Nigerian Dwarf

The Nigerian Dwarf is a small dairy goat breed developed in the United States from West African dwarf goats. It is known for compact size and milk with relatively high butterfat.

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Dairy goat: A domesticated goat kept primarily for milk production. The Nigerian Dwarf belongs to this livestock category despite its unusually small stature.
West African Dwarf goat: A group of small, hardy goats native to West and Central Africa. The American breed traces its foundation stock to these African goats.
Smallholding: A small-scale farm operated for household use or limited commercial production. Compact Nigerian Dwarfs can fit livestock plans with limited land and facilities.
Pygmy goat: A compact goat breed developed in the United States from West African dwarf goats, primarily for meat and companionship. It shares ancestry and small size with the Nigerian Dwarf but has a stockier, meat-oriented type.
Goat: A domesticated ruminant descended from the wild bezoar ibex. Its anatomy and domestication place the breed within the domestic goat species.
Animal importation: The movement of live animals across borders for agriculture, breeding, or other purposes. Imported dwarf goats provided the stock from which U.S. breeders developed the breed.
Urban goat keeping: The keeping of goats within or near towns and cities, subject to local rules. Their small size can make them more manageable than larger dairy breeds, where permitted.
American Pygmy goat: A U.S. breed of small, stocky goats developed from African dwarf stock. Its breed standard favors a different body type and purpose from the Nigerian Dwarf's dairy form.
Butterfat: The fat content of milk, commonly measured as a percentage by weight. Nigerian Dwarf milk is valued for its relatively high butterfat content.
Selective breeding: The intentional mating of organisms to retain or increase desired inherited traits. U.S. breeders shaped the imported goats into a compact dairy breed.