Nigerian Dwarf Goat

Description

The Nigerian dwarf goat is a miniature dairy goat breed of West African ancestry. Their coats may be black, white, brown, red, or gold in color. Their coat can have several types of patterns, including polka dots, solid patches of different colors or no pattern at all. Their eyes are either brownish gold or blue.

Range & Habitat

Nigerian dwarf goats are originally from West Africa, but after many years of breeding they can now be found all over the world, including Europe, Asia, Australia, and in the North and South Americas.

At the Virginia Zoo, they can be found in the ZooFarm in the Goat Yard.

Behavior

These goats enjoy socializing in groups of up to 100 individuals, and always need at least one other companion. They often kept as pets due to their sweet, loving character and easy-to-train personality, but are mostly bred for producing milk.

Goats “head butt” each other to establish dominance within the group.

Diet

Nigerian dwarf goats are herbivores. They eat hay, grain, and browse, like the leaves of their tree in the Goat Yard.

Fun Facts

A goat has rectangular pupils so it can see danger coming from behind.
One legend attributes the discovery of coffee to goats! According to the story, the first coffee berries were discovered by an Ethiopian goat herd circa 800 A.D. A herder noticed his goats were more active and energized after chewing on the cherry-red berries. When the herder tried them himself, he felt almost immediately energized.
Nigerian dwarf goats can produce 2.5 quarts of milk in a day during the lactation period.