# Nigerian Dwarf



## monstersateme (Dec 26, 2009)

All right, I've been turned from Standard goats to Dwarf's (Dwarves?) Either way, Could someone let me know about how you personally caring for them? I read all the information websites and books but it seems so...impersonal. I'd rather hear from someone who's actually doing it right now.
Thanks!
~S
:lovey:


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

I have never raised anything but dwarfs (Nigerians)...and nope, I am not sure on the correct plural either. Mhy grammar check says it is "dwarfs"...Yet wolf is wolves so who knows.

I assume you care for them in precisely the same manner as larger goats, you just have to reduce dosages for some medications. For instance, Probios is the same dosage no matter the size, but wormer is by weight. The other thing you have to worry about with mini's is that they can fit through smaller holes, so may be harder to contain. I put chicken wire up on the inside of all of my permanent fencing to keep kids from slithering through tiny holes. I have had those tiny, tiny kids slither through holes like an octopus (who can go through holes literally 1/5th the size of their bodies.) Also, if you have horses, cattle, etc. you need to be extra careful, because these goats are obviously smaller than standard goats and can get stomped on easier. I have three horses sharing the pasture with my does and have never had a single problem, but I introduced them slowly and I never let kids in with the horses until they are at least half the size of their dams. So 4-5 months or more...

My basic care consists of twice yearly worming (Valbazen in the fall before breeding, and Ivermectin after kidding). I also check eyelids and will worm if they get pale. I treat kids for cocci when they are two and four months regardless of if they show signs (I use Sulmet.) I treat all new arrivals for cocci and worm them. I feed free choice minerals (Purina Goat) that I feel have a good balance and have added selenium and copper. I also have a mineral lick block down that has selenium so the goats can pick and choose what they want (they do use the lick.) I also leave out free choice baking soda to help avoid bloat. I grain kids until they are near full grown every day depending on size and growth rate. I also grain does year round, more in the coldest months and more in the last couple months of pregnancy and during lactation. When I am drying them off and it isn't really cold they get minimal grain. I only give bucks a handful a day as a treat.

I keep water half full because I dump and refill every day so it is always fresh. Mini's need short buckets, but be careful during kidding time. When I have mom's who are about to pop or have newborns, I only fill the buckets half full, so that if a kid manages to get into it they can not drown. I had one drown and I have no idea how it managed to clamber into that bucket, because I always kept the buckets full. It just requires me to pay a lot of attention to refill the buckets when I keep them half full since lactating does need a ton of water. 

I test for CAE in the spring. If the goats get a "fish tail" or black goats get a reddish tinged coat I will copper bolus (haven't had any problems with copper deficiency so far, so haven't found the need to bolus.) I trim hoofs every 4-6 weeks. I have never had a problem with hoof rot (knock on wood) and I believe it is because I keep up on their trimmings, leaving no pockets. I feel it is super important in kids as well because a proper hoof shape will keep their legs growing straight. I completely shave coats when it is warm enough in late spring to help avoid any heat stress (it gets super hot here in July) and to check for/avoid incidence of lice.

I do not let the does run with the bucks unless I am having trouble getting a doe bred. Even then I pay great attention and know all approximate due dates for my girls. When they are getting within a couple weeks of their due date, I start checking ligs 2-3 times a day. Once they start getting really loose I separate them into their own private, roomy kidding stalls. Once the doe loses her ligs completely I check on her once every hour no matter what. I have never missed a kidding yet in this fashion. I am always there to assist but do not go in unless she has been pushing a while and hasn't made any progress. I wear latex gloves, sterilized, and make sure I only pull with contractions after I have gotten any kids straightened out. I bounce the dam to make sure there are no more kids, stay an extra hour to make sure everyone nurses and that mom is acting normal. I will give a bucket of water mixed with molasses and let the mom eat the placenta to get back her energy. I check again early in the morning and make sure all is good and mom hasn't retained a placenta. If the kids are weak I will give them karo syrup mixed with pedialyte by syringe and syringe colostrum into them. If they are really weak I will take them inside and put them under a heat pad and syringe feed them all night. Nutradrench is also awesome to give. Mom always takes them in the morning if they get better.

