Why pygmies?

[snoozy]

Why do you keep pygmies? Is it just because they're cute? (And they are!) Too small to milk or eat, and they don't have wool or fibre...are they really homestead animals, or just pets?

[shiandpete.1]

Actually pygmies are considered a meat goat. But I suspect that alot of people keep them because of their small size and they make great pets.

[prairiedog]

They are very meaty goats.

[mjw15618]

Believe it or not, you can get fiber from them. I brush my girls with a detangling comb made for dogs. Their undercoat is very crimped so it's fairly easy to spin. It does take a while to get enough hair off of them to make anything, though!

But they are so adorable and they do make great pets.

[critterluv]

I have one little pygmie X his mom is a ber/pygmie and dad is a pygmie. Mom was bred when I got her and although we are tring to raise meet goats he is extreamly stout and meatie at just 3 months old. There is lots of meat on him for his size. WE are wethering him and just going to keep him as the farm mascot...lol. I know they would be good meat goats but we just love him and cant eat him. I did not want him at first and was just going to take him to the sale but he has really grown on us. He does slip through the fence though and goes to visit the horses and follows me around during chores. I never did name him couse I was not going to keep him but he does need a name now.

Anyway for a homestead that might not want huge goats I think pygmies are a great small meat source.

[Sweet Goats]

Originally Posted by mjw15618

Believe it or not, you can get fiber from them. I brush my girls with a detangling comb made for dogs. Their undercoat is very crimped so it's fairly easy to spin. It does take a while to get enough hair off of them to make anything, though!

But they are so adorable and they do make great pets.

You can get fiber from almost any goat, but not ALL goats. Pygmy fiber would be so short I could not imagine trying to spin it.

[mjw15618]

Like I said, it's not easy getting enough to actually spin but it can be done. My goats have fairly long hair for pygmies, too. It's not cashmere by any stretch of the imagination but it's decent enough.

[RiverPines]

We have them to eat. Pygmies are a meat goat and they dress out at a higher percentage than any dairy breed.

Heck its worth it to take a 40 pound goat and get 20 pounds of pure meat, fat removed and bone removed. Thats a nice amount of meat.

So no, none our ours are pets. I dont think they are that cute either. Sheep and Angora goats are cute to me!!

[hoofinitnorth]

Around here, most are pets. Some show. A few milk. One of my friends is very lucky, her pygmies milk very well and they are not hard to milk.

I have Nigerians, which I breed for milk & correct conformation. I milk and show and hope to contribute to the betterment of the breed overall.

[Minelson]

Mines a pet and I lover her dearly And I think she is very cute! My hubby says she's ugly but he is weird.

[farmmom]

I was given three a couple months ago. They have been delicious! These were the smallest pygmys I have ever seen. I can put 2-3 whole legs in my crock pot. But - good eating.

[LaManchaPaul]

Originally Posted by farmmom

I was given three a couple months ago. They have been delicious! These were the smallest pygmys I have ever seen. I can put 2-3 whole legs in my crock pot. But - good eating.

Here, pygmies are almost free (sometimes are), but usually in bold print: NOT FOR SLAUGHTER


Paul

[Sonshine]

Originally Posted by hoofinitnorth

Around here, most are pets. Some show. A few milk. One of my friends is very lucky, her pygmies milk very well and they are not hard to milk.

I have Nigerians, which I breed for milk & correct conformation. I milk and show and hope to contribute to the betterment of the breed overall.

Thank you. When I first posted I was getting a pygmy for meat and milk everyone thought I was crazy. But mine also milks very easily.

[chamoisee]

I don't know. They have a lot of kidding problems, don't make much meat, and are harder to work with since you have to bend in half to get to them.

[browser8]

Originally Posted by RiverPines

We have them to eat. Pygmies are a meat goat and they dress out at a higher percentage than any dairy breed.

Heck its worth it to take a 40 pound goat and get 20 pounds of pure meat, fat removed and bone removed. Thats a nice amount of meat.

So no, none our ours are pets. I dont think they are that cute either. Sheep and Angora goats are cute to me!!

I have 3 pygmy goats. 2 males & a female. I have an ad out in the local ag forums trying to see if anyone wants to trade a male for a female but no hits so far.

These boys are 6-7 months old.

What is the best age to process a pygmy goat. If I don't get a trade for him I assume we will eat him.

I have other questions as well but I don't want to steer this thread too far off it's intended path.

[browser8]

Originally Posted by Sonshine

Thank you. When I first posted I was getting a pygmy for meat and milk everyone thought I was crazy. But mine also milks very easily.

We have a doe that we are milking right now.

We get about a quart a day out of 2 milkings per day.

[snoozy]

Well, you folks are creating in my mind a new respect for pygmies. One of the reasons I haven't kept a goat for milking is that I just wasn't sure we would use that much milk. But a quart a day would be useful. How does it taste? I love goat milk from Kinders, but have heard that milk from other breeds, for instance, Toggenburgs, is more goaty (or perhaps it goes goaty quicker -- fine for cheese, but not for your morning tea or straight drinking.)

[browser8]

Originally Posted by snoozy

Well, you folks are creating in my mind a new respect for pygmies. One of the reasons I haven't kept a goat for milking is that I just wasn't sure we would use that much milk. But a quart a day would be useful. How does it taste? I love goat milk from Kinders, but have heard that milk from other breeds, for instance, Toggenburgs, is more goaty (or perhaps it goes goaty quicker -- fine for cheese, but not for your morning tea or straight drinking.)

You can find some pretty good info here.

[snoozy]

That is an excellent link -- thanks!

[tailwagging]

Originally Posted by Sonshine

Thank you. When I first posted I was getting a pygmy for meat and milk everyone thought I was crazy. But mine also milks very easily.

I would be more then interested in milking pygmies!! please keep me updated!!!!