The Identification of Pygmy Goats

Pygmy goats are a type of domestic goat that were brought from Africa in the 1950s. Their original purpose was as zoo and research animals but they quickly became household pets as well. Unlike their larger relatives, they are not used for meat or milk. Their lifespan is 10 to 15 years. The biggest difference between pygmy goats and typical milk goats is their size. The pygmies' height range is 16 to 23 inches. Males weigh up to 85 pounds and females weigh as much as 75 pounds.

  1. Physical Apperance

    • Other than their small size, there are other key identifying points of pygmy goats. Their faces are smaller than milk goats'. Their ears are 4 to 6 inches long and stand erect, unlike Nubian goats with long, floppy ears. Pygmies stand small, mainly because of their short legs. Their legs are the same length as their body from top line to bottom line. They have short tails, 4 to 6 inches, which also stand erect. The also have a characteristic large belly.

    Color Variations

    • Pygmy goats can be found in several color variations. Caramel pygmies have red undertones and can be white, medium, dark or dark red. Agouti goats have several color tones to each individual hair. Agouti fur has white and black on the same fiber. Agoutis can come in silver-light gray, medium gray and dark gray. Brown agouti have white and brown on each fiber. Black pygmies can be solid black or have white points or spots.

    Similar Breeds

    • The closest breed that resembles the pygmy goat is the Nigerian Dwarf goat. They also originated in Africa. The main difference between these and pygmy goats is their body. Pygmy goats are short, with large bellies. Nigerian goats are short but have longer legs and thinner bodies. Pygmy goats are heavier boned, while Nigerian goats have finer bone structure, similar to typical dairy goats. The agouti color is more common in pygmy goats.

    Gender Charateristics

    • Male and female pygmy goats look different. Males have large horns that extend around the head almost to the neck. Females have smaller horns which are only 6 to 8 inches long. Males have long beards, which get longer as they age. Females may have beards but they do not grow as long and thick as males'. Males and females can have wattles, which are folds of skin covered in hair, under the neck. They serve no purpose.