Nigerian Dwarf and African Pygmy Goats. It’s one of the things that helps us continue to provide you with free content weekly. ","Serve over a brown rice or wild rice blend."]}. Nigerian Dwarf goats are best known for their small frame, beautiful variety of colors and markings and their frequent blue eyes. How do you handle not weaning them before 16 weeks but also not impregnating the doe while they keep nursing? Nigerian Dwarf goats are smaller than regular goats and will require a little bit “denser” fencing to ensure their safety. They are usually strong enough to latch onto the mom right away, and will be running around within a couple days. Nigerian dwarf goats are the perfect sized goat to keep for milking and meat for urban farming or urban homesteading. They are commonly used as dairy animals and pets. These adorable goats can be an excellent choice for your farm or homestead. Your Goats: A Kid's Guide to Raising & Showing. But I’m not a really huge fan of beef, which is one reason I don’t want to continue dealing with cattle, which are quite large and more challenging to handle. {"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Recipe","name":"Goat Goulash","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"thriftyhomesteader"},"datePublished":"2018-01-09 08:00:42","image":"https:\/\/thriftyhomesteader.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Goat-Goulash.jpg","description":"","recipeYield":"8 people","recipeIngredient":["2 lbs. Add garlic cloves, paprika, cayenne, and salt to the meat and stir. favorite this post Nov 8 Looking for Males goats ... 3 male Boer meat goats $250 (htf > Chatham) pic hide this posting restore restore this posting. Nigerian Dwarf goats have a more slender neck, and thinner, longer legs. Goats are very social herd animals and do need companions. Apart from sleeping area in the barn, your goats should also have some space to roam. Pet goats is rarely a good idea, even with such cute tiny goats as Nigerian Dwarf Goat. The kids are usually born quite tiny: just under 400g! These are definitely not, Nigerian Dwarf Goat adaptability and climate requirements, Feeding and watering your Nigerian Dwarf Goat, igerian Dwarf Goats are not very demanding in terms of care and environment (apart from wanting to be dry and warm! The Miniature Nigerian Dwarf Goat originated in West Central Africa. Goats gestation and goats pregnancy explained. Few people eat Nigerian dwarf goat meat. They are also very intelligent! Nigerian Dwarf Goats do well on hay, especially alfalfa or other legume-based types of hay. Thanks for the recipe, look forward to trying it! But they do provide around 2 L of milk every day during their lactation period which lasts around 150 days. It should also be spacious enough to comfortable house your herd. Our very first Nigerian Dwarf birth was a single boy which we castrated also. Never get just one goat! Lets recap: Nigerian Dwarf Goats are not very demanding. Bayou Country is owned and operated by myself, Mitzi Cowart with the help and support of my husband Wally and our children & grandchildren. You can even train them to do tricks. 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 inches (57 centimeters) and bucks no more than 23.5 inches (60 centimeters). I was familiar with the conservation list of the Livestock Conservancy, and I wanted all of our animals to come from that list because I wanted to help preserve rare breeds. To make this recipe gluten-free, you can use rice flour or oat flour in place of unbleached when making the gravy. In the fall of 2016, a doe gave birth to a single buckling, and she was the only goat to give birth that fall. The predecessors of Nigerian Dwarf Goats originated in Central and West Africa and have been bred for centuries for milk and meat. This post contains affiliate links. We have a friend who raises organic pastured Belted Galloway cattle, and I plan to purchase beef from him. In addition, kids can easily squeeze through bigger squares and goats with horns are notorious for getting their heads stuck; a fatal mistake if you don’t find them in time. Thank you so much for this detailed information. Some homesteaders/farmers deworm their goats up to 3 times a year. This is how their journey across the world began. They are super sweet animals and are, in our opinion, the ultimate dairy goat! goat stew meat","3 garlic cloves (crushed)","1 tbsp. unbleached flour","1 cup goat milk","1 cup water"],"recipeInstructions":["Preheat the oven to 325\u00b0F. That means that if you purchase something after clicking on the link, we’ll receive a small percentage while you pay exactly the same price as you otherwise would. My dad butchered them young, about 3 months old, but they were a large breed of goat. Despite their compact size, Nigerian