# Can you milk pygmy goats?



## 11langenkamp_w

I was wondering if you can milk pygmy goats and if you can how do you get them to start producing milk and keep them producing milk?


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## elevan

Yes you can  

You start them producing milk by getting them bred and when they kid they will be in milk.  They won't produce as much or as long as a dairy breed but they certainly can produce their fair share.  You should milk 2x per day to get the maximum lactation time.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

You *can*, but I don't know why anyone would want to!  I have a herd of nigerians and one pygmy/nigerian cross.  Milking her teeny weeny pygmy teats is the worst!  She's a super little goat and a fantastic pet (and SUCH an easy keeper!), but if you're looking specifically for a goat to milk you'd be much better off with a dairy breed.


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## elevan

n.smithurmond said:
			
		

> You *can*, but I don't know why anyone would want to!  I have a herd of nigerians and one pygmy/nigerian cross.  Milking her teeny weeny pygmy teats is the worst!  She's a super little goat and a fantastic pet (and SUCH an easy keeper!), but if you're looking specifically for a goat to milk you'd be much better off with a dairy breed.


I agree if you're looking specifically for milk...get a dairy breed.

The primary purpose of today's pygmies is companions (pets).  They are considered a tri-purpose breed and can be milked and used for meat as well (traditionally they were raised for meat).  Some does can be quite easy to milk while most will be kind of difficult for traditional milking because of teat size.  I would recommend a Hand-pump style milker  for milking of pygmies.  I have 2 does who can quite easily be milked by hand though.


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## 11langenkamp_w

ok so how long will she lactate after having the baby?


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## elevan

11langenkamp_w said:
			
		

> ok so how long will she lactate after having the baby?


6-8 months being typical.  Individual does of course can vary more or less.


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## Roll farms

Since they haven't been bred specifically for long-term lactation, like dairy goats have been, they typically dry off a lot sooner.

Their bodies "know" they need to make milk for babies for roughly 3 mos.  After the body "thinks" the kids should be weaned, even if you still milk them, their production will go down, from what I've read it's typically around 4-6 mos.


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## elevan

From the University of Maryland's National Goat Handbook:


> 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.
> 
> 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.


_I am a champion for the multi-talented pygmy_


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## AlaskanShepherdess

elevan said:
			
		

> From the University of Maryland's National Goat Handbook:
> 
> 
> 
> 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.
> 
> 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.
> 
> 
> 
> _I am a champion for the multi-talented pygmy_
Click to expand...

Wow, that is about how much an average Nigerian will give! Well bred Nigerians give up to two quarts a day.


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## elevan

CrownofThornsNDGoats said:
			
		

> elevan said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> From the University of Maryland's National Goat Handbook:
> 
> 
> 
> 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.
> 
> 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.
> 
> 
> 
> _I am a champion for the multi-talented pygmy_
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Wow, that is about how much an average Nigerian will give! Well bred Nigerians give up to two quarts a day.
Click to expand...

At around 4 months into lactation their production will fall off.  You'll be done with milking at 6 months generally...but some can go to 8 months.

If you allow the milk to sit in the udder for 18 hours at any point you've pretty much "screwed" yourself    At that point production will fall drastically and dry off will come much sooner than intended.  Milking every 12 hours is essential with a pygmy.

2 pints = 1 quart (for those that don't know already)


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## 11langenkamp_w

Ok so do you leave the baby nurse until its weaned and then you can milk her or put the baby on a bottle?


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## elevan

11langenkamp_w said:
			
		

> Ok so do you leave the baby nurse until its weaned and then you can milk her or put the baby on a bottle?


If you leave the kid on and don't milk until the kid is weaned you are not going to get much milk and your lactation will be very short.  This is because the pygmy will begin producing less milk as she weans since her kid will be taking less "sips" at the mama bar  

Pulling the kid to bottle feed or leaving it on will work either way...figure out what's best for you.

If you wanna leave the kid on you'll need to separate the doe from the kid during the day and put them back together at night.  You'll get more milk at your evening feeding than at your morning feeding that way.

Bottle feeding will result in more work for you.

