Pygmy vs Nigerian Dwarf

Hej from Sweden,

I need help from anyone who has any experience with Pygmy goats. We have a small herd of 6 Nigerian Dwarf goats and have just added 2 little Pygmy goats, one buckling and one doeling. They were advertised as Nigerian but when I saw them I realized they were different. They are making themselves quite at home in our stable, sharing a box. They are quite calm and charming.

The internet has been quite helpful as I gathered information about them. What I need to know from anyone who knows, what are the major difference? What is it like to milk them compared to the Nigerians.

I am very happy with them and have no problem blending my herd as all will be West African breed goats. I read that they have a high butterfat in their milk and give a lot for their size, like Nigerians. Are they difficult to milk due to their tiny structure? What are they like to breed and can they be bred year round like the Nigerians?

I would really appreciate any comments from anyone's experience with these tiny cuties.

I will try to attach some photos.

Thank you,

KSweden

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I'm not really sure if all of the info from the US will apply to Sweden, because in this country, the pygmy has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. The pygmy that is registered through the American Goat Society has a different standard than the one registered through the National Pygmy Goat Association. The AGS pymgy is a dairy animal, but the NPGA goat is a pet and show animal with conformation that is more like a meat goat -- square rather than triangular. It's tough to find true dairy pygmies in the US anymore. One pygmy breeder who got a ND buck from me was amazed at how long my goats' teats were, so I'm thinking that pygmies are not that easy to milk. The worst thing about the way that the pygmy has changed in the US is that they have a very hard time giving birth now. I got my first three Nigerians from a woman who had raised pygmies for more than 20 years and got rid of them because she had arthritis in her hands and couldn't pull kids anymore, and I even know a vet who stopped raising pygmies because he got tired of doing c-sections. I've had several people contact me about switching from pygmies to NDs because of the birthing problems -- and when we had our first c-section this past week, the vet was trying to tell me that this is just par for the course with pygmies! GRRR!!! I said that my goats are Nigerian dwarves, and he shook his head and said "all of those little goats." Grrr!!!! Your goats do look somewhat like pygmies -- especially the colors -- but not quite as beer barrelish as the ones I've seen in this country. Maybe yours are more like the ones we had in this country 20 years ago?

Replies

Deborah Niemann-Boehle March 1, 2011 at 2:02pm

I know how you feel -- vets in Illinois really only know cows and pigs.
Gullringstorpgoatgal March 1, 2011 at 1:07pm

Hej from Sweden,

Thanks Deborah! Well I really have no idea about differences in confirmation ,mainly because we do not have the same commitment to goat associations like in the US. I wish we did. I have had a hell of a time with the vets out here who are very well versed in cows and sheep but NOT goats. I really feel to be in no man's land out here. My source of information is the internet, books, some goat people here and now this fabulous site.

No one here seems to be having any difficulties with births with Pygmy or Nigerian Dwarf goats. Lord help them if they did, our vets know very little. Not really a good feeling, let me tell you. I do know that these 2 little ones came into the world with no difficulties and the same for the others that we are planning to get.

I imagined that they teats would be tiny as well. Might need a little milking machine, we will see.

I will say this, they are just so darn cute. i can't stop looking at them!

Thanks

KSweden
Deborah Niemann-Boehle March 1, 2011 at 12:23pm

I'm not really sure if all of the info from the US will apply to Sweden, because in this country, the pygmy has changed dramatically in the last 20 years. The pygmy that is registered through the American Goat Society has a different standard than the one registered through the National Pygmy Goat Association. The AGS pymgy is a dairy animal, but the NPGA goat is a pet and show animal with conformation that is more like a meat goat -- square rather than triangular. It's tough to find true dairy pygmies in the US anymore. One pygmy breeder who got a ND buck from me was amazed at how long my goats' teats were, so I'm thinking that pygmies are not that easy to milk. The worst thing about the way that the pygmy has changed in the US is that they have a very hard time giving birth now. I got my first three Nigerians from a woman who had raised pygmies for more than 20 years and got rid of them because she had arthritis in her hands and couldn't pull kids anymore, and I even know a vet who stopped raising pygmies because he got tired of doing c-sections. I've had several people contact me about switching from pygmies to NDs because of the birthing problems -- and when we had our first c-section this past week, the vet was trying to tell me that this is just par for the course with pygmies! GRRR!!! I said that my goats are Nigerian dwarves, and he shook his head and said "all of those little goats." Grrr!!!! Your goats do look somewhat like pygmies -- especially the colors -- but not quite as beer barrelish as the ones I've seen in this country. Maybe yours are more like the ones we had in this country 20 years ago?

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