Nigerian Dwarf goat
The Nigerian Dwarf is a miniature dairy goat with a gentle, even temperament, calm enough for children to handle. It stands 17–23½ in tall and weighs about 75 lb. Does give a modest amount of milk with very high butterfat, around 6% and up. Because the goats are small, they need especially good fencing.
- Temperament
- Gentle, Calm, Playful
- Cold tolerance
- Heat tolerance
Is the Nigerian Dwarf right for you?
Good fit if
- You want a moderate amount of rich milk through the year from a small goat
- You want a calm goat that children can handle
- You're short of space: a large dog house is shelter enough for bucks and dry does
Poor fit if
- You want a lot of milk. The breed averages 847 lb a lactation, under half a Nubian's 1,860 lb
- Your fencing is only basic. The breed association calls good fencing paramount because the goats are small
Appearance and varieties
A Nigerian Dwarf looks like a full-size dairy goat scaled down, with the parts of the body in balanced proportion. That is the difference from a Pygmy, which is bred to be cobby and heavy-boned.
Ears are medium-length and upright. The nose is straight or dished. The coat is short to medium and soft, and any colour or combination is accepted.
The American Dairy Goat Association's limits are 17 to 22½ in for does and 17 to 23½ in for bucks. The Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association is stricter: up to 21 in for does and 23 in for bucks. Both put the usual weight at about 75 lb.
The breed association disqualifies oversized goats from showing, along with a curly coat, a Roman nose, hanging ears or any sign of myotonia, the trait of fainting goats.346
Temperament and handling
The breed association describes Nigerians as gentle, lovable and playful, with a calm, even temperament that suits children and older people. It says even breeding bucks are easily handled.
The Livestock Conservancy says the breed was first selected as a companion and show animal, with weight put on a gentle disposition. Many share pasture peacefully with cattle, horses, llamas and donkeys.21
Animals vary within a breed. Treat this as what to expect, not a promise, and meet the animal before you buy if you can.
Production numbers
What our sources report for the breed. If two sources disagree, you see the full range.
| Measure | Typical | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Milk per lactation | 847 lb on average; 350–1,800 lb across recorded does5 | 549 Nigerian Dwarf lactations in the American Dairy Goat Association's 2025 breed averages. |
| Milk per day | One to two quarts16 | The Livestock Conservancy's figure. Oklahoma State says three to four pounds a day. |
| Butterfat | 6.4% breed average7 | 2019 milk records, with protein at 4.4%. Both are the highest of the eight dairy breeds in Penn State's table. |
| Length of lactation | Up to ten months1 | |
| Breeding season | Year-round86 | Many breeders breed does three times in two years. |
| Gestation | 145–153 days8 | |
| Birth weight | About 2 lb8 | |
| First breeding | Most breeders wait until does are at least a year old8 | Does can conceive at 4–5 months and buck kids can be fertile at 7 weeks, so separate them early. |
Housing, feed and health
Housing
The breed association asks for a dry, shaded shelter for wet, cold or hot weather. It need not be fancy: a large dog house does for bucks and dry does. Does need more room at kidding. Don't use an airtight building, because goats need ventilation.
Fencing is the part to get right. The association calls good fencing paramount because the goats are small. It suggests stumps, rocks or cable spools to climb on, kept well away from the fence so that nobody uses them to jump out.
For goats in general, Cornell suggests at least 12 to 15 sq ft of shed floor per doe with a yard as well, and woven-wire fencing 42 to 48 in high with small mesh at the bottom to keep kids in.1116
Feed
Hay or pasture should always be on offer; the breed association says good pasture and browse are best. Many breeders add a 12–18% protein goat feed or dairy ration, and it must not contain urea. Does in milk are often given grain or a commercial pellet to hold their condition.
Mineral needs depend on where you live. The association suggests asking the breeder what they supplement, or your extension office if there are no breeders nearby. Fresh water should be available at all times.17
Health
The breed association calls the Nigerian a hearty breed with few kidding problems. The usual goat concerns still apply: Penn State names parasites as the biggest health issue for any goat, and mastitis, an udder infection, as a major one for dairy goats.
Penn State advises asking a vet about screening tests before you buy, because caseous lymphadenitis, CAE and Johne's disease spread by contact or through milk.
