We discovered goats when we moved to our 25-acre dream farm in 2020. We started out with 4 unregistered Nigerian Dwarfs in 2020, right when COVID was getting big. Whoo, was that a ride. That first year was a hard one. We learned a lot. The first thing we learned, was that goats aren't as easy as we were first made to believe. Second, was that goats were the most amazing little creatures. I knew I was hooked. And third, that registered and unregistered goats cost the same amount to maintain and if you're wanting to breed as we were, registered babies sell for double what unregistered do. At first, we didn't think too much about that, because we thought registered goats were not worth the upfront cost. Then we realized the profit margin was much greater with registered stock, all while having the same amount of maintenance. So, we jumped in with a farm down the road.
I traveled to 2022 ADGA Nationals, and met with a lot of the top farms. That was such a great experience! Sitting with barb Greg and Sarah Brown (Atwood Acres) as their doe, Shy Elk won 1st place in her age class, and went on to compete for the ultimate title national Grand Champion against does half her age. I learned so much from Steve and Regina Bauscher (Honey Sweetie Acres). He told me how he didn't think he was good enough to compete at Nationals, but he did it, and won and was so glad he did. He said "Don't ever doubt yourself. Go for it!" They are some of the best farms out there, and never made me feel as though I didn't belong there in the stands with them watching because I "didn't have a horse in the race".
We currently have 24 registered and 1 unregistered goats. All Nigerian Dwarfs. We will most likely keep the unregistered for now. I do like to offer cheaper options to people who just want them as companions and farm pets. Registered or unregistered, they have great personal value to me, and I can only hope that their new homes love them as much as we do! We will be adding more soaps, and handmade candles and wax melts very soon. Don't forget to follow the Facebook page 'Bozarth's Barefoot Farm' to get frequent updates and announcements!
Nigerian Dwarf does are at least 17 inches tall and may be no taller than 22.5 inches. Bucks are also at least 17 inches tall and no taller than 23.5 inches. While there is no weight requirement, 75 pounds is an average weight. Many color combinations are common, the ears are of medium length and erect, and the bridge of the nose is either straight or dished. The hair is short and fine. The Nigerian Dwarf was also developed in the United States and is the only miniature dairy goat breed registered by the American Dairy Goat Association. Although a small goat, the Nigerian Dwarf doe produces a proportionate quantity of milk with high butterfat.
Origin
Between about 1930 and 1960 a variety of small goats of the West African Dwarf group of breeds were imported from Africa to the United States to be exhibited in zoos. The Nigerian Dwarf, like the American Pygmy Goat, derives from these, but does not resemble the stocky West African Dwarf in conformation – it has been bred to have the appearance of a miniature dairy goat. It was at first reared as a show breed and companion animal; selection was for appearance and for docility. It was later found to be suitable for small-scale dairy production, and some breeding was directed towards dairy qualities. A herd book was established in 1980.
Numbers grew rapidly; by 2002 there were almost 7000 head registered. The breed was recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association in 2005. The Nigerian Dwarf was formerly listed on the heritage breeds watchlist of the Livestock Conservancy as "recovering", but was removed from the list in 2013.
In the 1990s the Nigora breed was created by cross-breeding the Nigerian Dwarf with Angora and other mohair breeds
Characteristics- Wikipedia
The Nigerian Dwarf is small but well-proportioned; its confirmation resembles that of larger dairy goats. It may be horned or naturally hornless. The coat is fine and fairly short, and may be of any color, or multicolored; common colors are gold, chocolate and black, frequently with white markings. The facial profile may be concave or straight; the ears are upright. The average weight is approximately 35 kg (75 lb), while maximum height is about 60 cm (24 in) for males and slightly less for females; stock bred for dairy performance may be rather larger than show or companion animals.
It is a precocious breed – young stock may be bred from an early age: males from about three months, females from seven or eight months. The gestation period is in the range 145–153 days; the twinning rate is high, and triplet and quadruplet births are not uncommon. Life expectancy ranges from 15 to 20 years.
Use
The Nigerian Dwarf was originally bred for show and as a companion animal. It was later also bred for dairy use. Average milk yield of dairy stock is 340 kg (750 lb) per year; the highest recorded annual yield is 782 kg (1720 lb) in a lactation of 305 days. Lactation usually lasts for about ten months. The milk is high in butterfat and protein, averaging 6.5% and 3.9% respectively, and is suitable for making cheese and butter
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