All of our goats are ADGA registered Nigerian Dwarfs. We chose this breed due to the compact size, pleasant personalities, and high butterfat milk. Plus they are just darn cute.
We participate in milk testing through the Washington Dairy Herd Improvement Association and the American Dairy Goat Association. This allows us to track milk amounts per goat and obtain data on protein and butterfat content as well as monitor the health of the milk.
We are a clean-tested herd with the most recent, negative fecal PCR Johnne’s tests on 1/30/25 for all our goats. Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE) testing was completed on 2/10/25 and all goats were negative. We are happy to provide copies of our test results since we are proud of them nd value biosecurity.
We proudly feed high quality, local orchard grass, Western Alfalfa, Sunrise Farms Non-GMO grain, and Sweetlix goat minerals as well as special treats like bananas, carrots, peanuts, apple peels, etc. Our does are on a dry lot which helps reduce our parasite load dramatically and they have daily access to forage in the woods throughout our property.
From Wikipedia: “The Nigerian Dwarf is a modern American breed of dwarf goat. Like the American Pygmy Goat, it derives from the West African Dwarf group of breeds of West Africa. Between about 1930 and 1960 a variety of small goats of the West African Dwarf group of breeds were imported from Africa to the United States to be exhibited in zoos. The Nigerian Dwarf, like the American Pygmy Goat, derives from these, but does not resemble the stocky West African Dwarf in conformation – it has been bred to have the appearance of a miniature dairy goat. It was at first reared as a show breed and companion animal; selection was for appearance and for docility. It was later found to be suitable for small-scale dairy production, and some breeding was directed towards dairy qualities. A herd-book was established in 1980. The breed was recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association in 2005.
The Nigerian Dwarf is small but well-proportioned; its conformation resembles that of larger dairy goats. It may be horned or naturally hornless [polled]. The coat is fine and fairly short, and may be of any color, or multicolored; common colors are gold, chocolate and black, frequently with white markings. The facial profile may be concave or straight; the ears are upright. The average weight is approximately 75 lbs., while maximum height is about 24 in for males and slightly less for females; stock bred for dairy performance may be rather larger than show or companion animals.
It is a precocious breed – young stock may be bred from an early age: males from about three months, females from seven or eight months. The gestation period is in the range 145–153 days; the twinning rate is high, and triplet and quadruplet births are not uncommon. Life expectancy is from eight to 12 years.
The Nigerian Dwarf was originally bred for show and as a companion animal. It was later also bred for dairy use. Average milk yield of dairy stock is 750 lbs. per year; a yield of 2190 lbs. in a lactation of 305 days was recorded in 2018. Lactation usually lasts for about ten months. The milk is high in butterfat and protein, averaging 6.5% and 3.9% respectively, and is suitable for making cheese and butter.
Our Does: