Homeland of pygmy goats, the history of their appearance, varieties, features of their appearance, keeping at home, health, purchase price. Who among us has not been in the village with grandmother in the summer? All the kids were looking forward to the end of the next school year to go to the village for all summer holidays. There they were always expected not only by their relatives, but also by a lot of positive feelings and emotions, as well as a huge vitamin reserve, which should be enough until next summer.
Usually during this period, all children eat only ripe natural fruits and vegetables, but there is another storehouse of useful substances - homemade milk. It's not a secret for anyone how much a small glass of cow's milk contains for our body, and if we are talking about goat's milk, then all the useful vitamins and trace elements in it are contained in double or even triple amounts.
Today, not so many people, even those living in villages, maintain a large farm, because it is not so easy to take care of animals, and many people simply refuse such work. But how can we do without such a "sea" of vitamins? The answer to this question may surprise you.
In the period of modernity, humanity is becoming not only more progressive and original, but also prudent. Some very pretty and very useful creatures live on our large planet Earth - these are dwarf pygmy goats. Today they are gaining more and more popularity, both among rural residents and among city dwellers.
The thing is that the compact size and ease of keeping these miniature animals give them the right to live even in an apartment. Having decided on such a bold step as purchasing a goat as a pet, you are guaranteed to be satisfied. These cute representatives of the animal world have not only a very friendly and playful character, but also great benefits for their owners.
In order to provide your mini-goat with quite cozy and comfortable living conditions, you should get to know her better. Observing the most elementary rules for the care and maintenance of these Cameroonian animals, you will not only get a cheerful and funny companion, but in addition to this, they will give you valuable food.
History and natural habitats of pygmy goats
According to a lot of historical information, these cute animals were tamed by humans several tens of millennia ago. They honor the Cameroon Valley, located in the western part of the hot, sunny African continent, with their Fatherland. But for the first time they were introduced into the household in the lands of the Middle East. It was there that our ancestors concluded that these little creatures can make an invaluable contribution to their rural industry, because they eat relatively little, but the benefits from them cannot be counted.
The natural habitats of these animals are arid and semi-desert areas in Africa. As many sources inform, in their native land, they live, like all other representatives of the African fauna. Mini-goats also walk in search of some kind of delicacy, this is certainly amazing data, but many locals say that these miniature pygmies freely conquer various heights. It is not difficult for them to climb to the top of a tree, and eat the leaves, if they have nothing left closer to the ground. They live mainly in groups, this helps them to avoid the attacks of predatory enemies.
In addition, they have some kind of unique ability to live quite well where other animals die from lack of food. An interesting fact is that ferocious tigers love to hunt these mini-goats, but not at all in order to get enough of the meat of a defenseless animal. They love to drink their milk, therefore, as soon as the predator quenches its thirst, it releases the fragile animal for its personal affairs safe and sound!
The arrival of these cute animals on the lands of Europe falls around the 19th century. Their import to our lands is attributed to workers in the whaling industry. Due to the fact that whale hunters spent a lot of time at sea without leaving their vehicle, it was pygmy goats that served as a source of dairy and meat products for them.
Small in size, not requiring special attention to themselves, they tolerate long travels and variability of climatic conditions well, moreover, they are not whimsical in food and its quantity - all these positive qualities of animals have attracted the attention of seafarers. At first, animals in Europe, they could only be seen in the territories of zoos, and after a while they began to migrate to human possession.
These useful creatures came to America by the middle of the 20th century, then they began to gain their popularity in Russia. Moreover, Russian farmers bred these mini-goats for milk, and the Americans began to keep them as pets, on a par with cats and dogs.
The pygmy goat (lat. Capra hircus) is a pretty mammal, which scientists attributed to the artiodactyl order and the bovids family.
Description of dwarf goat breeds
In nature, there are three main types of mini-animals. We present to your attention a brief acquaintance with them.
Cameroon pygmy goat
This small native of large Africa is distinguished by its relatively small body size. In length, a beautiful body can grow up to 60–70 cm, its height is approximately 40–50 cm. Body weight differs depending on gender: the weight of the male is approximately 20–24 kg, while the female goat is more slender, its weight is 11 –15 kg.
The head of these animals is of medium size in relation to the body, it is harmoniously decorated with small ears and horns sticking out upward, which are naturally bent back. This feature of the horns allows you to always remain calm in those cases when a child approached the animal, it is practically impossible to injure with such horns. Like their large relatives, they have a small beard.
The squat body of a mini goat can take a barrel shape. The entire surface of the body is wrapped in thick short hair, slightly stiff in texture. As for the color, then Mother Nature certainly did her best. The color range is very diverse, mainly dark tones prevail in the color of the Cameroon animal, but it seems possible to meet an individual painted in gray, brown, caramel and even red shades. Sometimes the main color of wool is decorated with a spotted ornament of more contrasting colors.
The behavior of these fragile creatures is just a gift for her master. They are very friendly in nature, these comrades are always not averse to having fun. They are naturally playful and agile, they are always ready to run and jump. If you have a free minute - present it to your pet, and you will be provided with a charge of excellent mood for the whole day.
If you are expecting replenishment, in the family of your pets, then you can be calm, there will be no problems with the baby either. After all, a newborn can already stand on his feet from the first minutes, and at the age of one or two days he can fully run and jump. During one pregnancy, no more than two pygmy kids are usually born, weighing about 300-400 grams each. At first, babies eat only mother's milk.
In addition to all the positive qualities of this breed, it should be noted that these mini-goats have very good immunity and are not afraid of many diseases that often affect their large relatives.
