No, Pygmy Goats are a breed of goat, not a size of goat. Not all miniature goats are Pygmy Goats.
Other miniature goat breeds in Australia include the Australian Miniature Goat, Nigerian Dwarves, Miniature Anglo Nubians, Miniature Boer, Miniature Saanen, Elf Goats and Australian Miniature Silky Goats.
Goats are browsers rather than grazers like sheep or cows. While they will eat grass and pasture, they much prefer to browse on branches, shrubs and trees and are more likely to eat your rose bushes and other favourite garden plants than neatly trim your lawn.
They can be if your fences are not suitable. The higher the Pygmy Goat percentage and the more true to type your Pygmy Goats are, the less likely the will be to jump over fences like other more agile breeds like Australian Miniatures and Nigerian Dwarves. Pygmy Goats will however squeeze through holes in your fencing or under it if there are big enough gaps.
As the Pygmy Goat breed is still being developed in Australia, there is still huge variation in both the type, height and weight of adults, even in higher percentage animals.
This is why it is essential to be familiar with what Pure Bred and Full Blood Pygmy goats look like and to see both parents of young kids that you purchase. Also look at the ancestors in their pedigree and only purchase animals from registered breeders who can advise you on how closely the goat in question meets the Breed Standard (ie has the looks, traits and characteristics of a Pygmy Goat, including expected adult height).
In Australia the maximum allowed Adult height at the withers for Pygmy Goats is 57cm for does and 60cm for bucks, however the more Pygmy Goat characteristics an animal has the closer it will be to the 45-50cm adult height range as is more commonly seen in the show ring in the USA.
The weight of adults 2 years and older varies depending on gender and overall health, but is usually in the 22-45kg range (more for taller animals).
With proper care Pygmy Goats can live 12-15 years, although some individuals may live even longer in excellent health conditions.
While both are small, Nigerian Dwarf Goats are dairy goats bred for milk production and have a slender, elegant appearance just like their standard size dairy cousins. Pygmy Goats are bred more for companionship and their stocky, compact, ‘cobby’ build.
We vaccinate our Pygmy Goats every six months (and one month before kidding) with Glanvac 3 in 1 which gives protection against Cheesy Gland (CLA), Tetanus and Pulpy Kidney.
We do not use 5 in 1 as it has a tendency to cause abscesses at the injection site – however this is something to consult with your vet for to make sure your vaccinations and schedule are tailored to your local area as your herd’s needs may be different.
Hooves should be trimmed every 4-8 weeks to prevent overgrowth and hoof-related issues and is something you can easily learn to do yourself along with regular inspections of their hooves for cracks, infections or abnormalities.
The rate of growth will vary throughout the year and depending on movement, how much green grass and rough abrasive surfaces your goats have access to. In rocky dry areas hoof trimming may only need to be done a few times per year.
The main genetic health issues seen in Pygmy Goats in Australia is bowed legs that can cause long term pain and lameness, however responsible breeders should be removing all affected animals from the breeding population.
Problems during kidding leading to c-section deliveries is becoming a more common problem in Australia like it is in the USA.
The main health issues to be aware of apply to all goat breeds and include internal parasites, external parasites, foot scald, bloat, grass tetany, enteritis, pneumonia, urinary calculi, coccidiosis, goat polio (Thiamine deficiency) and other mineral deficiencies.
Routine health checks, proper feeding and clean living conditions can help prevent these problems.
Pygmy Goats are herd animals and require the company of at least one other goat for their well being.
While they generally get along well with other livestock, sheep, cows and alpacas can transmit not only parasites to your Pygmy Goats, but also diseases such as Johnes Disease, Cheesy Gland and Pulpy Kidney.
The size differences can lead to bullying and injury, especially over food.
If you do choose to keep your Pygmy Goats with other ruminants, make sure that you fecal test all animals regularly.
It is not recommended to keep Pygmy Goats in the same pen with your chickens due to the risk of them eating chicken food, drinking contaminated water or picking up other diseases from poultry droppings.
Pygmy Goats need a dry, draft-free shelter with enough space to move around comfortably.
A secure shed, stable or barn with bedding like straw or wood shavings works well, as do raised platforms for them to sleep on. Ensure shelters are well-ventilated but protects them from rain and extreme weather.
Each goat needs at least 10-15 square meters of outdoor space for grazing and play, a half acre would be better for a pair of Pygmy Goats.
The more space you can provide the better as goats are active animals and love to roam.
Pygmy Goats are intelligent animals who thrive on mental and physical stimulation. This is particularly important if they have smaller areas to roam in.
Providing climbing structures like wooden pallets, logs, tyres, concrete blocks, ramps, rock piles, mini trampolines and plastic kids cubbies will provide your Pygmy Goats with hours of enjoyment (and will provide you with hours of entertainment watching them!).
The bulk of a Pygmy Goat’s diet should be good-quality hay or forage.
Supplement with a small amount (half to one cup) of quality goat pellets mixed with oaten chaff, goat safe fresh fruit and vegetables, pasture access and branches cut from suitable browse plants.
We also feed Goat Muesli and lucerne chaff to our does. Wethers should never be fed grains and only small quantities of pellets to avoid the chance of urinary calculi which can be fatal.
Always provide your Pygmy Goats with fresh, clean water 24/7 .
Its best to feed kitchen scraps to your chickens, but there are a number of fresh fruits and vegetables your goats might enjoy.
However ALWAYS research before introducing new foods because there are many things that are toxic to goats.
Goats are likely to try and eat most garden plants, however many ornamental plants and trees are deadly poisonous them. Please make sure you have accurately identified any plant, weed or tree that your goats have access to make sure it won’t make them sick – or worse!
Yes, goats need access to loose minerals specifically formulated to suit their mineral requirements. A lack of essential minerals will lead to health issues like poor coat quality, weak bones, neurological issues, reproductive problems, parasite overload and even death.
Goats can have primary mineral deficiencies caused by lack of minerals in their diet and they can also suffer secondary deficiencies caused by antagonists like lucerne (alfalfa), calcium, Molybdenum, Iron and sulphur that impact the absorption or bioavailability of other minerals.
As an example, bore water often has high iron and/or sulphur content which are both copper antagonists so while the diet may be sufficient in copper, the bore water may result in a copper deficiency.
Adult full size goat breeds require around 10 litres of water per day, less if on lush green pasture and more in summer or if they are lactating.
We are on rainwater tanks so water useage is something we pay attention to and estimate in summer our adult Pygmy Goats drink around 2-3litres each per day – however we allow much more than this in their water containers to ensure they always have access to plenty of clean water.
The worse thing you can do for goats is have them on a regular worming schedule – all that will do is create major problems with parasites becoming resistant to de-worming products.
It is far more effective to use rotational grazing practices, conducting regular FAMACHA scoring and doing fecal egg counts to monitor and deworm only as necessary – and only the individual Pygmy Goats in your herd that require it.
Consult your vet for guidance specific to your area.
Pygmy Goats are bred as companion animals that are popular with families and people with limited experience with other livestock. Due to the size of Pygmy Goats, their horns are right at eye level for small children and their heads and horns are small enough to fit through gaps in fencing – both of which can cause horrific injuries.
In the wild goats use their horns for defence, however Pygmy Goats are so small they cannot defend themselves against dogs or other large predators, but they will use them against other goats lower in the herd hierarchy than them. Goats with horns will try to use them against people during routine maintenance tasks like hoof trimming and for safety reasons, goats with horns are not permitted at shows.
We disbud our Pygmy Goat kids between 3-7 days of age using the required pain relief as advised by our vet.