# Eating Pygmy goats.



## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

We are considering raising pygmies (we have one already), some for pets, but don't want to keep a truckload of them around, since we have to buy all of our hay and agrain.

Granted they don't have that much meat, but is there any kind of market for a smaller goat?


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Don't know how much of a market there is meat pygmies, but I can tell you that they do pack on quite a bit of meat - well-marbled, too. 

We have a pygmy in the freezer now. AAMOF, had a pygmy goat roast for dinner today. Dee-lish!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Pygmies are originally a Meat Breed goat & they do have quite a bit of meat on them. Folks over the years have been trying for small cutesy pet breeds & have bred them down so much in size though, they used to be bigger than what I see alot of folks with now.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

Gretta does not like this subject at all!....but she is happy to know she is not fat, just meaty


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## bcadybug (Jul 2, 2009)

Minelson said:


> Gretta does not like this subject at all!....but she is happy to know she is not fat, just meaty




**Minelson, you crack me up!! lol... that's to darn funny!**


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## rabbitpatch (Jan 14, 2008)

I have a feeling if anybody tried to eat Gretta, she would likely bite them back. LOL :viking:


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## Suzyq2u (May 17, 2010)

LOL @ Gretta


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Minelson said:


> Gretta does not like this subject at all!....but she is happy to know she is not fat, just meaty


Oh, I just want to hug the stuffing out of that meaty little goat!!!!


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## Donna1982 (Jun 14, 2011)

Minelson said:


> Gretta does not like this subject at all!....but she is happy to know she is not fat, just meaty


Looks like to me shes saying bring it on baby!!! I know I can take you!! Give her a big hug for me. She is to freaking cute for her own good.


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## houndlover (Feb 20, 2009)

I have friends who raise pygmies, and every time they advertise them for sale on Craigslist, they get a ton of hispanic buyers interested in them for meat, so there must be markets in some areas. She has, so far, declined to sell them for meat.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Pygmies *are* meat goats!


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

I've butchered 3 pygmies. The meat was wonderful!


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

plowjockey said:


> Granted they don't have that much meat, but is there any kind of market for a smaller goat?


The Latino families love pygmy goats. They prefer them over boer or any dairy breed. I use to sell a lot of them at the market.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Gretta is not fat, she's just nicely plump! Great picture Michele!


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

Pygmies are definetely edible but if you sell any for breeding stock you may find that they're a 'dime a dozen' if they're not registered. If it were me, I'd start with some decent registered does and a very nice registered buck and start there - you can market to more people if you start registered and if you get breeding stock sales you will be able to command a better price for any you do try to sell for breeding stock.

They may be hard-er to sell for meat to some buyers that are used to a 5 month old boer kid size for the freezer. If you wait for them to reach a more marketable size, some buyers may be turned off that they are older at time of butcher. I butcher my minis at the same age (Anywhere from 3-6 months old on average, whenever I feel like it mainly. ) but obviously expect a much smaller carcass.

HOWEVER, for your own use especially on small acreage, Pygmies are very much excellent meat animals. They have a VERY good dress out percentage, and are easier to handle both daily maintenance as well as while butchering. They require less space and less food.


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## BethW (May 3, 2007)

LOL Minelson, Gretta is not fat, she is "short-waisted." :thumb:

And I'd like to see the intrepid soul that tries to take a nibble of her!


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## Freya (Dec 3, 2005)

BethW said:


> LOL Minelson, Gretta is not fat, she is "short-waisted." :thumb:


:rock: :hysterical:


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## plowjockey (Aug 18, 2008)

Sound's great. Thanks for everyone's input


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

Backfourty said:


> Gretta is not fat, she's just nicely plump! Great picture Michele!


or as we put it, she's "full formed". 

We would use "portly" to describe a fellow of the same ahem, girth.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Gretta is so darn cute!


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## Oaktree cottage (Dec 22, 2020)

farmmom said:


> I've butchered 3 pygmies. The meat was wonderful!


What age do you cull pigmys


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