Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
have lower feed, housing, and management requirements.
Their different coat colors also add variety. They breed
year-round and are very prolifi c. Selected breeds of pet
goats are listed below.
in popularity, and dwarfs are becoming more available.
Most dwarfs are sanctioned by AGS (OSU, 2004).
Pygmy
The Pygmy goat was derived from the Cameroon Dwarf
or the West African Dwarf goats of West African coun-
tries. The northern, southwestern, and eastern African
countries also have similar forms of Pygmy goats. This
breed is small with short legs, a large torso, and broad
head. Besides being used as pet animals, the breed also is
used for meat.
They are very popular as exotic animals. The hair is
straight and medium to long. Males have beards, but
beards are nonexistent, sparse, or trimmed in females. All
body colors are acceptable, the predominant color being a
grizzled (agouti) pattern produced by the intermingling of
light and dark hairs of any color (National Pygmy Goat
Association, 1932 ).
Australian Miniature
The Australian miniature goat breed was developed in
1995. These miniature goats became a recognized breed in
2000 by the Australian Miniature Goat Club (Burk's
Backyard fact sheet, 2009). The breed is mainly from
Angora, Cashmere, and Nubian breeds, combined with
Australian feral goats. The breed measures up to 53.3 cm
(21 in.) in height for adult females and 58.5 cm (23 in.) for
adult males. They are intelligent, gentle, love human com-
panionship, and often form close bonds with their family
and other family pets. Their small size makes them easy
for members of the family to train and handle. Australian
miniature goats are predominantly kept as pets. Some
owners use the longhaired types for spinning while others
milk their goats.
Pygora
The Pygora goat is a composite breed developed by cross-
ing Pygmy goats with Angora goats (Pygora Breeders'
Association, 2002). The breed has fl eece that is distinct
from Angora and the smaller size from Pygmy. This breed
was developed in 1987 in Oregon, U.S. The Pygora goats
are medium-sized goats. The registered Pygora goat may
not be more than 75% registered Angora goat or more than
75% registered Pygmy goat (Jorgensen, 1993). Pygoras are
popular as pets because they are very friendly, cooperative,
and easy to handle. They are also good show, breeding,
and fi ber-producing animals. Pygora goats will produce
cashmere- like fl eece (Classifi ed as Type C), a mohair-
like fl eece (Type A), or a combination of the two fl eeces
(Type B).
Adult bucks weigh 34 kg - 43 kg (75 - 95 lb) and reach a
minimum height of 58 cm (23 in.) at the withers. Females
(does) weigh 29 kg - 34 kg (65 - 75 lb) and reach a minimum
height of 45 cm (18 in.). The breed is both horned and
polled animals.
Kinder
This is a composite breed developed by crossing Pygmy
goats with Nubian goats. This breed was created in 1988
in the U.S. and is recognized by the American Dairy Goat
Association as a dairy goat (OSU, 2004). More muscular
than the pygmies, they are popular as pets. This breed also
is considered a dual-purpose goat being used for both milk
and meat production. The adult does average 52 kg (115 lb).
Their milk production averages 680 kg (1,500 lb) in 305
days or less. Animals of this breed grow rapidly.
Nigerian Dwarf
The Nigerian Dwarf is a miniature goat of West African
origin. They make wonderful pets and great animal proj-
ects for young children in 4-H. They are very popular as
zoo or park pets also. They have a straight nose and erect
ears. Their coat is soft with short to medium hair. Dwarf
goats come in many colors but usually are black, or choco-
late and gold with random white markings and other color
combinations such as red, white, gold, and black.
The mature buck 's wither height is 48 - 50 cm (19 - 20 in.)
with a maximum height of 59 cm (23.6 in.). The adult
female height at the withers is 43 - 48 cm (17 - 19 in.) with
a maximum height of 57 cm (22.6 in.). Dwarf goats are
gentle and loveable. Even breeding bucks are handled
easily. They breed year-round and are very prolifi c. They
are registerable in three registries: American Goat Society
(AGS), International Dairy Goat Registry (IDGR), and
Canadian Goat Society (CGS). Dwarf shows are growing
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
MULTIPURPOSE BREEDS
The majority of goats in the world are multipurpose breeds.
Mason (1996) has listed more than 29 goat breeds that are
used as triple-purpose animals. Products from these goats
include meat, milk, fi ber, and skin, and they also may be
used as pack animals. Most of these breeds are in their
original state throughout the world and have not been
intensively selected for any products such as meat, milk,
or fi ber. The application of a multitrait animal model
