As with all goats, in terms of care, Nigerian Dwarf goats do not need much. Simple shelter, fresh water, and healthy goat feed will make them prosper. It also allows for a healthier herd by giving them plenty of space to graze on healthy grass and brush.
On our farm here in West Georgia, we keep a small herd of registered Nigerian Dwarf goats. By cross-fencing and rotating the herd, we control our small farm. Temporary feedlots constructed with wire panels also help out in the winter with forage.
These goats, around 18-21 inches at the shoulder, are fairly small when raised. They are easy to tame, and they are great around children. Without any special treatment other than normal feeding, we can walk and pet all of our goats. For a small farm, they are good as they remain small and docile.
Nigerians are a milk breed and can produce valuable milk in large quantities. A number of consumer goods such as cheese, soap, and lotion can be made using this goat’s milk. To anyone interested in having a goat, we suggest this breed. We recommend that you visit the NDGA website to find recommended breeders in your area.
Goat Treatment Simple
This breed does not require much in the way of treatment, as one will find for most goats.
Constructing a Goat House Proper
Your local environment should be considered when preparing accommodation for your goats. Here in the South, with our mild winters, a three-sided shed with a good roof is perfect, but your area can need a more insulated structure. Depending on your needs, anything from a big doghouse to a small shed should do the trick.
The accommodation should give your goats enough room to walk about easily, and they seem to enjoy being off the field. When dealing with goats, one important thing to note is that they are really curious and will nibble on anything. I mean it when I say it! Make sure that you don’t leave exposed or loose something that you don’t want to be nibbled or that if eaten, it could hurt your goats.
I think their nibbling habit is why certain individuals think they’re going to eat something, even tin cans! By the way, it’s not real. They just seem to nibble at anything when eating mostly feed and plants only actually.
For Your Goats Fencing
To the beginner farmer, fencing can be a little challenging, but with a little study and practise, in no time you will be running miles of fence. There are so many options and fencing methods to be covered here, but specifically for goats, I can include a few tips:
Make it extra durable for your fence. Goats love nothing more than ram, hop and rub their sides against the fence, and they will not stop until they knock it down if it is not sturdy enough.
For additional safety clips, utilising locking gates. Goats are notorious practitioners of escape. Personally, I have had countless locked gates opened by a smart goat. Open gates appear to let out the whole herd!
Goats will eat everything inside the fence or kill it. Outside the barrier, they will also ingest all that they can hit. Goats can never consume any plant they can enter if they fence in plants or trees that you choose to keep. Many plants used for landscaping can be harmful. Know also that goats love to climb, brush against, and beat everything in their way with hoofbeats.
For poisonous plants, search your pastures. Be sure to check and eliminate any plants that may be poisonous to your herd when you build your new fence, a list of toxic plants can be found at the below page.
Goats love to climb and play the Mountain King.
Goats love to climb and play the Mountain King.
Goat Feed Made Easy
It is as easy to feed goats properly as to have a healthy daily goat feed. When allowed to actively forage in a healthy pasture, goats would also do better.
Properly Feeding The Goats
It is as easy to feed goats properly as to have a healthy daily goat feed. At your nearest feed and grain shop, you can find nutritionally acceptable goat feed. For proper distribution, use a feed trough to spread the feed out. Your trough should have enough room for the entire herd; otherwise, it would be possible to consume only the most dominant goats. Although the addition of forage will undoubtedly boost the diet of a goat, a proper goat feed is really all that is required.
Fodder is really their main concern when it comes to a goat’s diet. They enjoy a good pasture where grass and weeds can be nibbled on. In general, goats are not very picky when it comes to foraging. Feeding a small amount of goat feed per day, along with a vitamin supplement, is all that is required when a herd has sufficient forage.
A goat with blue-eyes.
Buying the Best Way Goats
Be sure to purchase stock from a reputable breeder if you intend to breed registered goats of any kind. There are several associations of goat breeders on the internet that you can use to find a successful breeder. Visit as many as you can to select breeding stock, and take your time.
You may also want to go to a goat show to see some of the best, but at a show, you don’t buy goats. Before any order, you can make some good contacts and visit the farm to see the breeding stock. Visiting the farm will provide you with a perfect opportunity to examine farm maintenance, management activities, and overall farm conditions in general. Normally, a clean, well-managed farm has a safe, well-maintained herd.
It should also be remembered that goats are animals for herding. I highly recommend buying at least two or more when starting out with goats. Starting with many goats enables them to satisfy their normal herd of desire together. This will allow the tension of newly adopted goats to be minimised.
A young white dwarf goat from Nigeria in a pasture.
Your Performance Understanding
If you have a correct answer between 0 and 1: A goat goes baaah and is a farm animal… do more testing!
If you have the correct answers between 2 and 3: You’re on the right track, keep digging!
If you’ve got 4 correct answers: We’ve got a regular goat whisperer here on our side, go ahead!
If you had 5 correct answers: you may be part donkey, baaah…baah… you understood that, didn’t you?!
Goats Eat Something
Goats can eat just about everything when it comes to foraging plants.
Your Goats Transporting
When we purchased our first two Nigerian Dwarf goats, we were not prepared. For the quick drive home, we ended up keeping the two goat kids in our laps. We have strengthened our transportation equipment since that first goat pickup.
We decided on an extra-large dog kennel after trying a few different configurations. For transporting smaller goats, a kennel works well, and most of them also fold up for storage. The one glaring downside is that there will most often be a slippery floor for a dog kennel. Goats have hooves and do not blend well with hooves and slippery surfaces. A easy solution is to place on the floor of the kennel a dense layer of hay or straw. Often, as long as there are no loose pieces, a small rug works well.
For goats, this overgrown pasture is fine.
Veterinary Treatment
Although goats are typically fairly hardy animals, the occasional visit to the vet is required. With a flourishing farming industry, we live in a rural environment. It is very easy in our region to find a veterinarian who cares for goats. In your particular area, however, this may not be the case. Be sure to find a vet who will represent your flock before you buy your goats. This will remove the burden of attempting during an emergency situation to locate a well-qualified goat doctor.
A series of CDT shots should be given to all goats, which is a vaccination regimen that protects them from common ailments. To assess the proper timing for these vaccines, consult with your veterinarian.
Find a Veterinarian with Qualifications
Although goats are usually fairly hardy animals, a visit to the local vet will sometimes be needed.
Goats are simple enough
Nigerian Dwarf goats, as with most animals, are fairly easy to raise and sustain. They just have a few simple requirements, and they are very rough on most goats. Even so, it is still nice to have a decent book about the breed on hand. I own many books on the subject, and this book provides the most bang for your buck, in my opinion. In an easy to understand format, it covers many useful topics. I notice that many times a month I also reference the content it provides.
By building a stable fence and proper housing before buying your first goats, be sure and prepare ahead. Also, make sure you have a balanced feed on hand for your goat.
It would also make your life a little easier to have a proper way to transport goats and a favourite veterinarian on speed dial. You should have a smooth transition into the life of a goat herder when you follow the tips above.