This is a starting point, not veterinary advice. Work with a vet who treats goats, or ask your county extension office.87
Price and where to buy
| Quality | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Pet wether | $160–$1751213 |
| Registered or registerable doe or buck kid, or young doe | $275–$500121314 |
Prices are per goat, read from three breeder pages on 9 October 2026. Emerald Acres Farm's are for 2026 reservations, Cabochon Farm's is its 2025 pricing policy, and Grace Hill Farm's are for 2024 and 2025 does. Cabochon's $450 is a base price that rises for kids of prize-winning or milk-recorded parents. The breed association's own, undated guide is wider: $400–2,000 for registered breeding stock and $50–100 for pet wethers.
Where to look
Start with a breeder you can visit. Nobody pays to be on this list.
| Seller or directory | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Emerald Acres Farm | Breeder | 2026 reservations: bucklings $275–375, doelings about $300–400, wethers $175 |
| Cabochon Farm | Breeder | 2025 pricing policy: doe and buck kids from $450, pet wethers $160 |
| Grace Hill Farm | Breeder | ADGA-registered does born 2024 and 2025, $450–500 |
Similar breeds
| Breed | Doe weight | Buck weight | Beginner | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nigerian Dwarf (this breed) | 75 lb | $160–$500 | ||
| Pygmy | 53–86 lb | $200–$600 |
History
The Nigerian Dwarf and the Pygmy share a foundation: small, variable African goats imported to the United States between the 1930s and 1950s and first shown in zoos. The breed association's account is that they came over on ships as food for big cats bound for zoos, and that the survivors were kept as an attraction.
Over time the herds split into two types. The stocky ones became the Pygmy. A handful of breeders took the goats with the most dairy character and made the Nigerian Dwarf; the association credits Kathleen Clapp of Goodwood Farms and Sharla Parker of the Willows herd.
Numbers grew. The Livestock Conservancy counted nearly 7,000 purebred registrations in 2002, and the breed graduated from its priority list in 2013. It is now one of the nine breeds in the American Dairy Goat Association's herd books, and the only miniature one.1183
Common questions
How big do Nigerian Dwarf goats get?
About 75 lb. The American Dairy Goat Association allows does from 17 to 22½ in at the withers and bucks from 17 to 23½ in. The Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association's limits are lower, at 21 in for does and 23 in for bucks.34
How much milk does a Nigerian Dwarf goat give?
The Livestock Conservancy says one to two quarts a day. Over a recorded lactation the 2025 breed average was 847 lb, with does ranging from 350 to 1,800 lb.15
Is Nigerian Dwarf milk high in butterfat?
Yes. The breed average in Penn State's table of 2019 records is 6.4% fat and 4.4% protein, the highest of the eight dairy breeds listed. Oklahoma State gives a range of 6 to 10%.76
Are Nigerian Dwarf goats good pets?
The breed association describes them as gentle, lovable and playful, with a calm temperament that suits children, and as good 4-H and FFA projects. They do need fencing that a small goat can't get through.2
How much does a Nigerian Dwarf goat cost?
On the three breeder pages we checked, pet wethers were $160–175 and registered or registerable does and bucks $275–500. The breed association's own guide says registered breeding stock runs $400–2,000 depending on area and pedigree.12131419
What is the difference between a Nigerian Dwarf and a Pygmy goat?
They come from the same imported West African goats but were bred in different directions. Pygmies are cobby and heavy-boned. Nigerian Dwarfs have the longer body and proportions of a dairy goat and are bred for milk.61
Sources
The small numbers beside each fact point to one of these.
- The Livestock Conservancy, Conservation Successes: Nigerian Dwarf Goat.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, Temperament.
- American Dairy Goat Association, Breed Standards.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, NDGA Breed Standard.
- American Dairy Goat Association, Breed Averages: DHIR Breed Averages, 2025 Lactations.
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Nigerian Dwarf Goats (archived copy).
- Penn State Extension, Dairy Goat Production.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, Breeding.
- BreedBarn, Editorial rating, method on the editorial policy page.
- Purdue University Department of Animal Sciences, Housing for Dairy Goats.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, Accommodations.
- Emerald Acres Farm, LLC, Goats For Sale.
- Cabochon Farm, Goat Sales Policy & Pricing.
- Grace Hill Farm, Store: ADGA Nigerian Dwarf Goats.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, About Us.
- Cornell University, New York State 4-H, Goat Fact Sheets: Goat Facilities.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, Feeding.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, Origins.
- Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association, Cost.
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