In 2012, we bought the kids a couple of registered Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats for Easter. The kids had wanted goats for a while, and after careful research we discovered this was the breed that best fit our needs as companions for the children. Little did we know we would soon fall in love with everything about this miniature breed of goats. The following year, we bought a couple of more little does. In 2014, we had our first kidding season, with five babies born, four of which were does. It was our first milking season too and the girls hand-milked their does every morning and night after the babies were weaned off their mamas. We learned to pasteurize milk, make goat milk cheese, and the kids enjoyed drinking the fresh milk.
Nigerian Dwarf goats are of West African ancestry. They make excellent pets and family milk goats due to their small size and sweet dispositions. They are available in a wide variety of colors and patterns. They are about 1/3 the size of standard breeds with the maximum height at the withers for does being 22.5 inches and bucks being 23.5 inches. A healthy Nigerian Dwarf doe can produce over 2 quarts of milk each day. Nigerian Dwarf milk has between 6% and 10% butterfat, with higher protein contents than most other dairy goat breeds.
At Vida Nueva Ranch, we strive to raise high quality Nigerian Dwarf Goats with focus on conformation, milking performance, color and disposition. Check with us in the spring for your next unique pet or family milk goat.