African Pygmy Goat

Capra aegagrus hircus

African pygmy goats didn’t make it to the United States until the late 50s, which were exported from Europe. Pygmy goats are a native goat breed of West Africa, where they originated in the Cameroon Valley. Since they’ve come to the United States, they’ve been used in lab research, zoos, and are a common breed of goat kept as a pet. Regarding breeding, the United States has established seven breed standard approved colors; these can be categorized into dark caramel, red caramel, white caramel, light-grey agouti, dark-grey agouti, and medium-grey agouti, and solid black. They’ve gained so much popularity due to their friendly and docile nature, small size, and milk production.

Like all other goat breeds, male goats are called bucks and females are called does. Average height of an adult African pygmy goat is around 1 - 2 feet. Male goats on average can weigh between 60 to 90 lbs and females can weigh around 50 to 75 lbs. Typically, African pygmy goats produce 1 to 4 offspring every 9 to 12 months. The gestation period lasts for about 140 days. Female pygmy goats gain maturity to produce offspring within 12 to 18 weeks of age, with their offspring nursing almost immediately.

African Pygmy goats are adaptable to most climates, and enjoy having items to jump and leap on. In domesticated care, the primary diet consists of greens and grains, and require fresh water at all times. African pygmy goats are social animals that do well with a companion. They are also considered prey animals, and need appropriate shelter from predators, especially at night.