Mini Goats E-Book

Sue Weaver

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 253

Beschreibung

You don't have to find a farm to find a goat these days. Goats have become popular on hobby farms and even in suburban backyards for fleece, for milk, and just as pets. Goats are known for their easy-keeping qualities and delightful personalities, and what's easier to keep than a goat? A miniature goat! Including Pygmy Goats, Nigerian Dwarfs, Mini-Myotonics, Miniature Silky Fainting Goats, Miniature Dairy Goats, Pygoras, and Nigoras, mini goats have all of the traits that fanciers love about full-sized goat breeds in a compact size. City dwellers can even enjoy the companionship of a miniature goat—or two! In The Mini Goat Guide, experienced goat keeper and author Sue Weaver brings readers the most comprehensive and current information about selecting and caring for miniature goats.Inside The Mini-Goat Guide:The miniature goat breeds and their myriad sizes, shapes, coat types, and colorsPreparing for mini goat ownership and selecting the right goats for youThe miniature goat's behavior, temperament, social nature, and body languageHow to feed, house, exercise, groom, and provide proper health care for your mini goatsBreeding goats and raising kidsSpecial considerations for owning dairy goats

Leseprobe

Mini Goats

Everything You Need to Know to Keep Miniature Goats in the City, Country, or Suburbs

Sue Weaver

Mini Goats

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Copyright © 2016 Lumina Media, LLC™

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Lumina Media, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Weaver, Sue, author.

Title: Mini goats : everything you need to know to keep miniature goats in the city, country, or suburbs / Sue Weaver.

Other titles: Everything you need to know to keep miniature goats in the

city, country, or suburbs

Description: Irvine, CA : i-5 Publishing, [2016] | Includes index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2015043464 | ISBN 9781620082072 (softcover)

Subjects: LCSH: Goats. | Miniature livestock.

Classification: LCC SF383 .W35 2016 | DDC 636.3/9--dc23 LC record

available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2015043464

eBook ISBN 978-1-62008-211-9

This book has been published with the intent to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter within. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the author and publisher expressly disclaim any responsibility for any errors, omissions, or adverse effects arising from the use or application of the information contained herein. The techniques and suggestions are used at the reader’s discretion and are not to be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If you suspect a medical problem, consult your veterinarian.

Contents

Introduction

Goat FAQs

Choosing a Breed

Get Your Goats

Understanding Goats

Feeding Goats

Shelter and Fences

Parasites

Health and Hoof Care

Breeding and Kidding

Caring for Kids

Mmm-mm, Milk!

Glossary

Resources

Photo Credits

About the Author

Introduction

If you’d like to keep goats, but you don’t have a lot of room to spare, think mini goats. Miniature goats, especially Nigerian Dwarf goats, are quickly growing in popularity in North America for numerous good reasons.

• Minis are cute, smart, and personable. They make great pets.• Minis include Pygmy Goats, Nigerian Dwarfs, Mini Myotonics (Mini Fainters), Miniature Silky Fainting Goats, miniature dairy goats (scaled-down Nubians, Saanens, Alpines, LaManchas, Toggenburgs, and Oberhaslis), Pygoras, and Nigoras. Minis come in shapes, sizes, coat types, and colors galore.• Their size makes it a snap to transport them, even in a car or a van, so it’s easy to take them wherever you like.• Miniature milkers, like miniature dairy goats and Nigerian Dwarfs, provide about two-thirds as much high-butterfat milk as a big goat and need half the feed.• It’s easy to keep a pair of miniature goats in a fairly small enclosure if you plan it right (we’ll show you how). Minis make ideal urban goats.• Miniature goats are easier to handle than big goats, so they are better choices for children and for adults with limited strength.• There is a strong market for minis, especially breeds like the Nigerian Dwarf and Miniature Silky Fainting Goat, so it’s easy to sell your mini goat’s kids to great homes for a decent price. Minis typically give birth to two to five kids.

We came to minis in a roundabout way. We’ve kept full-size goats since 2012, when a friend who is a breeder of world-class Nubian goats called to say that some uncaring person had abandoned two half-grown mini goats on her farm. The little goats had to be rehomed as quickly as possible. Would we take them? Of course! Thus, Modo, a winsome Mini Myotonic buckling, and Spike, a first-generation Mini Nubian doeling, entered our lives. Not long after that, another friend rescued an aged, ailing Pygmy Goat from an uncertain fate. We took her in and named her Sweetie.