That is all I can think of right now, but I am sure I am missing something. I am paranoid, so I do a lot for my goats.


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## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

WOW! Thumbs UP to firelight27 for a GREAT description! :thumb: 

My advice would be VERY similar to theirs.

I have also only had purebred registered nigerians, so that's all we know here ...When my daughter and I decided to look into small goats we read, read, read anything we could find on the internet, then we contacted a few breeders, one of which invited us to their next ADGA show where they actually let us help them show (for the whole summer!)!! It has been LOVE LOVE LOVE since that day! They ended up gifting us with the mature doe that my daughter helped them show that summer (and they bred her to their best buck for us too!). 
My advice = find a few great breeders, go to a show or two, visit a farm or two.

Also, be aware that each farm does things differently. We all have our own opinions of what is right/wrong in every possible department. Take everything you learn with a grain of salt, sometimes opinions can come out very strong, but you can always gain something educational from everyone, even if it's what "not" to do.

Things that I often see: Poor knowledge of goats. People often think that goats are pretty much self-sufficient...I totally disagree. I am absolutely adament about the best quality care of my animals. I watch them everyday for anything that seems odd. It takes me about 30-60 minutes while feeding to watch each of my 4 pens of animals and determine if any goat needs anything at all. If one of them seems depressed, has runny eyes or nose, coughs at all, has a poor coat condition or color, etc...then they are immediately treated (and it's recorded immediately in our herd book/3 ring binder). Things that people don't pay close enough attention to are: diahhrea and Coccidia, worms, lice, depression, off-feed, weight (especially in winter with furry coats), using quality feed including minerals. It's MUCH more cost effective to learn illness & diseases BEFORE hand & treat things immediately, than to wait & have the animal suffer, need vet care, or possibly die. My biggest pet peeve - know what a good healthy goat is supposed to look like & act like! Especially babies!! Babies should not just lay there and sleep, they should be up and trying to nurse right away, they should be bouncing around within a day or two as long as the mom and the babies are fed and up to date on their minerals, vitamins, & care. (Dont bring home a baby that is "mellow", "sleepy", has diarrhea at all or any other issues...no matter what the breeder tells you!! You'll be very frustrated if you do.) 

This website is a WEALTH of information!! You can find information on almost everything possible these days on the internet.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I've had Nigis a little over a year and I am completely and hopelessly in love with them. Firelight27 covered their care really well.
As to fencing, we use 2x4 welded wire, 4' tall, and they never get out (except by shoving past me when I open the gate). They've never jumped over and I really can't imagine them doing it, but no guarantees!
You milk them quite differently from a big goat. It takes less muscle, but (at least in my experience) the pail fills more slowly because of the small teats. I've only milked a first freshener though. I'm hoping her teat size and udder capacity will get better. Also maybe with experience I'll get better.
My experience is limited: I've only milked one Nigerian through her first lactation, and I helped milk our friends' two standard does for a few days.


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

Thanks guys. Bellafire, you made some excellent points I didn't mention, particularly observing behavior and record keeping. I feel as if those are two of the most important things you can do. 

And you are SO right about people's misconception that goats will take care of themselves. I have goats, dogs, and horses. I have had cattle and sheep as well. Almost everyone has dogs and cats, and the most common livestock for people to own who are not "country" or "farmers" etc., tend to be horses. And dogs, cats, and horses are pretty low maintenance. I mean, I flea treat my dogs every month, give them heart worm medications, and vaccinate them yearly. That is about it beyond their dog food and water. The horses need wormed on a regular basis, have their hooves trimmed, get vaccinated, and get proper feed and a mineral block and that is usually about all you need to do for them as well. Dogs and horses are pretty hardy and I think people just assume goats will be just as simple...and that if something goes wrong they just pass them on to a vet.

Goats are not as hardy, IMO. If they get sick, it is very easy to lose them. Like rabbits. Well, rabbits are probably easier to have die on you. And because veterinarians and people in general find goats as popular or give as much thought to them as dogs and horses, it can be harder to know how to treat them or even find a vet that doesn't think it is like a wool-less sheep (which they are absolutely NOT!) As you said, especially kids. Kids are so delicate and need to be watched carefully. Goats can succumb to cocci, bloat, pneumonia, worms, poisoning, selenium deficiencies...and I am just thinking of the most common causes of death. And usually, when they get sick, you are left trying to save them yourself, unless you are lucky enough to have found a knowledgeable goat vet (absolutely unheard of in my area). I always keep a chart on my computer and a copy on my laptop showing medical records and treatments. 

