Description of dwarf mini-goats and rules for keeping an ornamental breed

The dwarf is an ancient African breed brought to Europe from the Cameroonian savannas by whalers. Today, miniature animals are common all over the world, but they are bred not so much for production, but as decorative pets. Dwarf goats are valued for their unpretentiousness in care and nutrition, ability to adapt to any climatic conditions, and low susceptibility to typical diseases of small livestock.

Origin story

Since ancient times, peasants in central and western Africa raised small goats for milk and meat. When the time came for geographical discoveries and colonization of continents, sailors often took dwarf animals onto ships as live provisions. Unpretentious and compact animals were easy to keep, and sailors always had milk and meat.

African goats came to Europe on whaling, trading and military ships. But Europeans were interested not in the productive, but in the decorative qualities of animals. Cute goats appeared in German and Swedish zoos, and aristocrats began keeping them as pets. Miniature goats walking on the lawns of noble estates have become an everyday sight.

Description and breeds of dwarf goats

Initially, there was a breed bred by African peasants - the Cameroonian pygmies. On its basis, Nigerian goats were created in the USA as a result of breeding work. It is difficult to distinguish representatives of the breeds, they are similar in appearance, and there are also frequent cases of crossing Cameroonians and Nigerians with each other.

The standards for both dwarf breeds are shown in the table.

Dwarf goats are not capricious, quickly adapting to both heat and frost. They are able to climb boulders and trees in search of food. But they are susceptible to dampness and can catch a cold. The character of dwarf goats is playful and lively. But the animals are not pugnacious, friendly, and obey their owner. They are intelligent enough to be trained.

They are neat and clean, and do not tolerate their home being dirty and unkempt. The milk of dwarf goats does not have a specific odor.

In addition to Nigerians and Cameroonians, there is a less common dwarf Oberhasli - a hybrid breed obtained from crossing Nigerian and Swiss goats. A model of the farmstead has also been developed - a variety of the Cameroonian breed, the representatives of which have small horns that curl inward.

Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages of Cameroonian pygmies:

• lack of capriciousness in care;
• resistance to typical cattle diseases;
• high adaptability to environmental conditions;
• calm and friendly character;
• 2-4 cubs per litter;
• receptivity to training.

Disadvantages of the Cameroon breed:

• low milk yield, which is associated with meat orientation;
• possibility of an allergic reaction;
• animal susceptibility to dampness.

Both Nigerians and Cameroonians do not tolerate solitary confinement well. To prevent the little goat from moping, you need to buy a few more animals.

Pros of Nigerian Dwarf Goats:

• lack of capriciousness in care and maintenance;
• disease resistance;
• friendly and lively character;
• high average daily milk yield;
• high fat content of milk;
• 2-4 cubs per litter.

Disadvantages of the Nigerian breed:

• skeletal fragility and weak muscle mass;
• sensitivity to microclimatic conditions.

Rules for choosing good individuals

To buy a good and healthy mini-goat, you should pay attention to:

1. The seller has documentary evidence that the animal belongs to the breed.
2. Height. Even in the strongest and tallest individuals of the dwarf breed, it is not higher than 70 cm at the withers.
3. Weight. If a dwarf goat weighs more than it should according to the standard, then it is obese, which is fraught with deterioration in health and low productivity.
4. The smell and taste of milk. A specific smell and taste are signs of a goat’s mixed origin.

Nuances of breeding and care

The barn should be insulated and spacious. The area of ​​space per individual indoors should be 0.8-1.2 m², and the pen should be about 5 m². Driftwood and various elevations should be placed in the pen to make it interesting for the goats to walk.

The floor in the barn is lined with straw, and the passages are lined with a clay-gravel mixture. African goats belong to rocky breeds, so shelves are attached to the walls on which the animals will sleep. Optimal microclimatic conditions in the barn:

• temperature – 16-18 °C;
• humidity – 60%;
• Daylight hours are from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

During the winter months, when daylight hours are insufficient, lighting fixtures are installed. On frosty days, pets are not allowed out of the barn into the yard.

What and how to feed

Dwarf goats eat 3 times less than standard breeds.

The diet should consist of:

• hay;
• pasture;
• corn, oat, barley grain;
• dry leaves and twigs;
• forage leguminous grasses;
• vegetables;
• concentrated feed.

You cannot treat goats with bread. To replenish vitamins and mineral elements, pets are given salt, seaweed for livestock, and vitamin complexes. The goats are watered 2 times a day. The water is changed regularly. It should be slightly warm. It is poured into the drinking bowl either after the animals eat succulent food, or before feeding with compound feed.

Adults

An adult pygmy goat should consume the following daily during the summer months:

• 2-3 kg of fresh grass for grazing;
• 500 g of hay;
• 200 g of concentrated feed.

In winter, when grazing is not possible, the goats' diet includes:

• 500 g of hay;
• 200 g of grain feed;
• 150 g vegetables;
• 200 g of feed;
• one aspen branch with dry leaves.

Goats

The diet of dwarf kids is determined by their age. Newborn babies up to a month are fed 4 times a day: at 6, 11, 16 and 20 hours.

A kid up to 3 months is fed as follows:

• up to the 10th day of life – mother’s milk;
• before the 20th – hay, oatmeal, 5 g of minerals in the form of salt;
• up to the 30th – bran, cake, crushed oat grain, oatmeal, 10 g of minerals in the form of chalk;
• up to the 40th - hay, bran, concentrated feed, chopped vegetables - all 50 g, 1.2 liters of milk;
• up to the 50th – 75 g of concentrated feed, 100 g of hay with bran, 600 ml of milk;
• up to the 60th – 150 g of hay, 130 g of mixed feed, 70 g of chopped vegetables, 50 g of bran, 500 ml of milk;
• up to the 70th – 150 g of hay, 180 g of mixed feed, 100 g of chopped vegetables, 50 g of bran, 200 ml of milk;
• up to the 80th – 200 g of hay, 250 g of mixed feed, 100 g of vegetables, 50 g of bran;
• until the 90th day - 250 g of hay, the same amount of concentrated feed, 150 g of vegetables, 100 g of bran.

Then the young goats are fed an adult diet.

Subtleties of breeding

So far there are few dwarf African goats in our country. There are nurseries, but they sell animals mainly for decorative purposes, so the number of animals is small. There is a high probability of getting a pet born from inbreeding or mixed breed.

A dwarf goat is allowed to breed after it reaches 4 years of age. Although representatives of the breed mature by 5-6 months, breeding animals at such an early age is fraught with problems with their health and bearing sick offspring. Most often, dwarf goats give birth to two kids. The cub weighs about 350 g. Despite its tiny appearance, it is strong and developed, it immediately grabs the mother’s nipple, and after 3-4 hours it already stands on its feet and jumps briskly.

Is it possible to buy for an apartment?

Although dwarf African goats look cute, get along with other non-aggressive domestic animals, they can be trained, but it is not advisable to keep them in apartment conditions. A pet can be taught to use a litter box, but it will still often poop on the floor.

A representative of the rocky breed will quickly jump on furniture, climb onto bedside tables and chests of drawers, which not every owner will like. Goats are also ruminants, so the pet will probably tear curtains, tablecloths, and duvet covers with its teeth. Owners who nevertheless risk having a dwarf goat in their apartment should make soft shoes for it so that its hooves do not knock on the parquet.For your pet you need to arrange a corner with straw bedding.