursing within just a few minutes. By the end of the first day they are leaping and jumping and playing tag. This is a good time to make friends with the impressionable youngsters, as some dam-raised babies can be stand-offish if not handled regularly.
Kids can be bottle-raised if the owner wishes, and most breeders wean between 8 and 12 weeks of age. Kids should be exposed to high-quality hay and grain from an early age, and will often begin nibbling alongside their dams by a week or two of age.
COLOR
Color is part of the fun of breeding Dwarf goats. The American Goat Society accepts all possible colors, patterns and combinations. Dwarfs can be dalmation-spotted, pinto-patterned, tri-colored, or just beautiful solid shades of jet black, chocolate brown, gold or white. One of the most attractive patterns is called buckskin: a dark color - usually black or chocolate - covers the head, neck and shoulders in a cape effect, with the remainder of the body being a lighter color and the face and legs sporting coordinating stripes! Although not significant in the show ring or the milk pail, blue eyes are increasingly found in the breed.
See the AGS Chart of Suggested Colors and Patterns for Nigerian Dwarfs.
