Here Is Information On Nigerian Dwarf Goat Farms

By Ann West


The origin of Nigerian dwarf goats is Western Africa. This breed became very popular due to the fact that they have beautiful body marks and are small in size. This breed has existed for a long time, but never have they been so popular like they are today. The small size of the goat is advantageous to farmers in numerous ways. This is worth knowing about Nigerian dwarf goat farms.

To begin with, people prefer Nigeria Dwarf goats because their small size makes it easier to raise them even on small parcels of land. The breed is classified as a dairy goat by the US Department of Agriculture. There are several other breeds of goats that fall in the same category, but they are much bigger in size. Rearing them would require more space and feed.

The small size and gentle nature of this breed makes it safe to handle. These goats are not aggressive by nature like other goats. As such, they can be handled very easily. Even children can be left to handle them without risk of accidents and injuries. Since they are classified under livestock dairy animals, they qualify for youth FFA and 4H projects.

The other factor which makes this breed so popular with people is their capability to produce milk. On a daily basis, they can produce up to two quarts of milk. Also, their milk is nutritious and very sweet. In the animal kingdom, the milk produced by these goats is among that with the highest content of butter. There is high protein content in the milk too.

Most people do not rear these goats for purposes of getting milk despite their high milk production capability in a day. In fact, the goats are not milked in most cases to benefit the owners either commercially or domestically. Rather, these animals are mainly reared as pets. Many people enjoy being in company of these animals.

Nigerian dwarfs are a legitimate breed that has strict conformation standards. Conformation standards in this breed are similar to the ones observed in other larger dairy goats. The first requirement for conformation is that body parts must be proportional. The nose is supposed to be straight with the ears being upright. The coat is required to be soft with the hair growing to a short or medium length.

The goats usually come in various colors or combination of certain colors which are acceptable depending on conformation standards. For the females, 17 to 19 inches is the ideal height. The males ought to be between 19 and 21 inches in height. In rare cases, the males can reach a height of 23 inches while the females could reach 21 inches.

The ideal weight is supposed to be 75 pounds. Animals that weigh too much or have other faults are usually disqualified from shows. Examples of faults include having pendulous ears, curly coat, or roman nose. When buying, it is important to be accompanied by an expert to verify conformity. Alternatively, one can ask the farmer to produce registration papers for the goat to verify conformity.




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