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Everything to know about Pygmy goats
Breed Profile: Pygmy Goats
History of Pygmy goat
The Pygmy goats or Cameroon goat , i like to name theme pygmy fighters , they are restricted to the west of africa .
The Pygmy goats were exported from Africa first time to germany and Sweden to zoos , after in 1960 they spread all over the world .
The african breeders were developed the pygmy goats to Live and adapt in remote desert areas that contain few food sources.
The purpose of this goat was to put it in the zoo by virtue of it being a new animal, but it was very popular and people started raising it in their homes as a pet and companion .
The pygmies are too small to be raised as a productive meat goat , also it don’t produce a big quantity of milk but , their milk has a very high butterfat content , that makes them very desirable for producing cheese , ice cream , soap and creams .
Characteristics of Pygmy goat
Bucks and does have the same characteristics , they are very small they weigh between 50-85 pounds , maxe height ranges is 23 inches.
They can be in any color , they muzzle, forehead, eyes, and ears are whiter than the other parts of body.
The pygmies are very cute , friendly and outgoing, they like to play with people and respond readily to vocal calls .
They produce about 2 litres of milk each day in a period of 120-180 days , and there milk may content up to 11% butterfat.
The uses of Pygmy goats
As i mentioned before , the Pygmies are very cute and friendly , the most uses of this breed is to raise it as a pet in the backyard if you have one or in your farm , they will follow you wherever you go .
I had a Pygmy goat a few years ago before i had my farm , i get it for me and for my young child , we was very attached to it .
When i started my farm and after a few researches , i found that the pygmy goats are used to meat and milk even with there low size .
The pygmy meat is very compact and content a low quantity of fat , and they grow fastly .
Moreover they can mate out of the breed season which means more offspring and more meat.
And as i said before Pygmy goats don’t produce a lot amount of milk but there milk is very rich in calcium, potassium, and lower in sodium than other breeds.
Raising Pygmy goat as a Pet
80 percent of people keep Pygmy goats as a pet due to their small size and very friendly nature.
Opinions about raising this breed differ. There are those who like to raise them and others choose another breed.
Since you are reading this article, you are interested in this cute animal that you will never regret raising.
Before you raise any pet, whether it is a pygmy or any other animal, you must get to know it well. What do they like and dislike? Would they love to live with you? And some other things that we will learn about now.
First , you should know if the goat are adaptable with you have to match the habits, needs, personality and temperament of pygmy goats with what you are expecting and what facilities you can provide to the goats.
First and important thing is that you need a couple of goats , at least two , goats live in a flook , they always need friends even if they are not goats , like sheeps and cows .
If you have the ability and resources to get a couple of pygmies , just do it , they will add happiness to your house .
Purchase a pygmy goat
The price of a pygmy goat can start from 50 to 300 depending on various factors including sex, weight, size, age, and temper.
Non registered goats that used as a pet are not expensive ( $40 to $70) , registered goats can go for 300$ and more .
When buying a pygmy goat , make sure that the goat is health , can walk well and had already took the vaccination .
Mood
Pygmy goats have different personality , the will not love you all of them and will not wait you in front on the house until you came like your pet dog , this is what makes them special .
They will love you especially does , just a few days and they will easily adapt themselves with you and your home environment.
Daily Doings
Actually they do nothing , just makes your day better , they spend all their time by playing , clown around and prance around , the looks like a tipsy animals.
If you want to see them happy , just provide for them a big and creative environment to play on .
Feeding
Raising pygmy goats need some knowledge in feeding , they are not like commercial goats , they need a nutritious food that content Hay , bacon soda , grains some times , fruits and vegetables .
Never feed them Alfalfa , it’s may cause urinary calculi .
When i had the pygmy goat i has to feed it twice a day , in order to avoid obesity , and i always i provide for them a clean and water
Housing and Fencing
As i said before in many other articles , all goats need a big space to live in , they will not be happy if they released that they are in a cage especially Pygmies , they need a spaces where they can run, jump, and generally frolic to their heart’s content .
Generally they need about 500 square feet space , don’t forget that you gonna have two goats .
The fencing is not a problem 4 foot tall fence is good for them , they are small and cant jump over it ,plus they don’t do that .
Other tips in raising pygmy goats
Buy a small goat from a trusted breeder.
Avoid buying bucks because they smell bad.
Remove horns if they still have them and trim their hooves every 5 weeks .
Make sure to vaccinate your goats every year against tetanus with CD&T vaccine .
Now you gonna be able to get your pet goat without any problem , don’t forget to share this article with someone interested in raising pygmy goats .
If you still have any question feel free to ask it , we are here for you