Dwarf Goats are quite hardy and are actually different from other breeds in that they rarely get sick. When we took lambs into the locker for processing last fall, he went with them. While standard-sized goats have butterfat around 3-4%, Nigerians average 6-7%. It is usually also very lean and suitable for people on a diet or just watching their fat intake. I think you meant 16 months, not weeks? Nigerian Dwarf Goats can sometimes bring to litters a year. In fact, I prefer milk-fed goat, so we’ll just keep a few wethers each year to use for our own goat meat. Later that day I told my husband about the little buck. Raising Goats Naturally: A Complete Guide to Milk, Meat, and More. Our goats are registered with the American Goat Society and the American Dairy Goat Association. Goat types: oh so many! If you're looking for Nigerian dwarf goats for sale in Texas, you've come to the right place! Cook for 10 minutes and then remove the pan from the heat. However, they do not like being wet. In addition to that, you will need to feed 100-200g of grain and up to 1 kg of vegetables such as cabbage leaves, apples, carrots, beets and others, as well as some brush weeds. The only problem with this recipe is that it’s easy for me to overeat as my taste buds scream, “More, more!” and my stomach is screaming, “Stop, you fool!” But that’s a small price to pay for a delicious homegrown meal. Because they are so small, the farmers would often just let them roam free around the farm or village. Because these goats are small, they tread lightly. I am just starting with ND goats and was hoping to find some recent discussion about their meat. They also can’t really live in a house. Add water as necessary to keep it from drying out. In any case, you need at least 3-5 sq meters of walking area for each goat. That would have been far too traumatic for him and us. Needless to say that the enclosure needs to be well fenced in so that your mischievous goats don’t go exploring away from your property. Nigerian Dwarfs usually have horns, which are not very large and usually rounded. For 20 years we have been dedicated to raising top quality Nigerian Dwarf goats, mini donkeys, and other farm animals! They’re also … The other down side to being the lone kid born in the fall is that there was no companion I could sell with him to a pet home after he was wethered. We tried eating an old goat several times, and it gave all of us terrible indigestion. We tried eating an old goat several times, and it gave all of us terrible indigestion. Cook for 10 minutes and then remove the pan from the heat. Being of a smaller size they are easy to manage, take up less space, and also eat and feed less. Put 1 tablespoon of oil in a 5-quart cast iron Dutch oven. Our daughter who studied Agricultural Education at Clemson University and is now a teacher in North Carolina got us started with the Nigerian's when she started 4-H. Before that we were a Lamancha family. They are the smallest of the milking goats breeds. You will have to clean it out and change it regularly to avoid moisture: Nigerian Dwarf Goats hate moisture! Our wonderful goats provide us the milk to hand make our natural soaps, body, and face care products! One of the first recipes I pulled out after bringing home the meat from the locker was the Goat Goulash recipe that’s in my book, Raising Goats Naturally. It’s been a few years since the last time we’ve had goat meat, and I had forgotten how delicious and mildly flavored milk-fed goat tasted. Nigerian Dwarf Goats have the highest level of butterfat content of all the other milking breeds. Unless we plan to continue milking a kid’s dam through the next year, we’ll butcher him in the fall while he’s still nursing because we prefer the taste of the meat when the kid is still consuming some milk. Many households would have these cute little goats as a significant dairy provider for the family. All wethers are $125, and come dehorned, vaccinated and are castrated before they go home. However, they are definitely not ready for breeding at such a young age: it can cause severe health issues for both mom and the babies! The body of the goat is very compact and round in shape, with small bushy tail. This is due to their strong immunity and natural resistance to pathogens. Almost every household would have 6-7 Dwarf goats. No, Nigerian dwarf goats don’t make good meat goats. As a smaller goat breeds, Nigerian Dwarf Goats mature quite early on. Which types of goats are for you. Powered by  - Designed with the Hueman theme, Nigerian Dwarf Goats origins: from Africa all around the world, One of the most unique features of these goats is, of course, their miniature size. Few people eat Nigerian dwarf goat meat. Nigerian dwarf goat kid meat. Owen Hearn. Pour the sauce into the