1 The Pygmy goat is now established in the United
States, and is
becoming popular. Recognizing their inherent values,
breeders, primarily
on the west coast of the United States, formed the
National Pygmy Goat
Association (NPGA) in 1975, developed a breed
standard, and established
national registries for the preservation of pedigrees.
Today, there are
the ARF (Animal Research Foundation in Quinlan, Texas)
and the IDGA
(International Dairy Goat Registry) with open herd
books; and the AGS
(American Goat Society) and NPGA with closed herd
books for official
registration. Nearly three thousand Pygmies have been
registered so
far as purebreds with NPGA or AGS.
2 A large share of the credit for this growth and
development of
Pygmies is due to Eva Rappaport, Monmouth, Oregon, who
with energy and
wisdom directed the development of the breed standard
and as
secretary, the success of NPGA.
3 The Pygmy goat is an unusual domestic animal. It is
very hardy,
alert and animated, good-natured, gregarious, and
responsive. It is
smaller than other recognized breeds of goats in the
United States. On
the average a full grown male (buck) stands at about
50 cm (20 inches),
while the full grown female (doe) is somewhat less.
Their size makes
them delightful animals for children to handle. As
smaller animals,
they require less in the way of space and feed than
the other large
goats in this country. They make excellent animals for
petting zoos
catering to children.
4 The domestic use of Pygmies is not limited to
children's zoos, or
4-H and FFA projects, for they are good family
milkers. A doe in milk
may be expected to give 500 ml (about 1 pint) of milk
at both morning
and evening milkings. Because of its high butterfat
content (4 to 10;
about 6.5average) the milk of Pygmy goats is
exceptionally delicious
and tasty. In this respect it is similar to the milk
of the Nubian
goat. For a small family of two, one or 2 milking
Pygmies would provide
sufficient milk for the table including drinking,
cream, topping for
cereals and cooking.
5 Their well-muscled carcass provides excellent meat
for the freezer.
Since each carcass is small, similar to that of a
spring lamb, it
serves well for the family which does not require
large units of
protein stored in the freezer.
6 The Pygmy is an excellent brush and weed forager,
converting these
efficiently into useful products for human
consumption. As human
populations on earth expand, and the pasture space to
maintain cattle
and the fields for producing grain to feed cattle
diminish, the domestic
goat will resume a primordial position it had as man's
probably first
domestic animal.
7 Pygmies are readily and almost always
psychologically imprinted
with man, even though they may be raised on their
dams. Most are
friendly and inquisitive animals who are in a human
lap if that lap
pauses and rests for any length of time. They are
usually the first to
greet upon entering their paddock or pen.
8 Since they are small and easily handled, Pygmy goats
make excellent
animals for medical, psychological, chemotherapeutic
and physiological
scientific research. In immunologic research, they are
excellent
antibody makers.
9 In addition to all the above attributes, Pygmy goats
are
resourceful creatures able to fend for themselves. A
pregnant doe
caught out in a sudden heavy rain storm far from the
barn, gave birth
to three tiny babies each weighing less than 900 grams
(32 ounces).
She was busy covering the babies with leaves left over
from the fall.
Truly remarkable, thanks to a resourceful mother who
shielded her
brood from the downpour rain with materials at hand.
10 The American Pygmies are derived mostly from West
African dwarf
goats found in Nigeria, Ghana and the Cameroons,
although similar ones
are found in many other countries including Sudan,
East Africa,
Central Africa, India, Nepal, Arabia, China, Malaysia
and the West
Indies. The first Pygmies in the U.S.A. may have
arrived with the
slaves, but well publicized importations were not made
until the
1950's.
11 Although friendly and gregarious, Pygmies are best
not corralled
with other goats or sheep, especially because they are
often not
dehorned. Does may have two litters per year, thus
also have short
lactations. They may breed all year round. Fencing for
Pygmies may have
to be higher and stronger because of their agility,
climbing ability
(''African tree goat'') and small size.
12 One reason, the Pygmy is prominent in Africa is its
resistance to
the tse tse fly which can destroy other breeds of
goats.
