# Nigerian Dwarfs~ size preference?



## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

Do you have a size preference with your Nigerians? Personally, I think 20" is small enough for me. . . Daisy is a tad too small. . .I love her to death but . . .thinking about when she has an udder, won't it get scratched and dirty being so close to the ground? Anyway, your thoughts on that?


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## Candy (May 14, 2008)

Katie is about 20 1/2 in. and Kizzy is 19 in. Both their udders seem to 'fit' their height. They are proportioned properly and have good attachment. I have no problem with them getting injured or being to low. That's only my experience. Others may have much more experience and find it different.
Candy :sun:


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## Sonrise Farm (Sep 18, 2008)

thanks Candy! that made alot of sense . . .


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I agree with Candy...the little girls' udders are fitting to their height...Binky is 20 1/2 " and she has a very nicely attached udder...so, nope unless you have a "mini" doe that has awful attachments the injuries to the udder are minimal because of "ground clearance issues"


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

Yep, I agree with what Liz and Candy said. Typically, if the doe is small, her udder will be smaller and if it is attached snugly then all should be well. We have a doe who is probably about 18 inches, her udder is not huge and fits her size well. Those smaller does will not have the same production as a bigger doe though. . . .

Personally, I like about a 20-21 inch doe - good size for us.


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## jordan (Nov 22, 2007)

I like my does AND bucks smaller! I prefer neither go over 21" and am breeding carefully towards this. I do have (and love almost everything about her) an awesome doe that is just below standard who will never leave here! Lucky for me, she produces little girls, who have produced little girls and boys!
Smaller does may have a little less capacity, but not always.
ND's are getting larger through less selective breeding and it is something we need to keep in check.
I'm hearing about/seeing alot of 25" bucks and people are starting to get a little cavalier about what IS a disqualifying fault...
Lois 
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

Hope is 21" and I think its perfect. Small enough for me to handle on my own easily but not so small I had to lay in the dirt to milk her!

I have a milk stand now. :greengrin:


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

*Re: Nigerian Dwarfs ~ size preference?*



> I'm hearing about/seeing alot of 25" bucks and people are starting to get a little cavalier about what IS a disqualifying fault...


I have too and it kind of shocks me! Didn't know they could get that big! :shocked: I dislike the really tall Nigerians. Our tallest Nigerian doe is 21.5 inches. I need to measure our buck, he's gotten much taller since I last measured him at 8 months old.


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## jordan (Nov 22, 2007)

I know I can sometimes get a little worked up about some of these things, but I really do believe if you are going to breed any animal, you should only try to breed better.
There has been quite a bit of talk this year from people wanting to increase the height max on the bucks because so many are going over. I think this is wrong. You don't change the standards to accomodate faults, you breed to standard. At this point the registries aren't budging. :thumb: 
I'm not saying that if you happen to have an exceptional buck who is a quarter inch over you don't use him, just breed selectively to your smallest does. I wouldn't use a 25" buck on any doe.
And please, keep the oversized animals out of the showring! NDGA is the only one who measures ND's as they go into the ring (at least around here). If a too tall goat goes into an AGS or ADGA ring and wins, that champion leg is lost.
Lois 
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net


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## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I think it's really good that you get "worked up" about improving the breed.  It shows that you are a great breeder! Wish you were closer to us. . . .

I'm not in the "show loop" yet so had no idea how that worked. We're breeding to keep the Nigerian Dwarf a true miniature dairy goat. Hoping to show some next year.


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## jordan (Nov 22, 2007)

capriola-nd" I'm not in the "show loop" yet so had no idea how that worked. We're breeding to keep the Nigerian Dwarf a true miniature dairy goat. Hoping to show some next year. :D[/quote]
I hope that when you do get your feet wet in the ring that you have as much fun as I have had showing! :) There are some great people out there and so many are willing to help and share with useful bits of info!
The judges can be a goldmine of information too once you get comfortable enough to "grill" them after they are done judging.
Lois
[URL="http://www.fallcreekfarm.net said:


> http://www.fallcreekfarm.net[/URL]


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## mnspinner (Aug 13, 2008)

21" is the ideal doe height for me. Small to me would be under 20. I started off liking the smaller NDs but now have gone the opposite direction. NOT over height however. I like my bucks a good size, between 22 and 23 inches. Just not into the smaller boys. But we're all different in our goatie tastes!
"Jordan," I love your lineup and admire your program immensely.


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## jordan (Nov 22, 2007)

mnspinner said:


> 21" is the ideal doe height for me. Small to me would be under 20. I started off liking the smaller NDs but now have gone the opposite direction. NOT over height however. I like my bucks a good size, between 22 and 23 inches. Just not into the smaller boys. But we're all different in our goatie tastes!
> "Jordan," I love your lineup and admire your program immensely.


Thank you so much!
Lois 
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

a very experienced goat breeder in our area (kind of like the mother of breeders people could call her -- Gail Putcher) said that she thinks that a one inch difference between bucks and does is unfair. In standared dairy goats there is a larger gap in the max height between does and bucks. It makes sense, although I dont want to see the dwarf breed become to large I dont want to see it become to small either. That happened with the pygmy breed and it causes difficulties in birth and I heard there is a "movement" so to speak to sway the size back to something more resonable. We just need to becareful not to breed down to small. 


here the judges always check height when going into the show ring. At least 80% of the time. 

And if a goat looks borderline they always check. Sometimes it isnt even teh judge that stops the goat but the breeders


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## jordan (Nov 22, 2007)

Not familiar with standard goats, but I didn't think they had maximum height limits? I thought ND's and pygmy's were the only ones...
So far, I've found that if the ND (can't address pygmy's) is well proportioned for it's height (width and length), there should be no reason for kidding issues on smaller sized does.
I have a 19" doe that I swear could have been painting her hooves while she was in labor for all the difficulty she had popping that baby out! :thumb: 
Lois
http://www.fallcreekfarm.net


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## Candy (May 14, 2008)

The NDGA has these height standards:
*Ideal height of Nigerian Dwarf goats is 17" to 19" for does with does up to 21" allowed in the breed standard. Ideal height for bucks is 19" to 21" with bucks up to 23" allowed in the breed standard.*

The AGS height standards are:
*Shorter height is the primary breed characteristic of the
Nigerian Dwarf, with does measuring no more than 22 1/2" at the withers and bucks measuring no more than 23 1/2" at the withers. 
*

The ADGA height standards are:
*does stand no more than 22.5" (57cm) and bucks no more than 23.5" (60cm).*

My question is how can I predict the height of a goat when I sell it?
Candy :sun:


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Lois, great website. 

I'd LOVE to buy Mona off you ... but the distance might be an issue. 

The more I see of these little goats the more I want to import some. The standard of quality is just ... outstanding.


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## Di (Jan 29, 2008)

Candy, you can't predict the height of the "finished product" absolutely. I have read many breeders sales pages and most state, there are no height guarantees. I've even seen a very good looking buck for sale (for $600.!) that they say is overheight...but they say his kids have not gone overheight?! I would guess if we breed our "within standard" does to "within standard" bucks, we shouldn't have a problem. Good luck!


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## Candy (May 14, 2008)

Thanks Di,
Candy :sun:


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