About the Nigerian Dwarf Goat Breed
The Nigerian Dwarf is a miniature dairy goat breed originating from West Africa. They were originally transported to the United States as food for large carnivores that were captured to be relocated to zoos. The surviving goats were kept in small herds at zoos in the U.S. and eventually became popular as pets and small-scale milkers.
The Nigerian Dwarf should not be confused with the rounder-bodied Pygmy goat. Both are small, but the Nigerian should have a thinner, more agile body shape that truly resembles a miniaturized version of a larger dairy breed.
The Nigerian Dwarf is one of the more recently recognized dairy breeds, recognized by the American Goat Society in 1984 and by the ADGA in 2002. The first ADGA National show where Nigerians appeared was in 2010.
According to the breed standard, both does and bucks should be over a minimum height of 17 inches at the whithers. The ADGA breed standard also requires that does be NO MORE than 22.5 inches tall, and bucks no more than 23.5 inches.
Nigerians can come in an array of colors and patterns, and can even have blue eyes.
Nigerians are particularly prized for their milk which has the highest butterfat content of all dairy goat breeds, averaging 6.5% and as high as 10%! Unlike other dairy breeds, Nigerians can breed year-round, making it easy to stagger freshenings. Their average production is about 2.5 pounds of milk per day, but can be as much as 8 pounds per day — quite a feat for such a small goat!