meat and carrot mixture. When we moved to the country in 2002, we chose Nigerian dwarf goats for our farm because they have the highest butterfat of any dairy goat breed in the United States. Pygmy’s tend to have a limited amount of colors and markings and only have brown eyes. Nubians are an energetic dairy or meat breed, with floppy ears and a tolerance for hot weather. We also provide an interactive map that shows you where the Nigerian dwarf goats are for sale in Texas. Nigerian Dwarf Goats do well on hay, especially alfalfa or other legume-based types of hay. At the same time, like any other breed, Nigerian Dwarf Goats are herd animals and can’t live alone away from other goats. After 5 minutes, add the onions and carrots to the pan, and continue stirring to prevent burning. paprika","1\/4 tsp. Nigerian Dwarf Goats are well adapted to heat and cold! Nigerian Dwarf Goats love warm climates and to quite well in the heat. If you want meat goats then you would buy Boer’s, most likely. Add the goat milk and water, continuing to whisk while bringing it to a boil. If you’ve ever had goat meat that was tough and stringy and had a very strong flavor, that was an old goat. Required fields are marked *. Horny Dude had a hanging weight of 39 pounds, which was actually better than our spring lambs, so he was totally worth the effort and cost to take to the locker. Nigerian Dwarf Goat don’t make too much milk, but the milk they do produce has wonderful mild taste and does not taste or smell goaty! As we processed our last Jersey steer this fall, we also made the decision to stop raising our own beef. Male Nigerian Dwarfs weigh around 24 kg, while females are a little lighter at 15 kg. ","Cover and bake at 325\u00b0F for 1 hour or until the meat is tender. The Nigerian and Oberhasli were the only two dairy goats on the list back then, so I didn’t have much to choose from. Since they are so small, most people view ND wethers as pets. I tried to convince my family to butcher him but no one else was willing. We chose milk goats, but we didn’t choose Nubians. Each goat needs at least 1 sq meter of space. We put two wethers in the freezer this summer. Nigerian Dwarf Goats origins: from Africa all around the world. Despite their size, Nigerian Dwarf Goats are very fertile. Goat milk benefits: is goat milk good for you? If the goats are too crowded, they can get stressed and even sick. We will work closely with people that are fairly new to goats, however, we reserve the right to refuse any sale when we don’t feel our goats will receive anything but quality care. ","Pour the sauce into the meat and carrot mixture. This was a great article. That is, until they took their place as one of the unique and valuable farm goat breeds which they are now. The predecessors of Nigerian Dwarf Goats originated in Central and West Africa and have been bred for centuries for milk and meat. We raise registered Nigerian Dwarf Dairy goats. This is especially true for young kids. I gasped. Nigerian Dwarf Goats Are Smaller. Whether you should do it so often or not really depends on your goats worm load. We started raising Nigerian dwarf goats in 2002. The one hour bake time assumes you are using meat from a young goat. Serve over a brown rice or wild rice blend. $1. Nigerian Dwarf goats are enjoying a rise in popularity due to their small size and colorful markings. It is recommended to consider breeding your Nigerian Dwarf Goats when they are no younger than 12-14 months of age. 01.09.2018 by thriftyhomesteader // 7 Comments, We have fallen in love with goat meat all over again, and it’s all because of a goat we called Horny Dude. Hames & Axle Farm, located in Ashburnham, MA has been breeding nigerian dwarf goats since 1996, and teaching about farms and the planet for longer than that. Damerow, Gail. See why. As a smaller goat breeds, Nigerian Dwarf Goats mature quite early on. Nigerian Dwarf Goats originated in Central and West Africa. Nigerian Dwarf Goat coats are short, although not as short as that of Saanen goats. Their adult height is about 17-19 inches for does and 19-21 inches for bucks. Dwarf goats … If you need a companion for your wether, or would like a pair of them we offer a pair at $225. We’ve butchered goats at various ages and stages through the years, but we haven’t done it very often. salt","3 tbsp. In the early 19th century, some of these goats were imported to Europe and the US by whalers and sailors, who appreciated these miniature goats for their compact size, good adaptability to various environments as well as milk and meat they provide. One of the most unique features of these goats is, of course, their miniature size. To keep your goats comfortable, you will need to have (or built) a proper shelter for them. After successful breeding, the