I made the decision for me that dam raised was best.  eta:  The kid gets to stay with mom for the first to weeks and gets all the milk during that time.  Only separating them after the milk no longer carries any colostrum.


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## 11langenkamp_w

Ok thanks 
If a baby is nursing for a month would it be hard to switch it over to a bottle?


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## elevan

11langenkamp_w said:
			
		

> Ok thanks
> If a baby is nursing for a month would it be hard to switch it over to a bottle?


I don't bottle feed...but from what I've read on this forum it sounds as if it could be difficult.

If you want to milk and the baby has been on the dam for a month, I would just start the separation technique I described above.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

11langenkamp_w said:
			
		

> Ok thanks
> If a baby is nursing for a month would it be hard to switch it over to a bottle?


Yes.  

I know others have had better luck with it, but I've also found that milking does who are dam raising kids is infinitely more difficult than milking those who are not.  Maybe it's different if your does are super friendly, but I let one of our does dam raise and milked in the mornings and it was all I could do to catch her each day.  The next kidding when she wasn't dam raising she was like a different goat!  She apparently didn't feel I was stealing from her kids and milked like a dream.  Other folks do dam raise and milk once per day, but I won't be attempting it again.

If you do plan to get pygmies for milking I HIGHLY recommend you milk a pygmy first.  Our pygmy cross has permanent first freshener teats!  Again, fabulous pet.  Her teat size doesn't make a bit of difference to her adorable babies.  But not a milker.


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## Rebbetzin

I know some people who raise "Nigerian Dwarf" goats...






Are they the same as "Pygmy" Goats?






Here is a sample udder of their goats.  I think they wouldn't be that hard to milk.






Both the Nubian goats I milk have really short teats. They have only been bred twice now. Maybe the teats will get longer as they have more kids?  

The mixed breed goat, (Nubian/Alpine/Boer) has very long teats, much easier to milk.


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## Roll farms

Nigerians are a dairy breed...They belong to the ADGA like other milking breeds.
Pygmies are a different breed altogether, stockier, more compact...smaller udder, smaller teats, less production than a Nigerian.

http://www.sillylilpygmygoats.com/milking_pygmy_goats.html


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## SDGsoap&dairy

Yes, pygmies are a totally different breed.  Rebbetzin, your pics are of a superb little nigerian dwarf.  Like Roll said, they are a miniature dairy breed and are recognized by ADGA as such.  You will NEVER see an udder like that on a pygmy.  It's not a flaw on their part, it's just that dairy goats are selected specifically over many generations for milk production and pygmies are not.  

Teat size does lengthen through lactation, but it's self limited by genetics.  Milking ff DAIRY goats can be irritating, but it's just temporary.  Our pygmy cross is 8 years old.  It's not temporary- it's genetic.

If you were dying to have a pygmy goat and wanted a little bit of milk here and there, then I say go for it!  But if milk is one of your main purposes I think a goat that has been bred for milk production is a better choice.  The difference between milking a Nigerian like the one Rebbetzin posted and even a pygmy with a decent udder is not a minor one.


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## nifftiness

I think people make milking a Pygmy goat out to be harder then it is. I have Pygmys and I bought them for pets. When I bought my goats the one was bred already. I let her nurse her kids and then got the idea to try milking her for a little milk for making Soap.  It wasnt hard at all, and their teats arnt as small when their in milk. When I milk part of my hand is cupping the utter and its pritty easy, takes me a min or two.  They dont produce all that much so if your looking for a primary source for drinking milk you would need more then one goat id think. I milked once in the morning and in the evening...when I had time, as well as she nursed her kids. I filled jam size canning jar a day. You would get  more but I didnt want to take to much milk away from her kids.  And even if i missed a day it didnt effect her milk supply.  It did take about a week of milking her to boost how much milk she was supplying. Their wonderfull pets. 
If you want more milk, with similar personalities and similar size a Nigerian might be the way to go. I was told I was buying a Pygmy kid that was only a few weeks old at the time, and shes now a year and the friendliest slightly more mellow loving goat, and now that shes about a year im pritty sure she is a Nigerian.  Their both great goats. Id say milk for hobbies, go for a Pygmy, milk for Drinking Id lean towards a Nigerian.


