Riggmoor Pygmy Goats

 

Here at Riggmoor reindeer we also have a small herd of pedigree Pygmy goats, we started with just four nannies Pollyanna Pepper, Pollyanna ebony, Pollyanna amethest & tara and one billy Peackhill Corvus, we still have three of the five herd starters today and have bred most of our herd up from these bloodlines.

Over the years we have built up and bought in select breeding stock and now have just over thirty pygmy goats ( you can never have enough pygmy goats!) Four of which are Billys which are available for stud services. The pygmies are mainly our pets but we also show and they frequently appear as one of the main attractions in the miniature mobile farm mainly because they are such fun to watch as they leap effortlessly over the straw bales and run around like headless chickens.

What we look for in our pygmies:

Temperament – quiet and well behaved around others especially children, our aim is to have a herd as close to breed standards a physically possible.

 

Pygmy Goat Breed Standard

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

The pygmy goat is hardy, good natured, genetically small, cobby and compact.  Head, neck and legs are short in relation to body length.  The body is full-barrelled and well muscled, circumference in relation to height and weight is proportionally greater than in other breeds.  Sexual characteristics are clearly defined.  The overall picture is that of an alert, animated goat of pleasing proportions.

SIZE

Females are considered mature at 24 months, males at 30 months, although some animals may continue to grow after this age.  The  following apply to mature animals;

	minimum	maximum
height at withers: males	16″	22″
height at withers: females	16″	21″
cannon length: males and females	3.5″	4.5″

Cannon length (front) measured from extremities of knee and pastern joint, bent perpendicular to cannon bone;-

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS

Head

Short to medium long, profile straight or dished, well rounded muzzle with full chin and even bite.  Forehead broad, flat to concave.  Eyes set well apart, bright, dark, prominent but not protruding.  Ears medium sized, firm and alertly mobile.  Genetically horned but disbudding permissible.

 

Neck

Shorter and rounder than other breeds, tassles if present, placed symmetrically on neck.

 

Shoulder

Well angulated and well attached.

 

Heart Girth

Large due to long, well sprung foreribs, chest floor wide and full at point of elbow.

 

Body Capacity

Large in proportion to size of animal, providing ample digestive and reproductive capacity, strength, vigour and stamina.  Barrel broad and deep, increasing in width towards flank, giving an impression of perpetual pregnancy, symmetrical and well supported by firm abdominal wall and well sprung ribs.

 

Back

Strong, laterally straight, level along chine, loin nearly level, rising slightly towards rump.

 

Rump

Medium long, medium wide, neither level or steep. Hips wide, nearly level with the back.  Thurls high and wide apart.  Pin bones wide apart, somewhat lower than hips.  Pronounced tail, set high, wide at base, symmetrical.

 

Legs

Strong, well muscled, wide apart.  Forelegs, short, straight, wide apart and squarely set with elbows close to ribs.  Cannon bone short.  Hind legs  (viewed from rear) straight, widely set, hocks cleanly moulded, sharply angled.  Pasterns short, strong and resilient.  Feet well shaped with deep heel and level sole.

 

Mammary System

Udder firm, rounded, small to medium size.  Teats placed symmetrically, free from multiple or deformed teats.

 

Coat

The full coat of straight hair varies in density and length with the seasons.  Beards on females may be sparse or non-existant, but not trimmed.  On males, abundant hair growth is desirable, with full, long beard and cape-like mane over shoulders.

 

Colour

All colours and markings are acceptable except pure white and light ‘swiss stripe’ markings.

 

THE PYGMY MALE

Unmistakably masculine head, neck and shoulders without any trace of courseness.  Horns longer and more substantial than the female.  Disbudding is permissible.  The barrel may be slightly less well developed than the female.  Reproductive system – two testicles of appropriate size for age of animal carried in a healthy scrotum.  Two rudimentary teats of uniform size.  Any deformity or evidence of teats removed is a DISQUALIFYING fault in the entire male.

 

THE PYGMY WETHER (castrated male)

Wethers are somewhat more sturdily built than females, but not fat.  They do not develop the typical male head, neck and shoulders.  Horn growth is less than in the entire male.  The long cape-like coat does not develop.  The reproductive system is obviously disregarded.