Our original minis were so cute and engaging that two sets of Nigerian Dwarf twins, first Iggy and Ozzy and then Gizmo and Gonzo, soon joined our ranks. Now, we have Eamon, a sweet Nigerian Dwarf buck; Alijah, a Mini Nubian buck; and a Mini Mancha house goat named Dodger. There are more miniature goats in our future. We adore them. Minis are fun!

Chapter 1

Goat FAQs

Miniature goats are fun, interesting, and affectionate animals, but before you get one (or more), you should know what you’re getting into. Goats are a commitment. Here are some questions that people often ask (we’ll elaborate on these points later in this book). Read on!

What can I do with a miniature goat? Depending on the kind of goat you buy, you can breed and milk her, make things from her hair (fiber), or share her by taking her to nursing homes and hospitals to visit the residents and patients. A reasonably big mini goat can carry some of your stuff when you go camping or pull a small wagon. And goats make wonderful pets.

Can I keep just one goat? Goats prefer the companionship of other goats. A goat kept by herself will be sad and lonely and probably call (that’s the sound that goats make, also called bleating) a great deal, making noise that your neighbors won’t want to hear. It’s always best to have at least two goats. If you live in the country or in a city or suburb that allows other animals, most goats are also happy if they have a sheep, pony, horse, alpaca, or other livestock friend for company. Chickens don’t provide enough companionship for a goat.

John with some of the minis (left to right): Gonzo, Iggy, and Ozzy (Nigerian Dwarfs); Modo (Mini Myotonic); and Spike (Mini Nubian).

Don’t goats stink? No. Goats are naturally clean. The only goats that smell bad are bucks (adult males used for breeding), and then only during rut (breeding season). Does (female goats) and wethers (castrated males) kept in clean quarters are virtually odorless.

Do goats like people? Yes. Unless your goat has never been around people very much or was mistreated before you got her, she’ll want to spend her time with you. She’ll show her affection by calling when she sees you or wanting you to come hang out with her. If she really likes you, she’ll rub her forehead against you. Because goats become so fond of the people in their lives, don’t get a goat and then ignore her or sell her right away; be certain that you want a goat before you get one. It would be perfect if you could keep your goats (or find someone else to take good care of them) for the rest of their lives. Goats are special and deserve good homes.

Are goats good with children? Yes, they are. Goats tend to love human kids. However, you should always supervise toddlers around goats because a goat can easily topple a small child by accident. And goats tend to shove other goats, dogs, and other small creatures out of their way. The occasional goat considers toddlers fair game.

Mini goats can be affectionate, playful friends for human kids.

How long does a goat live? Most goats live to be 12 to 14 years old. The world’s oldest goat was a Pygmy wether named McGinty who lived in Hampshire, England. McGinty was 22 years and 5 months old when he died.

Is it expensive to keep goats? Not really. Miniature goats are easy to house, and they don’t eat a lot of feed. However, in addition to feed and bedding for your goats’ house, you’ll have to provide dewormers and veterinary care from time to time.

Your biggest cost may be fencing. Goats are inquisitive and intelligent, and they like to get out of their pens and roam around. They’re good climbers, so they might hop up and nap on your car or go next door and raid the neighbor’s garden. The saying “good fences make good neighbors” is never more appropriate than when keeping goats.

What kind of housing do goats need? Goats aren’t picky about where they live. They do need shelter from wind, snow, and rain. It could be a stall in your regular barn or garage, a field shelter (a goat-sized barn with a roof and three sides), or even a really large dog house. They also need room to walk around and exercise in a fenced pen with something to climb on.

Why can’t I tie my goat out with a collar and chain? Tethering (tying out) is very dangerous for goats. Your goat could get tangled up and hurt herself. She could knock over her water bucket and get very thirsty. Worst of all, a dog could come along and kill her. It happens to tethered goats all the time.

It’s playtime for Eamon (left), a Nigerian Dwarf buckling, and Alijah (right), an F1-generation Mini Nubian buckling.

Can I keep goats in my city or town? That depends on zoning laws where you live. To find out for certain (and do this before buying any goats), ask someone at the zoning office in your city’s town hall or county courthouse. Many cities and suburbs allow goats as long as you obey applicable zoning regulations, keep their living area clean, and ensure that they don’t make too much noise.

Most goats live in outdoor shelters, but they can be house-trained for indoor visits. Young Mini LaMancha Dodger enjoys some couch time with Fred the Dachshund.

