Nigerian Dwarf Goats... aka my Favorite Livestock ever! ♥

As you all know, we have Nigerian Dwarf goats here on our homestead, for milk purposes.

Why dwarf goats?
Wouldn't it be easier to milk a large goat, and wouldn't you get more milk per goat?

Well.... Yeah, probably.

But Nigerians have qualities that make them worthwhile.

They are small.
Goes without saying, right? Well, the cool thing about smaller goats is it takes a shorter fence to contain them. Where you would want a 5-6 ft fence to contain a large goat, (so I've heard, anyway), you only need 4ft to contain a Nigerian. I have heard Nigerians aren't as 'escapey' as other breeds. I don't have other goats to compare them to, but I have never once had an escapee. Well, there have been a couple incidents where children have left gates unlatched, but I don't think that counts...

Being smaller makes them safer.
Any animal can be dangerous if given the correct circumstances. We all know this. However, a 50-80lb Nigerian has less potential to be dangerous to anyone than a goat that can get 100-200 lbs. Which makes these an ideal breed of goat for a homestead with children.

Needless to say, I am not recommending leaving your small children unattended with your herd.

Some interesting facts about this breed of goat:

• Nigerians are originally from West Africa and grow to be about 50lbs, the size of a medium/large dog. (Males do get a bit larger...)
• They come in a wide variety of colors! They can also have brown or blue eyes!
• When giving birth, they usually have 2 babies, but litters of 3 and 4 are not uncommon!
• Instead of being seasonal breeders, they cycle year round, so it is easy to stagger breedings and have fresh milk all year long.
• They are very active and healthy goats. They can run and jump within hours of birth!
• They are a miniature DAIRY breed, not to be confused with Pygmies, which are a miniature MEAT breed.
• They make great pets due to their sweet temperaments. They are gentle and easily trainable.
• Their milk has one of the highest butterfat content of any goat breed, at 6-10%. They are the Jersey cow of the goat world! (Seriously, this milk is the BEST! So sweet and creamy!)

Honestly, they are so stinking cute, how could anyone NOT want to have these goats?!
I may be a little biased though...

As you can see, even though they may be small, they have a lot of great qualities that make them a valuable addition to the homestead. I, for one, will continue raising this breed for the foreseeable future. I just couldn't imagine our home without them. ♥

Well, I hope you have enjoyed looking at these crazy little guys, and maybe even learned a thing or two.
Perhaps you will consider getting a few of these goats in the future?
I mean, really, how can anyone resist these little faces?!

Have a blessed day Steemians! Thanks for reading!