The following faults disqualify from HERD BOOK registration and also from entry to Breed classes at shows;

• Any mouth or jaw defect  i.e. over-shot, under-shot or twisted jaw.
• Any teat defect of any description – supernumerary, fish-tail, multiple orifices etc
• Polled (genetically hornless)
• Colour – pure white or light ‘swiss-type’ markings.
• Roman nose or pendulous ears.
• Males-testicles uneven in size, not properly descended or less than two.
• Non-conformity to size.

Note: Wethers and females with mouth/teat defects can be entered in the PET RECORD registry and can be entered in Pet section classes at shows.

(from the pygmy goat club website)

We often have stock for sale and we also have Billy’s at stud and boarding services available please contact us for details.

 

ORIGINS OF THE PYGMY GOAT

Dwarf goats are distributed over a very large area of equatorial Africa from the south of the Senegal through Central Africa to Southern Sudan.

Two types of dwarfism occur in goats in Africa.  These are achondroplasia which results in a goat with disproportionally short legs, plump body and short head and pituitary hypoplasia giving a small but normally proportioned goat.  The first of these types is typical of the West African dwarf goat found in the Guinean zone of West Africa.  The slender, normally proportioned goat of the second type is found in the Southern Sudan region.  These two types represent the extremes, with many intermediate types in existence.

The height to withers for both types is given as 40cms to 50cms (approx’ 16” to 20”)The bodyweight of the West African type ranging from 44lbs to 55lbs and the Southern Sudan type from 24lbs to 55lbs.  All colours and combinations of colours are said to occur in both types.

The Pygmy Goat Club in Britain does not differentiate between the types.  Upon its formation in 1982 it discarded the regional names in general use, such as Nigerian, Cameroonian, Nilotic, Sudanese, West African etc in favour of the general term of Pygmy Goat.

It is clear that the Pygmy Goat in Great Britain owes more to the West African dwarf than it does to the dwarf goat of Southern Sudan.  It seems likely that ‘our’ Pygmy Goat is not the extreme form of achondroplastic origin, but a transitional type of more pleasing appearance.

 

FAQ

Can i just keep one pygmy goat?

No. A only pygmy goat is a lonely pygmy goat and a lonely pygmy goat is pottentialy a poorly pygmy goat!
Pygmys MUST only be kept in multiple numbers to avoid fretting.

 

What should i feed my pygmy goats?

Pygmy goats are browsers NOT grazers, They should have access to ad-lib good quality hay year round and should also be given a supplementary concentrate of between 2-8oz per day depending on size and physical requirements and age.
The pygmy goat should have access to clean drinking water at all times, they also love twigs, leaves and fresh fruit and veg this can be offered in small amounts as part of a vairied diet. (poisionus plants etc must be avoided).
All new food stuffs must be introduced slowly over roughly seven days, and all feeding and drinking utensils must be kept clean.

 

What size house do my pygmy goats need?

Approximate a 8’x6′ garden type shed will provide adequate space for two pygmy pets in there shed they will require a hay rack fixed securely and a raised platform. They will also require 24h access to a securely fenced open space with access at all times back to there bed although a very hardy breed they do detest being out in the rain! can you blame them?

 

How often should i trim feet and worm my pygmy goats?

Pygmy goats need there feet trimming every 6-8 weeks if you can provide a few sandstone rock for them to play on then this will help to keep them trim.
depending on how many goats you keep and in what size area your goats have to roam in, will need to be wormed about twice a year.

 

What other vaccinations will my pygmy goats need?

All our pygmy goats a re vaccinated with ovipast and lambivac ‘clostridial vaccines’ to help prevent diseases such as pulpy kidney, if you choose to keep your goats in the system then the vaccinations will need to be repeated every six months.
during the spring and autumn your goats will need some form of lice treatment.
(ask your vet about your options)

 

What treats can my pygmies have?

The pygmy goat realy doesn’t need treats like you would feed a dog and if you are keeping the goats in the garden with a more limited area to roam then weight is defiantly something to keep your eye on we can be the pygmy goats worst enemy because the goat will just eat for the sake of eating and pleasing you.
if you want to treat you pygmy then instead of offering fresh fruit and veg in there feed then offer it by hand as a treat

 

What legal requirements do i need to own pygmy goats?

To own pygmy goats you must obtain a CPH (holding number) even if keeping them in a garden. To do this simple contact your local DEFRA office who will be happy to help.