The productivity of this animal is relatively low, the maximum amount of milk per day is about 1, 2-1, 5 liters. Their products have a fairly high percentage of fat content - approximately 5, 0–5, 2. As for the specific smell, it is absent in milk, as well as in meat.
Courtyard view
A distinctive feature of this mini-breed is their extraordinary horns. They are very small in size and curved inward. They also have relatively large hearing organs that are constantly in sight and stick up. The tail is short, the goats are constantly wagging them like dogs.
The body of this type of pygmy goat is covered with a rather thick layer of short hair. Its color is often represented by dark shades, against the background of which specks of lighter tones stand out noticeably.
This breed of dwarf goats is famous for its milk, which is not only a source of invaluable vitamins and nutrients, but also has healing qualities. The productivity of this cute creature is about 2 liters of milk per day, the fat content of which is 5%. Milk does not emit a specific odor.
Nigerian pygmy goat
This breed of original artiodactyls is almost a copy of an ordinary domestic goat, only several times smaller in size. Despite its African name, the USA respects its native land, it was there that this breed was first bred.
The body of this mini-goat is covered with thick, medium-sized fur. The color can be very varied: from light shades to rich dark colors, decorated with elements of various shapes.
Looking at this creature for the first time, you might think that this is just an "eternal" kid. A thin narrow muzzle, small ears and rather small horns - these qualities give this beautiful native of America a very graceful and pretty appearance. Due to the fact that these pygmy goats are often purchased as pets, in most European countries it is customary for them to cut their horns from infancy, this measure is a good prevention of unwanted injuries.
This breed has not only a very social disposition, but also good mental abilities. Thanks to these qualities, Nigerian mini-goats find a common language very well both with people and with other pets, and are easy to train. By their nature, they are very neat and tidy.
Features of keeping a pygmy goat, home care
Based on the experience of not only modern owners of these extraordinary animals, but also of their predecessors, we can conclude that keeping this animal in your home is not only not difficult, but also very rewarding. Indeed, for your good attitude and proper care for this beautiful animal, you will receive gratitude not only in the form of a good mood and positive emotions, but your horned friend will supply you with very tasty and healthy food.
- Living space for horned mini-goats. Since these animals are absolutely normal to any climatic conditions, then the place of detention should be chosen by you. This can be a spacious aviary that is located in a warm place. The main condition is that their home must always be dry and clean. Any soft elements of natural origin: dry foliage, soft hay or sawdust can serve as a bedding in the aviary. Also, many people keep these very neat little animals in their homes and apartments. Due to the fact that these representatives of the animal world lend themselves very well to training conditions, their owners will not have much difficulty in teaching their tenant to the toilet. One of the disadvantages of living this mini-animal in your apartment is a loud enough clatter of hooves, for this you can either sew with your own hands or buy special "slippers" that eliminate unnecessary sounds.
- Diet. These cute creatures are not particularly picky about food products, as well as their quantity. But mini-goats almost never refuse to eat, for this reason it is necessary to control the amount of food that your pet eats. Overfeeding can lead to obesity of the animal, which can negatively affect the activity of the animal and the state of its reproductive health. If you keep a pygmy goat in a private house, then you can be calm: in the summer, this cute animal will be not only a playful companion for you, but also a "lawn mower" for your site. The most favorite food products for mini-goats are fresh grass, hay, leaves, young shoots of plants. They will never give up vitamins in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables, they are very fond of apples, cabbage, beets and carrots. There is another recipe for tasty and healthy food for pygmy goats - mashed boiled potatoes mixed with mixed feed or grain. The daily menu should include whole grains, the minimum amount of which should not be less than 150 grams. It is good to feed your pet with various food additives, as they can be used ordinary table salt or other minerals. They will not mind to feast on mini-goats and a portion of specialized food, which is not a problem to purchase in most pet stores.
As for the liquid for your cloven-hoofed friends, there should be plenty of it, and it should always be clean. At each season, the water temperature is preferably maintained appropriately: in winter, animals should be given heated water, and in the hot season, the water should be slightly cool, but by no means cold, so that the animal does not get sick.
Mini goat health
Despite the fact that pygmy goats have excellent properties of the immune system, they still develop some pathological conditions. So that your four-legged comrade does not suffer from them, it is necessary to take preventive measures in time.
- Hoof trimming. This procedure is the key to good health and good mood for your pet. It should be done at least once a month. Failure to comply with this rule can lead to decay of the hooves, which entails a lot of troubles for your cub, such as lameness, and in the future, disability. Hoof trimming is best done in wetter weather, as the hoof material softens slightly under these conditions. If there is a persistent drought on the street, and there is no rain in the forecast, lubricate the hooves of a pygmy goat with red clay at night. They will soften during the night and trimming can be done in the morning. After the procedure, the hooves should be washed with disinfectants or 9% vinegar.
- Worms. An important measure in caring for dwarf goats is regular anthelmintic therapy. It should be done approximately 3-4 times a year. In these animals, infection with worms happens quite often and can lead to irreparable consequences, since worms can live not only in the intestines, but also in the respiratory system and in the liver. Anthelmintics can be purchased at any veterinary pharmacy.
Buying a pygmy goat
Due to the fact that pygmy goats are a fairly popular animal, it is not at all problematic to acquire it on the territory of Russia. It is important that the animal has all the necessary documents.
The price range for these mini-goats is from 15,000 to 60,000 rubles.
For more on dwarf goats, see this video:
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