Meet the Mini Milkers

These less-than-full-size goat breeds are easy to house, handle and feed.

There are many reasons to love miniature dairy goats. These breeds produce about 2⁄3 as much milk as a full-size dairy doe but on half the feed. You can house three or four minis in the space you’d need for one full-size goat. Because of their size, minis are easier to handle than their larger counterparts, making them ideal for children and adults with limited agility or strength. Does come in a variety of sizes from 17-inch Pygmies to 29-inch Mini Alpines, Mini Saanens and Mini Nubians. Many city ordinances allow people to keep miniature goats where full-size goats aren’t allowed. They’re easy to transport in the back seat of a car or van or in a roomy dog crate in the bed of a truck. Minis typically give birth to two to four kids, although five is fairly common. There is a strong market for miniature dairy goats, as well as for pets, so it’s usually easy to find those kids great homes. Some, such as Nigerian Dwarfs (pictured) and Pygmies, are seasonal breeders, meaning they can be bred any time of the year. If you have more than one doe, you can stagger breedings and have milk on the table year round.

OUT OF AFRICA

Virtually all of the mini-milker breeds are at least in part descended from West African Dwarf goats, known to the scientific community as WAD goats. Though their origin is uncertain, these small, hardy goats have thrived in sub-Saharan Africa for hundreds of years. They’re still valuable sources of milk and meat in parts of rural Africa. To this day, they’re the most popular type of goat in 18 western and central African countries, due in part to their resistance to a disease called African Trypanosomiasis