Certain breeds of goats are noisier than others, and some individuals of every breed are quieter or noisier than the norm. If you have close neighbors, you’ll have to choose your goats very carefully. For example, most Nubians, full-sized or miniature, tend to call loudly because they can be needier than other breeds; although they’re cute and endearing, they aren’t the best choice for city living. Small, quiet breeds like Pygmy Goats, Nigerian Dwarfs, Mini Myotonics (Mini Fainters), Miniature Silky Fainting Goats, and most of the miniature dairy breeds like Mini Saanens, Mini Alpines, Mini Toggenburgs, Mini Manchas, and Mini Oberhaslis make perfect in-town goats.

Is caring for goats a lot of work? Goats are trusting animals that look to you for their needs. They must be fed and watered twice a day—summer and winter, rain or snow, no exceptions—and you’ll need to learn to trim their feet (it’s easy to do). They love humans, so your goats will want you to spend some time with them every day. You’ll have to clean their stall or shelter when it needs it. If you live in town or in a suburb, your goats’ areas will need more frequent cleaning, but don’t worry—goats make compact pellets, not big, floppy “goat pies.”

If you milk your goat, you’re taking on a great responsibility because she must be milked twice a day, every day, throughout lactation. You’ll usually need to have her bred once a year and, to be on the safe side, you must be with her when she gives birth.

What do goats eat? They don’t eat tin cans like cartoon goats do. Goats won’t eat anything that has dirt or manure on it, and they won’t drink dirty water. The most important parts of a goat’s diet are clean water and good hay. Some goats also need concentrates—which is another word for grains like oats, corn, and barley—or commercial goat feed. They also require a mineral product that they can lick or nibble on whenever they want.

Are they healthy? For the most part, yes. It’s important, however, to buy healthy goats from tested herds. Responsible breeders test their stock for two important goat diseases: caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE) and caseous lymphadenitis (CL), and some also test for Johnes’ disease.

What about milking? What do I have to know in advance? You usually have to breed a doe every year if you want to milk her; otherwise she’ll produce less and less as her lactation (the period of time, usually 10 months, for which you milk her) progresses until it isn’t worth milking her any longer.

Does “come into milk” to feed their kids, not because their owners want milk; this means that you must take your doe to a buck and have her bred, attend the birth of her kids (“kid her out”), and eventually find the kids good homes. Sometimes, you’ll find a doe that “milks through,” meaning that she keeps giving enough milk that you needn’t breed her every year. This used to be the norm, but few present-day breeders select for the ability to milk through.

Playful twins Iggy (left) and Ozzy (right) are still tiny at three weeks old due to being born prematurely.

Dairy does need a 2-month period of down time to rest up before their kids are born, so you won’t have fresh milk all year. Carefully handled goat milk, however, freezes nicely.

Sometimes, low-producing does and does in late lactation can be milked just once a day, but high-producing does must be milked twice a day—every day, no exceptions—within an hour or so of the same times every day.

Sweetie is a rescued Pygmy doe.

Handsome Mini Myotonic wether, Modo, at about five months old.

What kind of goat is best? It depends on what you want to do with your goats. If you want milk, choose a dairy breed. If you want a goat that grows mohair or cashmere, you must choose from the fiber-producing breeds like Nigoras and Pygoras. If your children want to show in 4-H, choose a goat that is eligible for the type of classes they want to participate in.

Any goat except for a Myotonic goat can be used for packing or to pull a small wagon. Myotonic goats are “fainters” that stiffen and sometimes fall over when frightened, and they (or you) can get hurt if one of them faints while wearing a pack or harness.

You’ll need a doe if you want to milk or to breed more goats. Wethers (castrated males) make wonderful pets, and they’re bigger and stronger than females of the same breed, so they work best for packing and driving. Either sex is fine for growing fiber or as pets, but you don’t want to keep a buck, especially in town.

Bucks are males that haven’t been castrated. They’re usually cute, sweet, and friendly, but even miniature bucks are strong and willful. During breeding season, two glands on their foreheads secrete an incredibly stinky substance called musk. At the same time, a buck in rut does weird things, such as making loud gobbling noises, sticking his tongue out and flapping it up and down, and strutting around in a stiff-legged walk. He will even twist his body and spray urine on his face and beard. If you go near a buck in rut, he will “mark” you by rubbing his stinky face against you or even shooting a spray of urine at you. And bucks have good aim!

