# Different types of Pygmies?



## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I know this is going to sound dumb but anyways....I want to know, What different types of pygmy goats there are. I always thought pygmies were just their own breed of goat till recently we have some up for sale & I was asked what kind of pygmies they are? Ours pygmies our bigger than alot of others I have seen so maybe they are a mixed breed. 5 year old doe probly weighs 75 pounds maybe more. Kind of stocky but definately not fat. Are spanish meat goats called pygmies? I sure would appreciate your help! Thanks a bunch!!


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

There aren't different kinds of pygmies, other than registered and non registered, lol. And Spanish meat goats are any mix breed that tends toward the meat side of goat owning.


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## smwon (Aug 16, 2006)

Here are a couple of links you might find interesting 

http://www.npga-pygmy.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_goat


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

There certainly are different types of pygmy's exactly the same way there are Nubians. In fact being on the breed standard committee with ADGA when the Nigerians came into the association, there are many Nigerians that are registered simply because they have a picture, and yes are dairier than their pygmy, more meat type cousins. 

At least once a year I get a call from someone looking for the old style Anglo Nubian....she has a hatchet rump, wide in the brisket, shorter body and poorly attached less milking udder than her tall long bodied counterpart who is bred to milk. The more dairier Nubians came from these does. Just like the more diarier pygmys were picked for the Nigerian breed.

But true spanish goats are a breed, now the spanish goats of West Texas (at most autions any shorter brush goat is called a spanish goat) are just a heinz 57 type breed, although they are hardy as all get out. Vicki


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks for all the help, I'm still don't know what kind of pygmy she is but she definately isn't as small as the nigerians I have. She's pretty hefty but not fat, Oh well it really doesn't matter to me, just thought I would be able to tell someone when they asked. 
I just want to say also I'm new to this forum & unlike clifton73 I do appreciate all of the input I get when I need help, & your response to his question about Bloat didn't seem smart alecky to me either Vicky!


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## Sweet Goats (Nov 30, 2005)

The only different "type" of Pygmy is the way they have been breeding them for the last 5-10 years. They use to be more Nigi looking, taller and not ssssooo fat, but now they are breeding them to be very short and wide. Matter of fact the shorter and wider they are the better they do in shows. I think it is why they have so much trouble kidding, and why they seem to lose more pygmy does in kidding then any other typw of goat.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks Sweet Goats, My pygmies must be the older type breed because they are taller & more heft (not Fat) to them. I have 5 month old wethered pygmies that are already taller than my 4 yr. old nigerian female!


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## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

there is a breeder around here selling "tiny pygmy goats". I purchased two as my first goats. I thought that the word "tiny" was just a cutesy description, but now after a few more years experience and looking at many many more goats I realize that hers are especially tiny, and that is what her ad was pointing out. I was too stupid to ask when I went to look at them. there are also alot of people around here who sell "pygmy goats" but who do not register or breed to standards, they just are breeding pets. they tend to have larger pygmys than the more serious breeders.


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## trappmountain (Jun 22, 2005)

I purchased 2 at an auction a couple of years ago. Mine aren't as small as most of the registered pygmy pics I have seen but they are not large like some goat breeds. Mine are not thick (except their bellies, the feild grass never dried up at all this year). I guess they would lean towards the milking type. Only a guess. They were bought for pets.


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

Matter of fact the shorter and wider they are the better they do in shows. 
...................

Wow! The nigerians that beat me for BIS with my Nubians, are long and lean and little milking machines. They are beautiful dairy animals, that sadly don't weigh more than my nubians heads but you know they milk more than she does! Just shows the weakness of some show circuits. Vicki


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Yeah, our goats are just pets too, we don't milk them or use them for meat. We love all our goats even if they are bigger. Thanks for all the responses! I really appreciate it. If I can figure out how to put a picture on here I'll have to post one so you can see how cute they all are!


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## GoatLove (Jun 19, 2006)

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians said:


> Matter of fact the shorter and wider they are the better they do in shows.
> ...................
> 
> Vicki


Then I should enter my Ricky (Pygmy) in a show  He looks like he is about a few inches tall with a basketball on each side of his stomach!


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## Sweet Goats (Nov 30, 2005)

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians said:


> Matter of fact the shorter and wider they are the better they do in shows.
> Vicki


 YEP, that IS true. That is the way they are breeding them now. We have two or threemajor pygmy breeders here and I have never soon anyone lose babies like they do, and the moms. Thse FAT goats are having babies so big that they are having way to much trouble delivering. Now that is not ALL the babie, just a awful lot of them. These around here are all registered also.
I just don not under stand the reason they go for $200.00 - $500.00. They do not give you anything like a daiy goat is the milk, Market the meat, and the Fiber the fiber, what do you get for that much money? CUTE, yep you do get that.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Yep, They are just cute & are pets. We didn't pay as much as they go for where you live though. Our pygmies are bigger, I'm guessing more the size they use to be and our babies are usually between 3 and 3 1/2 pounds each and we have only had up to 2 kids from 1 mom at a time. So I guess they are pretty healthy, Happy and Hefty little goats. Nope we don't milk them or use them for meat but I guess someone could.


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## PygmyLover (Oct 12, 2006)

Both the Nigerian Dwarf and the pygmy goat originated in Africa. The ND is a dairy goat while the pygmy is a meat goat.

Nigerian Dwafs can be smaller then pygmies and visa versa - just check the breed standards for both goats and you will see how this is possible. In a nut shell - the max height for nigerian dwarfs might be higher then that of pygmies but that doesn't mean all nigerian dwarfs get that big. 

I have both breeds. I have a SMALL nigerian and I a LARGE pygmy. But my biggest doe is a Nigerian dwarf.


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## waygr00vy (Aug 7, 2005)

I have nigerian dwarfs now, and used to have pygmys....I have had tiny of both and large of both...Everyone around here who buys them as pets wants them super tiny, but its the tiny does that usually have the harder time kidding. I try to get does with a little size, then a small buck.


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## PygmyLover (Oct 12, 2006)

Either get a small buck OR even better one that is proven to throw small kids.

Last year I used two bucks (brothers actually) the smaller of the pair threw larges kids while the larger buck threw small kids. I will be using the larger buck this time around on my first freshioner in hopes that he continues his trend of small kids. (He bred 3 does all with small kids)


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

Wow! 200.00 -500.00! Why then am I keep nubians? I got a crapy 250.00 for a REG buck! When I know I should have sold for 350.00 Oh well he went to a good home! 

Very costly little buggers! I wish their were more breeders around us! I want one now!


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