Raising pygmy goats for beginners

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Raising pygmy goats for beginners

Pygmy goats are great pets that you can take care of on your property. You will need to have two. As you know by now, goats do not like to be alone. They like to be around other goats. These goats can also be used for getting milk and meat. The smaller they are, the easier they are to take care of.

Pygmy goats are originally from Africa. They came to the U.S. in the 1950s. They were originally used to get rid of weeds in the yard. Because they are friendly and playful, they become popular and more people wanted them as a pet.

These goats look like regular goats with the exception of their legs. They are sturdier and they are also shorter than regular goats. They get their horns removed just like other goats. Pygmy goats come in black and caramel colors. For the most part, you will find black ones that have black legs or ones that are just completely black all over.

A full grown pygmy goat usually weighs no more than 70 lbs. They are year round breeders and have many children that can weigh up to 4 lbs. each. They usually have between one to three kids.

Also Read: Raising Nubian Goats for Beginners

These goats should be clean at all times and will not eat from dirty dishes. They prefer clean water. Keep the water away from the ground. These goats will eat roughage that consists of legume and sweet feed. When they are still babies, their bodies are not strong enough for them to eat this kind of food.

Pygmy goats help their owners a lot. They will eat weeds and leave the grass for other cattle on the ranch. They will also make noise if they spot a stranger on their property that could cause harm to the rest of the livestock.

Pygmy goats are cute animals and they are affectionate. You can rub and scratch their snouts. They can also be in the same company with dogs and cats.

Raising pygmy goats for beginners

Pygmy goats need to be fenced in. It should be five feet or more in order to keep out dogs or other predators who may roam around.

Make a platform for the goats the sleep on. You can use an old door to do this.

If they eat from hay feeders, install them away from the ground. Having the feeder elevated can keep the parasites away.

Feed them grain mix. You can make it or purchase it. They can also eat alfalfa supplement that has grain in it two times every day. If their food falls on the ground, they will not eat it.

The pygmy goats should get their hooves trimmed every four months.

If the pygmy goats are more than six months old, get the worms out of them. You can do this once a year.

Pygmy goats need boosters and vaccinations every year. Consult with your vet as to which ones they should receive.

Pygmy goats are active, so you have to provide them with a place to play as well as something to play with.

As with other goats, keep the pygmy goat’s coat groomed at all times. They enjoy this process because they like to bond with their owners.

Also Read: How To House Your Guinea Pigs

If you are taking care of two pygmy goats, you can house them in a dog house. However, you can always get something larger so that there will be plenty of room. Having a larger facility is also a good idea if there will be mating going on.

Pygmy goats can be milked and can provide up to a half-gallon of milk daily.

How To Feed Milk To Baby Pygmy Goats

Even though the female goat is responsible for feeding her baby, there may be times where you have to get involved. Sometimes the mother may be too sick and will not be able to take care of their offspring.

This is where you come in. The kids are required to be fed four times every day. After 10 days, you only feed them three times a day. After 8 weeks, they get fed only twice a day. Once they have been weaned, they get one bottle. Since this will be new for you, consult with the veterinarian to see what formula you should feed them.

Warm up the milk and put it in the bottle. You will also need towels while you’re feeding the baby pygmy goat.

Rub a tiny bit of milk on the nipple of the bottle. You want the baby pygmy goat to know that it’s food for them to eat. Since the babies are small, you will have to kneel or site down on the ground.

The baby goat’s eyes should be covered. Work on opening their mouth if it is closed. When placing the nipple in their mouth, hold their tongue down. Get your thumb out of the way.

As you are feeding the baby goat, keep the bottle tilted upwards. You may have drips of milk around the area. Use the towels to get it up.

Eventually, the baby goat will realize that there is nourishment in the bottle and you won’t have to resort to covering their eyes anymore.

After three weeks, the baby pygmy goat will start on solid foods.

Here are some things to look for when you are feeding pygmy goats:

- They goats should always stand straight with their head up. If they don’t they are subject to get colic or develop other health issues.

- If the goat is not hungry, don’t force them to eat.

There are some other things of concern that you should contact your veterinarian about if you see them happening with your pygmy goat:

- Stops being active

- Hunching

- Drooping

- Contracts diarrhea

- They get wet