Another Goat Thread :) This little one is really cool!

Just learned of a really neat little goat that would be a great provider for someone with limited space. It's the Nigerian Dwarf. Now these aren't the same as the common pygmy goat. Check 'em out.



Average adult size 60-80 lbs.
Does easily do 1.5 litters per year and can do 2 of get this.. 3 to 5 kids.
Does give 2 quarts of milk per day High in butterfat(6 to 10 percent).
I believe I read (but can't verify now) they live 15+ years.

I'm just really impressed with these little guys. Lots of milk, butter, cheese, meat, and all on a minimum of fuss, space, and feed.

I don't suppose anyone here has experience with them do they?

Here's some linkage:
http://www.goatweb.com/discover/miniature/nigerian/index.shtml
http://lilhillfarm.com/about.shtml
http://www.tinyangelsfarm.com/

 

Hmmm 25% of 6O is uh,,,15lbs minus the weight of pack and saddle....
I guess you could pack a gallon or so of water on them LOL

 

A couple of the does and a buck would be great for a person in the burbs with a little bit of a yard. Not much biger than dogs and breeding could be kicked up (or just the young kept) in the event of need. The only real down side I would see to them asopposed to some of the larger goats would be that the smaller they are the more critters they could be prey to, a couple of adult goats especialy if not dehorned could put up one hell of a fight against a dog or even e few dogs but it the goat was the size of a small dog and attacked by say german shepherds that were hungry (or even a couple of coyotes) then they would not be as likely to fare so well. Kind of a flip side, since the meat is in even more convenient sized packages and should take less each to feed and water and such.

 

Good points about predation, BUT I've seen (and had) small goats who were much more agile and fast -- they got away from the coyotes whereas the Nubian doe fell because she was that split-second slower.

Might have to think about a couple of these.....

~Falcon

 

Were the small ones faster than the coyotes or just faster than the slower goat though? You know kind of like running from a bear, you dont have to be faster than the bear, just faster then the slowest guy with you.

 

Upon spotting a predator, the little ones trip the goat next to them and take off.

 

I raise Nigerian Dwarfs. Did you know some have blue eyes? yep they do and are a big seller! those piercing eyes sell themselves!

I also raise nubians and boers. but if you cross a Nigerian dwarf buck with any large dairy goat they become a Mini and the does breed. This gives me Mini Nubianns... long floppy ears, nigerian face, little bigger then a ND but smaller then a Nubian.. I can't keep any kids because they are desired for their size, milk and meat.

But yes I raise Nigerian Dwarfs. A very sweet goat that loves people. they aren't loud like a Nubian.

Predators.. a good fence will keep out coyotes... no less then 5 feet but 6 feet is better. If you can't do hot wire, lay fence on the ground.... drive "T" posts in the ground and fence. I use field fencing and put two rows of fence up to make 6 feet. Then I tie (using hog rings) the fence on the ground to the verticle fencing. This keeps predators from being able to dig under.

I also use Livestock Guardian Dogs http://lgd.org and couldn't operate with out them. While I can keep coyotes, wolves and dogs out with fencing.. I can't stop bears, mountain lions or raccoons (as well other predators like weasles, skunks, possums and etc). I chose the Anatolian Shepherd Dog and have never regretted it.

only buy registered stock! costs just as much to feed mutts as purebred. You can sell registered stock for more then you can unregistered. While the up front costs is a bit more, it will pay for itself 20 times over.

brook

 

Does it really matter since they got away? But yes, they were faster. Lighter and quicker on the feet.

Besides, if there'd been a bear here in mid-MO, it'd have been a real problem, now wouldn't it have.

~Falcon

 

I was just wondering as far as if they would be able to get away if they were on their own or if there needed to be something slower there for the coyotes to catch so they lost intrest in chaseing the slightly quicker ones.