gestation period lasts around 150 days, and usually results in 2-3 kids per doe. Females reach maturity at around 6 months of age! To satisfy their explorer needs, you will want to make sure the  enclosure has trees, maybe some artificial hills and mounds for your goats to play on. If you buy "goat stew meat" from a store, it will need to be cooked longer. An average Nigerian Dwarf Goat stands up to 50 cm tall and is about 70 cm long. They can also be registered with NDGA. Add the stew meat and set on medium heat to brown. Nigerian Dwarf Goats are very healthy and resistant to pathogens and diseases common for other goats. favorite this post Nov 5 Nigerian dwarf goats Some animals are quite a bit larger at around 28-30 kg, but that’s not very common. Many households would have these cute little goats as a significant dairy provider for the family. Learn About Miniature Nigerian Dwarf Goats. To avoid accidental breeding, bucks and does should be separated from each other as soon as they stop eating their mother’s milk. Nigerian Dwarf Goat coats are short, although not as short as that of, Nigerian Dwarf Goats Milk and meat productivity, Nigerian Dwarf Goats are smaller, so of course they don’t have as robust of dairy productivity as some other goats. I never wean wethers. Getting Nigerian Dwarf Goats for the first time can seem overwhelming. In a small skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil, and whisk in 2 tablespoons flour to make a roux. Although you won’t get too much meat from this compact goat, the meat that you will get will have excellent taste qualities, and, just like Nigerian Dwarf Goat milk, it doesn’t have goaty taste or smell. Nigerian Dwarves are only about 20” tall and typically weigh less than 75 pounds, making them much easier to handle and house than the large dairy goat breeds.They’re similar in size to a medium to large size dog and are fine-boned, proportionately small dairy goats (not the stockier Pygmy goats). Usually we only butcher wethers if they haven’t been sold by a year, which almost always happens. The coat colors vary from brown or black to gray, or a combination of those (white is always present in some amount as well!). So, we decided he’d be raised for meat. ","Add garlic cloves, paprika, cayenne, and salt to the meat and stir. Surprisingly, they also don’t mind cold all that much and have adapted quite well to winters even in the Northern climates. However, they are not heavy producers. Your email address will not be published. One secret Nigerian Dwarf Goat farmers know is that those who are buying goats for ‘soupy’ purposes prefer them coming in small sizes and this single factor makes the Nigerian Dwarf goat a very matching fit for cooking as meat. Each doe can bring 2-4 kids per litter, with 1-2 litters per year. The most popular milk-goats are probably Nubians. The Nigerian Dwarf Goats are a breed that has been a wonderful addition to our herd. The Nigerian Dwarf Goat measures under 22 inches tall at the withers. However, there are some little tips and tricks that new goat owners don’t always think about. Nigerian Dwarf Goats are very sensitive to moisture and hate being wet. Sire: Sinai Thunder EX Macabees *B *S (Sinai Thunder O Exodus *B *S x SGCH Woodbridge Farm Peridot 3*M *D AR EEEE91, AGS & ADGA Top 10 Milker, 6.9# Milk Test High, 1480#, 113# BF (305 Day) Dam: SG/Elite Sinai Thunder AG Comet 2*M 2*DAR, 89VG+, AGS Top 10 Milker, 2016-18 ANDDA JuJu GOLD, 6.2# Milk Test High, … Nigerian Dwarf Goats are smaller, so of course they don’t have as robust of dairy productivity as some other goats. They are excellent milk producers and can produce up to two quarts a day. Kiko goats: one of the best meat goats out there, Lamancha goats: unique looks, great personality, Damascus goats aka Shami Goats: unique diamond in the goat world, Breeding goats: a comprehensive guide from pregnancy to kidding, Boer Goats: a great meat goat for your homestead, Nigerian Dwarf Goats: a great goat in a small package, How long do goats live: lifespan of a goat and what it depends on, Saanen goats: the best dairy goat and everything about them, Angora goat: facts, details and how to raise them, Goat milk vs Cow milk: why you may want to switch to goat milk. If you are intimidated by goats, a Nigerian Dwarf Goat will help you with that in no time . ), Miniature size makes them easier to manage: they are easy to lift and transport, and can be great goats for a first-time owner. Nigerian Dwarf goats are friendly and outgoing. you first need to decide between meat or milk goats. Add the stew meat and set on medium heat to brown. They weigh around 75 pounds at maturity which is small compared to other meat goat breeds. I castrate them at 8 weeks, and then I let them continue nursing as long as they want.