Should I get a goat with horns? Horns are beautiful, but they’re dangerous. Goats with horns get their heads stuck in fences and feeders, and they sometimes use their horns to bully other goats. A horned goat might not mean harm, but by just turning her head at the wrong time she could injure someone. If children want to show in 4-H, they can’t exhibit horned goats.

Don’t buy a horned goat and think that you can saw her horns off. Horns are part of a goat’s skull. They’re filled with blood vessels, and if they break or someone cuts them off, the goat will bleed profusely. Removing horns at their base leaves two big holes in the goat’s skull. Dehorning a goat, even when done by a veterinarian, is a gory, cruel mess.

Instead, buy a polled goat (one that was born hornless and has small, hair-covered bumps on her head where horns would be) or a goat that was disbudded as a kid. Disbudding is performed by an experienced person using a red-hot disbudding iron to burn and destroy the horn buds on a baby goat’s head. It sounds bad, but it’s over quickly and it saves the kid (and you) a lot of pain later on.

How much do goats cost? Miniature breeds tend to cost more than full-sized goats, but they’re worth it. Expect to pay about $200 to $350 for a registered doeling (a baby female). Depending on where you live, a registered adult doe from a health-tested herd will cost about $200 to $750. Pet goats, especially unregistered goats or wethers, may cost anywhere from $50 to $250.

Chapter 2

Choosing a Breed

Before you choose a breed, it’s best to assess your needs. Do you want to milk your goats? If so, how much milk will you need? Some breeds give significantly more milk than others. Or are you looking for fiber to spin or sell? Two of our breeds, the Nigora and Pygora, produce mohair, cashmere, and a combination fiber called cashgora. Meat, perhaps? One breed, the Kinder, is a dual-purpose dairy and meat goat. Pets? It’s hard to beat Nigerian Dwarfs, Pygmy Goats, Miniature Silkies, and Mini Myotonics for pets, and wethers of the other breeds make charming pets, too.

It’s also important to find out what breeds are available where you live. If you have registered goats and you can’t or don’t want to keep a buck, you’ll have to use artificial insemination or find stud service for your does.

You’ll have more goats to choose from if you buy a breed that’s popular in your area. If you want something rare or different, expect to either travel to get it or pay to have it delivered.

Size may enter into the equation. Some of our breeds are tiny. Others, like Kinders, Pygoras, and Nigoras are small compared to standard breeds but are pretty substantial alongside Nigerian Dwarfs or Pygmies.

Finally, what breed do you really like? Which one makes you sit up and smile? You’ll be happier choosing a breed that resonates with you than settling for an alternative out of convenience or some other factor.

Out of Africa

Most of the miniature goats in North America are descended, at least in part, from West African Dwarf Goats (scientists refer to them as WAD goats), the exception being some, but not all, Mini Myotonics. WAD goats have been part of sub-Saharan African life for centuries, though their exact origin is uncertain. Photos in books depicting Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s mission in Gabon in the early twentieth century depict Nigerian Dwarf-type goats being raised for milk and meat. WAD goats are still an important part of rural life in parts of Africa. There are an estimated 11 million WAD goats in Nigeria alone. They’re the most popular type of goat raised in eighteen western and central African countries.

Pygoras are personable, attractive mini goats that produce beautiful fiber.

WAD goats vary slightly from country to country, though most are 15½ inches to 22½ inches tall and weigh 44 to 66 pounds. There are two types. One is a cobby, achondroplastic dwarf with a broad body, heavy bone, short legs, and a short, wide head, and most are agouti colored (a “grizzled” appearance with hairs that are banded dark and light): think Pygmy Goats. The other type is a more refined, more normally proportioned animal that is usually black, brown, or butterscotch in color, with or without white spots: think Nigerian Dwarfs. Both are highly fertile, extremely hardy, and resistant to a deadly insect-borne disease called trypanosomosis that kills most other breeds of goat. They are the perfect product of their environment.

The first documented importation of WAD goats occurred in 1909. Additional goats arrived between the 1930s and late 1960s. Consuela Vanderbilt imported WAD goats in the 1940s as eye candy for the Vanderbilts’ lavish estates. The National Zoo in Washington, DC, imported sixty goats in the mid-1950s, and, in 1966, William Randolph Hearst imported WAD goats from Cameroon. Zoos snapped up early imports and their offspring, and the University of Oregon Medical School maintained a herd for biomedical research.

At first, all imported WAD goats were called Pygmies. The Animal Research Foundation began registering Pygmy Goats in 1972, and fanciers formed the National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) in 1975.

