PYGMY GOAT

The African Pygmy is a miniature dairy goat with milk production being quite generous for their small size. They will produce as much as a quart and a half per day for up to ten months. This goat is one of the few breeds of goat that will breed out of season.

They mature early, and many will produce offspring by one year of age. Single births are common the first time, but after that twins or triplets are not uncommon. Although domestic goats in general originated in Asia, the African Pygmy is one of four types of dwarf goats from Africa.

There are many local variations, but the four basic types are West African, Southern Sudanese, Somali and Small East African. The type which has been most widely distributed throughout Europe and the United States is the West African, commonly called the African Pygmy or Nigerian Dwarf.