I forgot to mention that I feed only high quality grass hay as far as roughage. If is so very important that goats get a ton of roughage and that it makes up the majority of their diet. Too much grain can kill them, and too little roughage can imbalance their system because they have a rumen and a more complex digestive system than single stomached animals. Many people feed alfalfa, and that is a great option because it is high in calcium. I don't feed alfalfa because my goats are not on a dry lot, but on a pasture that is very lush in the spring. I believe that after the first couple of weeks of life, during which time I keep the kids away from the herd, they should be able to run and play in the field to develop strong bones and feet and just be happy kids (and I don't have anywhere else but the lush pasture to let them romp.) So when they start eating mom's alfalfa some start scouring when combined with the lush pasture (never had a problem with loose poo in adults.) So, I just don't feed alfalfa because the kid's diets become too rich. I do give pregnant does alfalfa pellets along with their grain in the last 2-3 months and during lactation to help with calcium and added nutrition.

I also de-worm kids more frequently than adults, since youngsters are more susceptible to worm loads in pretty much all species. I will first worm the kids at 4 weeks with ivermectin, and then at 8 weeks with valbazen to catch tapeworms and any stragglers not killed in the first de-worming. Also, I will give a dose of Probios to kids at about 4-5 days to help populate their system with good bacteria. I will give Probios to any goat who is sick (along with whatever medication needed to treat their illness) or stressed. So I give Probios to goats that I am hauling, are stressed at a show, new arrivals, mom's who freak out at weaning, kids when being weaned, etc.

And like Bellafire said, you definitely want to talk to a lot of farms. I just Googled farms in my state when I first got into Nigerians. I went to the ones I could and chatted with the ones I couldn't go to. Everyone in the goat world has been more than happy to talk goats with me and are very helpful. Find farms online or at shows whose animals look amazing and pester them. Don't be worried about being a bother either, just make sure they know you are a newbie and you admire their animals and they will be proud, flattered and happy to share their knowledge. And if you want a successful farm and want to be able to easily sell your kids, getting to know all of the farms in your area and at shows is the best way to guarantee that. It is hard to sell registered animals if you haven't gotten to know other farms and started to build a reputation amongst them and at shows. Beyond that, the more relationships you build, the larger pool of animals and bloodlines you have access to so that you can continually bring new goats in and improve your herd. I have done business with several farms that now give me great deals and heads up on nice animals before they list them for sale. And they buy my animals as well. It really helps with diversity. You may have to spread yourself a little farther than planned, traveling into neighboring states, but so many farms are willing to meet half way and help you reduce travel costs.

And yes, you will get so many different opinions on what to do and what not to do. Everyone does things differently, and sometimes what will work for you won't work for others. A lot depends on the area you live in, the number of animals, etc. The weather and temperatures in my area, for instance, cause me to raise my goats differently than someone in a dryer, hotter climate or a very snowy climate, etc. There are those who prefer to do everything natural and herbally de-worm their goats, etc. If I knew it worked well, I would love to do things that way. But to me it is too risky and I chemically treat my animals. You just have to take everyone's info in and then you literally have to sculpt your own program, like building a custom home or what not.

And like milkmaid said, teats are smaller when compared to larger goats. First fresheners are SO hard sometimes!! When I had grade Nigerians that I wasn't showing I didn't even bother milking first fresheners if they had more than one kid. Just let the babies have all the milk. Now that I want to show everyone I have to milk my FF does to keep their production higher.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

WONDERFUL posts! I won't say how I manage mine because I'd just be repeating what was already said :thumbup:


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

Oh yes, and don't forget that BoSe shots should be given twice a year in selenium deficient areas. I give does a BoSe shots 5 and 2 weeks before does kid, and give kids a BoSe shot at birth and at one month old. Be careful though, because selenium is toxic at low dosages.


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