Nigerian or Pygmy?
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If you post a pic, someone can tell you which, but Pygmy's are meatier and have standard coloring. The Nigerian Dwarf's are a miniature dairy goat so they are much more dainty and can be any coloration. If you don't know which you have, it is very likely a cross of the two, which is very common.
this is from my webpage :
http://www.snowdaleacres.com/difference.html
http://www.snowdaleacres.com/difference.html
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The pygmy was bred as a meat and pet animal while the ND was bred as a dairy animal. As with any animal, you will see some that don't conform to their breed but in general, the pygmies are known for their stocky build and round barrels while the NDs are supposed to look like a miniature dairy goat. The key to the ND is that it is supposed to be proportioned so that it doesn't look like a dwarf. Someone here recently mentioned that it should look like an alpine scaled down (except for the color). As mentioned here, NDs are known for their wild variety of colors and patterns.
Some animals at first blush, especially to the untrained eye, appear to be a breed outside their own. For instance, a roaned ND may be mistaken for an agouti pygmy. The coloring is similar so that is the first thing someone thinks - that is a pygmy. But if you look closer, you will see the build is completely different. It's easier when they are mature, of course. I am not bothered by color since I am not a color breeder, but it is noteworthy to consider colors and patterns as they embellish or detract from the overall appearance of the goat and the likely genetics passed on (in relation to their current and future market). Some folks are really turned off by anything that even a novice might mistake for another breed so they avoid the grays and roans, etc. Some don't even like frosted muzzles and ears (even LIGHT frosting).
Anyway, pygmies and NDs have similar origins so sometimes are hard to distinguish from one another. Sometimes they give you throw-backs too.
Some animals at first blush, especially to the untrained eye, appear to be a breed outside their own. For instance, a roaned ND may be mistaken for an agouti pygmy. The coloring is similar so that is the first thing someone thinks - that is a pygmy. But if you look closer, you will see the build is completely different. It's easier when they are mature, of course. I am not bothered by color since I am not a color breeder, but it is noteworthy to consider colors and patterns as they embellish or detract from the overall appearance of the goat and the likely genetics passed on (in relation to their current and future market). Some folks are really turned off by anything that even a novice might mistake for another breed so they avoid the grays and roans, etc. Some don't even like frosted muzzles and ears (even LIGHT frosting).
Anyway, pygmies and NDs have similar origins so sometimes are hard to distinguish from one another. Sometimes they give you throw-backs too.
The registration papers 
As Heather said, a Pygmy is much meatier- round heavy bone, wide head, large head in proportion to body, and some color differences. It can be difficult for even an experienced goat breeder to tell the difference between a strong Nigie and a light-boned Pygmy, though.
Around here, Pygmies have very little value- $10-25. Nigerians, on the other hand, go for $300+. I've seen a lot of ads for "unregistered Nigerians" that are obviously Pygmies.
As Heather said, a Pygmy is much meatier- round heavy bone, wide head, large head in proportion to body, and some color differences. It can be difficult for even an experienced goat breeder to tell the difference between a strong Nigie and a light-boned Pygmy, though.
Around here, Pygmies have very little value- $10-25. Nigerians, on the other hand, go for $300+. I've seen a lot of ads for "unregistered Nigerians" that are obviously Pygmies.
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If you go by the book, pygmies are achrondroplasic (sp?) dwarfs, meaning large head, shorter legs, while a true ND is a pituitary dwarf, meaning a proportioned, yet scaled down version of a standard size dairy goat (most often alpine is pointed to). It can be tough at times to tell the difference as some pygs may look more refined and some NDs more barrel-like and short legged. Plus, NDs came to the States from as many as 7 different types of mini goats, so many traits intertwined. The ND in America is still a relatively young breed and I applaud most of the breeders dedicated to producing to the applied standards.
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Adding to what moonspinner said, one of my books also talks about the "dropped stomach" look that accompanies the dwarf traits of the pygmies but *should not* affect the dairy breeds like the ND.
I just bought a black roan doeling. She looks EXACTLY like a pygmy in color but thank heavens she does not look it in build, even at this age. I am trying to get my camera to cooperate so I can share pics here. I had a deposit on her mother before kidding in August and the doe gave two gorgeous doelings, this one and a buckskin. Breeder took first choice, the buckskin, but liked the leg set on the one I bought better. Since I want solid legs with nice rear angulation, I did not mind, even though I really liked the buckskin too. My friends with pygmies are teasing me, especially the ones that really like blue eyes on their goats since this doe is my first blue-eyed in my herd. I didn't set out to purchase by coat or eye color but it didn't stop me from following through on the purchase once the kids arrived.
I just bought a black roan doeling. She looks EXACTLY like a pygmy in color but thank heavens she does not look it in build, even at this age. I am trying to get my camera to cooperate so I can share pics here. I had a deposit on her mother before kidding in August and the doe gave two gorgeous doelings, this one and a buckskin. Breeder took first choice, the buckskin, but liked the leg set on the one I bought better. Since I want solid legs with nice rear angulation, I did not mind, even though I really liked the buckskin too. My friends with pygmies are teasing me, especially the ones that really like blue eyes on their goats since this doe is my first blue-eyed in my herd. I didn't set out to purchase by coat or eye color but it didn't stop me from following through on the purchase once the kids arrived.
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Hoofinitnorth---- Where are the pics????? She sounds too cute.
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I started a new thread with a few pictures of my black roan girl.
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=280184
http://homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=280184
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