# African Pygmy vs Nigerian Dwarf ?s



## MomMommyMamma (Mar 10, 2011)

I found this page, http://www.tyny.com/pygvsnig.html. Do you agree? Pygmies are more for meat and dwarf more for milk?


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## elevan (Mar 10, 2011)

That is correct.  Although there is no reason that you cannot milk pygmies (or use ND's for meat).  You'll get less of what you're after if you use them in a different way.

Pygmy goat milk is good


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## Livinwright Farm (Mar 10, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> That is correct.  Although there is no reason that you cannot milk pygmies (or use ND's for meat).  You'll get less of what you're after if you use them in a different way.
> 
> Pygmy goat milk is good


I have 2 nigerian Does, 3 seven month olds Nigi-Pygs(Nigerian Dwarf x African Pygmy).  The bucklings are seeming to bulk out nicely, and the doeling, unfortunately, is due to kid anytime this month... I am hoping she follows in her mother's steps and develops a nice full udder.

Both give wonderful milk if you are able to milk them(it is harder with the tiny teats of the pygmy). _a little hint: _If you feed them just alfalfa hay during the time you are milking them, their milk becomes like sweetened cow's milk. No "goatiness" to it at all!


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## elevan (Mar 10, 2011)

I have a 100% pygmy that kidded last month who has a wonderful udder and teats (for a pygmy  )


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## MomMommyMamma (Mar 10, 2011)

Thanks for the info! We are wanting them for milk so maybe the Nigerian Dwarfs are better. There are lots of adorable little pygmies for sale by us right now. I wonder if newbie milkers could manage to milk a pygmy.  
We're going out to a local breeders on Sat. to taste milk from her Nigerian Dwarf goats. That will give us a better idea if we really want does. 
I don't think I've ever eaten goat meat. In what form (steaks, chops, burger, etc) or recipes do you use it? Does it taste gamey? I don't know, we butcher our own chickens but somehow it seems like a big leap mentally to move on to goats. Are you processing them yourselves or do you take them somewhere?


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## elevan (Mar 10, 2011)

I have yet to process any of my own herd as we have just begun a breeding program.  I would like to butcher our own, but when we get to that point in reality I'll probably hire it out.

I have only ever had the meat in ground form, it reminds me of veal.

As to milking pygmies...I don't find it difficult (some people might).  You'll get more milk from a ND though.


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## PattySh (Mar 10, 2011)

You would probably be better off getting a Nigerian from a milking line. There are pet lines that will not produce as much milk. Pygmies also do not give alot of milk tho I actually have milked one in the past. My family enjoys goat meat. I have eaten both yearlings and two year old wethers and both were very similar to  mild flavored beef. No gamey taste whatsoever and not greasy like lamb. We cut some of the meat like you would beef chops,  and some steaks which were good broiled, the rest we cubed for stew this time.  In the past we have made some like pulled pork and that was awesome. It's amazing in a pressure cooker as stew. It's pretty flexible meat you just have to be careful not to dry it out as it's low fat.  If you roast it in the oven you will want liquid in the pan and baste it often. We just butchered a 2 yr old recently. Hung the meat to age in a cool spot for a week before cutting it up and the meat was very tender. From an alpine/nubian 2 yr old we ended up with about 40 pounds of packaged meat. About 25 lbs from the  yearlings (full size goats but small so about pygmy size). We processed our own.


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## AlaskanShepherdess (Mar 11, 2011)

Nigerians can be used for meat as well. I have two does that come from lines that produce LOTS of milk (well over a quart a day) but they are also really meaty. I wont be selling any of these girls to folks who want show animals, but for those wanting a dual purpose milk/meat goat they will be PERFECT. I also have two does that are show quality so I will be able to provide goats to a broad range of buyers.


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## Livinwright Farm (Mar 11, 2011)

CrownofThornsNDGoats said:
			
		

> Nigerians can be used for meat as well. I have two does that come from lines that produce LOTS of milk (well over a quart a day) but they are also really meaty. I wont be selling any of these girls to folks who want show animals, but for those wanting a dual purpose milk/meat goat they will be PERFECT. I also have two does that are show quality so I will be able to provide goats to a broad range of buyers.


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