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## elevan

nifftiness said:
			
		

> I think people make milking a Pygmy goat out to be harder then it is. I have Pygmys and I bought them for pets. When I bought my goats the one was bred already. I let her nurse her kids and then got the idea to try milking her for a little milk for making Soap.  It wasnt hard at all, and their teats arnt as small when their in milk. When I milk part of my hand is cupping the utter and its pritty easy, takes me a min or two.  They dont produce all that much so if your looking for a primary source for drinking milk you would need more then one goat id think. I milked once in the morning and in the evening...when I had time, as well as she nursed her kids. I filled jam size canning jar a day. You would get  more but I didnt want to take to much milk away from her kids.  And even if i missed a day it didnt effect her milk supply.  It did take about a week of milking her to boost how much milk she was supplying. Their wonderfull pets.
> If you want more milk, with similar personalities and similar size a Nigerian might be the way to go. I was told I was buying a Pygmy kid that was only a few weeks old at the time, and shes now a year and the friendliest slightly more mellow loving goat, and now that shes about a year im pritty sure she is a Nigerian.  Their both great goats. Id say milk for hobbies, go for a Pygmy, milk for Drinking Id lean towards a Nigerian.


Skipping a day of milking a pygmy won't decrease their immediate supply at all...what it will do is decrease the overall lactation length and they will dry off sooner.

But I agree if your primary reason for getting a goat is milk...you need to look at true dairy breeds.  If your primary reason is companionship, showing or weed control with the added bonus of a little milk and maybe some meat...then by all means look into pygmies.

Just be aware of what you want and what your goat is capable of.


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## SDGsoap&dairy

elevan said:
			
		

> Just be aware of what you want and what your goat is capable of.


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## laughingdog

now im curious if finding a pygmy dwarf doe, for my nigerian dwarf male, might be an interesting indevor.  think the babies might come out to be good milkers or could cross them to (what?), to get milkers, meat and great yard mantainance?


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## elevan

laughingdog said:
			
		

> now im curious if finding a pygmy dwarf doe, for my nigerian dwarf male, might be an interesting indevor.  think the babies might come out to be good milkers or could cross them to (what?), to get milkers, meat and great yard mantainance?


This is actually currently a project that I am working on.  First and foremost you need to know what your milk lines are for your ND buck.  How was his dam at milking and what was her udder like?  Then you want a pygmy doe who has exhibited a good udder herself.

There are certainly no guarantees of what you will get if you just willy nilly 2 different breeds the first time around.  You'll need to do some selective breeding over time.  But I believe that a marketable tri-purpose kid can be the outcome.  I already consider my pygmies tri-purpose but the milk production could certainly be increased.


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## laughingdog

i have no idea the sire or dam, as it was the odd buck with two wild colour does, that were orphaned and this one i was not wanted.


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## elevan

laughingdog said:
			
		

> i have no idea the sire or dam, as it was the odd buck with two wild colour does, that were orphaned and this one i was not wanted.


You could certainly give it a go and see what you get.  Maybe you could be more discerning in your choice of doe?

You should still get a moderate amount of meat and milk for a small family.

Best of luck to you!


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## laughingdog

thanks, and just might need neighbor's help from one who want to eat mine, to slaughter tender baby goats or raised adults for fiesta.    i might sob like a little girl for a sec, the first time!


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## elevan

laughingdog said:
			
		

> thanks, and just might need neighbor's help from one who want to eat mine, to slaughter tender baby goats or raised adults for fiesta.    i might sob like a little girl for a sec, the first time!


Don't blame you.  We send all of our slaughter out.  I can't even do the chickens.  I know it makes the final product more costly...but...I just can't do it and neither can DH.    I tried with one of the roosters and had a panic attack    so they all go out now.


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## laughingdog

well i cull rats and such for feeders and freezer stored food, but not sure how the culling of roos or hens that i can sell will go even, or if i can bring myself to kill a goat (unless he is a really beastly one. lol).


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