Several early breeders noticed that not all Pygmies were as short-legged and broad-bodied as the rest. The more refined, colorful, dairy-type goats soon came to be known as Nigerian Dwarfs. In 1981, the International Dairy Goat Association (IDGA) established a Nigerian Dwarf breed standard and opened a herd book for these goats. The American Goat Society (AGS) followed with a Nigerian Goat herd book in 1984. In 2002, the American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA), America’s premier goat registry, admitted Nigerian Dwarfs to their breed lineup. They sanctioned the first-ever Nigerian Dwarf classes at the 2010 ADGA national show.

Imported WAD goats were originally called “Pygmies,” forming the foundation for the modern Pygmy Goat, pictured here.

The Nigerian Dwarf Group

Nigerian Dwarfs played a large role in creating all seven breeds of miniature dairy goat (Mini Alpines, Mini Guernseys, Mini LaManchas, Mini Nubians, Mini Oberhaslis, Mini Saanens, and Mini Toggenburgs) as well as Nigoras and Miniature Silky Fainting Goats.

Did You Know?

Nigerian Dwarfs and Pygmy Goats have been bred to full-size goats of various breeds to develop more than a dozen distinctive medium-sized to miniature breeds.

Nigerian Dwarfs

The Nigerian Dwarf is the fastest growing breed of goat in North America. Nigerian Dwarfs are small, gentle, intelligent, colorful, and productive. Three to five Nigerians fit neatly in the space needed to keep one typical full-sized dairy goat, yet Nigerian does are amazing milkers for their size. At the height of their lactations, does give from 1 to 8 pounds of delicious milk per day. At 2 pounds per quart, that’s a pint to a gallon per doe each day. Nigerian milk is richer than milk produced by most other breeds, averaging 6½ percent butterfat.

Folks who breed Nigerians for dairy qualities select for good-sized teats that make hand-milking a breeze. However, not all Nigerian breeders select for dairy qualities, so when buying milkers or potential milkers, make sure that the breeders with whom you’re working aren’t breeding strictly for pets.

A Nigerian Dwarf.

At least four organizations register Nigerian Dwarfs, and not all registries’ breed standards call for the same height and weight requirements. Averaging them out, mature Nigerian does are ideally 17 to 19 inches tall, with some registries accepting does up to 21 inches in height. Bucks ideally range from 19 to 21 inches tall, with bucks up to 23 inches acceptable with some groups. Mature weights range from 50 to 75 pounds.

Nigerians have semi-erect ears that stick up and out to the sides, straight to slightly dished profiles, and sturdy bodies with proportionate legs. They have soft, short to medium-length coats in a wide array of colors, including black, brown, white, butterscotch, red, and cream, with or without black or white markings. Most have brown eyes, but blue eyes are fairly common. Some Nigerian Dwarfs have wattles. Most Nigerians are strongly horned, but there are also polled genetics in this breed.

Nigerians breed year round. Does typically give birth to two to four kids. An average kid weighs 2 to 6 pounds at birth and grows quickly. Many Nigerian bucklings are sexually precocious and begin displaying breeding behaviors, like blubbering and stomping, at a week or two of age. To prevent accidental breedings, it’s wise to separate most bucklings from does, including their mothers and sisters, by the time they’re roughly 10 weeks old.

Miniature Dairy Goats

Miniature dairy goats are primarily registered by two groups: the Miniature Dairy Goat Association (MDGA) and The Miniature Goat Registry (TMGR). First-generation (F1) offspring are created by breeding a registered Nigerian Dwarf buck to a registered, full-sized dairy-breed doe. After the first generation, F1 does are usually bred to registered miniature dairy-goat bucks of the same breed. Offspring are registered one generation higher than their lowest graded parent, so if an F2 buck is bred to an F5 doe, their offspring will be registered at F3 status. Crossing back to the original breeds is allowed at any time, but the offspring revert to F1 status. In other words, if an F4 Mini LaMancha buck is bred to a registered, full-sized LaMancha doe, they’ll produce F1 offspring.

What Are Wattles?

If you’re wondering what those weird pieces of skin dangling from some goats’ necks might be, they’re wattles, also known as waddles, toggles, or tassels. They serve no known purpose. Wattles are found on both sexes and nearly all dairy breeds, but they’re especially common on LaManchas and Swiss breeds such as Alpines, Saanens, and Toggenburgs.

Some people remove their goats’ wattles because wattles can interfere with collar placement, and they’re not desirable in the show ring. They can be removed in one of two ways: (1) a very snug rubber band placed at the base of each wattle, especially when goats are kids, makes the appendages slough off in a week or two, or (2) some goat owners use disinfected scissors to snip them off. Usually there isn’t any bleeding.

