Recovering Goat Breed: Nigerian Dwarf

Snow 1/2 Saanen 1/2 Nigerian Dwarf,  3 months old

I tend to lean towards the more critically endangered breeds of animals, but in the case of Nigerian Dwarf goats I have actually owned this breed. Also, with goats, I have one of my rare quirks. I grew up with goats when I was little and have been friends with them. Though I am no vegetarian I have yet to eat goat. So, I lean towards the dairy breeds.

Clover 1/2 La Mancha 1/2 Nigerian Dwarf, 2 months

 Nigerians are great goats for the backyard homesteader, in that they are smaller than the standard dairy goat-- they're the 'Mini-Me' goat. They don't need as much feed as the larger breeds and they still produce a good amount of milk, not as much as the larger breeds, but significant for their size, and it's high in butter-fat, so it's forgiving, which is important in an animal that browses.

Storm 1/4 Saanen 3/4 Nigerian Dwarf, yearling milker

As goats are browse (not graze) animals, they have to be penned away from anything you value. Rose bushes are a particular favorite. We fed our goats a high-quality alfalfa hay, with free access to it, they could browse in our backyard. Our dairy goats were supplemented with sweet feed during milking time. We also provided a loose mineral for them (NOT a block).

For us, without wooded pasture, and in an area where greenery takes its toll on water bills, it wasn't cost effective for us to keep our goats. We may go that direction again, but it is a lot of work, as goats are intelligent, curious, and have prodigious jumping abilities. My only two feet at the shoulders baby goat was found on top of the neighbor's eight foot cement block wall.

Nigerian goats as purebreds are great, as I said, for pets or homesteading. My personal preference is for the cross-breeds, which allow the breed characteristics of my favorite goats. Mini-Oberhasli goats are particularly beautiful. Nubian crosses are not a good choice for a small backyard as they are more vocal, though they do handle the weather well. I have owned Saanen-Nigerian and La Mancha-Nigerian does and loved them all.
The purchase price of a goat can range wildly. In purchasing goats it's really important to ask questions. If you want a milk goat, then I suggest that you do not get a baby goat or first freshener, which is what a doe after her first kidding is called. Also, before you buy a goat you should know the following things:

Lightning 1/4 Saanen 3/4 Nigerian Dwarf, yearling milker

Where are you going to keep them? It must be solid and secure, probably with electric fencing involved.

How are you going to breed them to keep the milk coming every year?

What are you going to do with kids after they are born? Do you intend to sell them? Eat them? Let them nurse (which will reduce how much milk you get)?

Are you willing to commit to milking every morning and every night at the same time with no vacations?

Do want a goat for milk alone or do you want to show and breed for sales? Unregistered goats are less expensive to buy while purebred and well bred goats may be a better investment for someone who wants to own goats seriously.

Read up on goat diseases such as CL and CAE. Don't buy a goat without knowing what they are and if the herd you are buying from is clean.

Resources and must-reads for people considering owning a goat:

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/index.htm
homesteadingtoday.com