13 The Pygmy is an achondroplastic dwarf. Its size is
controlled by
three pairs of genes that may be affected by some
modifying genes.
Pygmies are homozygous for small height which is
recessive (ss); and
they are homozygous for meatiness which is dominant
(MM). In
comparison, a Swiss dairy goat is homozygous for tall
height which is
dominant (SS) and homozygous for lack of meatiness
which is recessive
(mm). The third pair of genes lacks dominance. In
crossing Pygmies with
Swiss goats, ssMM x SSmm, the offspring, SsMm, are
intermediate in
size. However, mating SsMm goats produces segregation
of types at the
9:3:3:1 ratio.
14 The inheritance of color in Pygmies and other goats
does not
exactly follow the patterns of other animals. White is
dominant over
all other colors (WW or Ww). A cream or brownish white
is heterozygous
(Ww). Red is dominant over black (just the opposite in
cattle). Agouti
can be inherited separately and may contain
expressions of red, tan
and black. Two black p ++++MISSING DATA++++
15 Breed Characteristics
Coat -- the full coat of straight, medium long hair
varies in
density with seasons and climates. On females, beards
may be non-existent
or sparse, or trimmed; on adult males, abundant hair
growth is desirable:
the beard to be full, long and flowing, the copious
mane draping,
cape-like, across the shoulders.
Color -- all body colors are acceptable. The
predominant coloration
is a grizzled, agouti pattern produced by the
intermingling of light and
dark hairs, or any color.
Markings -- a. Breed specific markings are required by
NPGA (but not
by AGS): muzzle, forehead, eyes and ears are accented
in tones lighter
than the dark portion of the body in goats of all
colors, except in goats
that are solid black.
Front and rear hoofs and cannons (socks) are dark, as
are crown,
dorsal stripe, and martingale. On caramel and on white
agouti goats,
light vertical stripes on dark socks are acceptable.
b. Optional markings: light areas (on darker
backgrounds) that appear
as complete or partial girth belts are acceptable. All
other patches are
seriously faulted by NPGA but not by AGS. Generalized
mottling is not
permitted and is disqualifying.
Head -- short or medium long; pro ++++MISSING DATA++++
Hind legs -- when viewed from the rear; straight,
widely set to
accommodate large barrel; femur and tibia
proportionately longer than in
other breeds and angulated toward a more pronounced
stifle joint, thus
compensating for the short hock (rear cannon). Bone
flat and flinty.
Hocks -- cleanly molded, sharply angled; metatarsus
short.
Pastern -- short, strong and resilient.
Feet -- well-shaped, proportioned to size of animal;
deep heel and
level sole; hoofs symmetrical.
16 Dairy Character
Animated, agile, generally open.
Withers -- nearly level with spine.
Ribs -- wide apart, well sprung; rib bone, long, wide,
flat.
Flank -- deep, set low on barrel, well defined.
Thighs -- long and wide, well-muscled; incurving
towards udder.
Skin -- clean and resilient.
17 Body Capacity
Large in proportion to size of animal, providing ample
digestive and
reproductive capacity as well as strength, vigor, and
stamina.
Barrel -- broad, deep, increasing in width toward
flank, thus giving
an impression of perpetual pregnancy; symmetrical,
well supported by firm
abdominal wall and well-sprung ribs. The
disproportionately large
circumference of the paunch is greater in females than
in males.
Heart girth -- large, resulting from long, wellsprung
fore-ribs; wide
chest floor, full at the point of elbow.
18 Mammary System
Udder -- firm, rounded, small to medium sized.
Rear attachment -- high halves evenly balanced,
symmetrical.
Front attachment -- well forward, tightly attached,
without pocket,
blending smoothly into body.
Texture -- silky smooth, elastic, pliable but firm;
free of lumps or
scar tissue.
Teats -- cylindrical, of uniform length and size
-sufficient for
milking with two fingers and thumb; symmetrically
placed; free of
obstructions, multiple orifices.