Both the MDGA and TMGR separate goats into three separate herd books. F1 and F2 goats are registered as experimentals; F3, F4, and F5 goats that conform to breed standards become Americans; and F6 and higher goats that meet breed standards are entered in their purebred herd books.

The MDGA and TMGR have different height requirements for the goats that they register, so keep this in mind when buying breeding stock. The MDGA standard calls for a maximum height of 28 inches for does and 29 inches for bucks, period. TMGR’s standards are more exacting, providing maximum heights for experimentals, Americans, and purebreds of each breed.

The Mini LaMancha is one of the most popular miniature dairy breeds.

Mini Alpines

Full-sized Alpine goats originated in the French Alps, but they’re considered one of several Swiss dairy goat breeds. They came to America in 1922, when Dr. Charles P. DeLangle imported eighteen does and three bucks. Full-sized Alpine does are at least 30 inches tall and weigh around 135 pounds. Males are considerably bigger, in the 34- to 40-inch and 170-pound range. They are hardy, agile, and friendly, and they easily adapt to most climates. Alpines come in a variety of patterns with French names like cou blanc (“white neck”—white front quarters and black hindquarters with black or gray markings on the head) and chamoisee (brown with a black face, dorsal stripe, feet, and legs), as well as pied (spotted). They are lean and refined, with erect ears and straight faces. Full-sized Alpine does are excellent milkers; a good one gives 1 to more than 2 gallons of roughly 3½-percent butterfat milk a day, and many Alpine does milk through.

Ideally, Mini Alpines should look like their full-sized counterparts. Mini Alpine does registered with the MDGA can be no more than 28 inches tall; for Mini Alpine bucks, the maximum is 29 inches tall. In TMGR, experimentals can be a maximum of 32 inches for does and 34 inches for bucks; Americans can be 31 inches for does and 33 inches for bucks; and purebreds measure a maximum of 30 inches for does and 32 inches for bucks.

A prize-winning second-generation Mini Alpine.

What About Full-Sized Does?

Some full-sized does of the registered dairy breeds are as small as their miniature registered counterparts. They can be a great buy if you find a good one. You can milk her and breed her to a Nigerian Dwarf buck to produce F1-generation miniature dairy goats. Many people do.

How Big Is a Wether?

You’re probably wondering why wether heights and weights aren’t listed in these breed profiles. Because wethers aren’t breeding stock, few organizations register them, so specifications for wethers aren’t listed in their breed standards.

Wethers usually mature at about the same height as bucks, and they tend to weigh a little more. You can safely assume that your young wether’s adult height and weight will conform fairly closely to those of bucks of the same age and breed.

Mini LaManchas

One of the most popular miniature dairy breeds is the Mini LaMancha, also known as the Mini Mancha. Full-sized LaManchas are fleshier than goats of the Swiss dairy breeds, and they’re famous for their sweet personalities and for producing 1 to 2 gallons of tasty, 4- to 4½-percent butterfat milk per day. They have short, glossy hair and sturdy bodies, and they come in any color or color combination known to goats. Their most unique feature is their very short ears. “Gopher ears” lack cartilage but have a ring of skin around the ear opening. “Elf ears” have erect, triangular ear flaps up to 1 inch long. The LaMancha is the only American Dairy Goat Association-registered dairy breed that was developed in North America.

Mini LaMancha does registered with the MDGA can be no more than 28 inches tall, with a maximum of 29 inches for Mini LaMancha bucks. In TMGR, experimentals can be a maximum of 30 inches for does and 32 inches for bucks; Americans, 29 inches for does and 31 inches for bucks; and purebreds, a maximum of 28 inches for does and 30 inches for bucks.

A Mini LaMancha.

Mini Nubians

Another extremely popular miniature dairy goat breed is the Mini Nubian. Nubian goats originated in England, where they’re known as Anglo-Nubians. Early breeders developed them by crossing Jumna Pura, Zaraibi, and Chitral bucks from India and Africa with native British does. Goats imported to California in 1909 and 1913 formed the nucleus of the breed in North America.

Full-sized Nubian goats are elegant, long-eared beauties with Roman noses. Their long, pendulous ears should ideally extend 1 inch beyond the muzzle when held flat along the face. Nubians are heavier bodied than the Swiss breeds, and they have sleek, short-haired coats in any color or color combination.