You may be thinking of getting a new pet that is quite different. In fact you want to get away from the cat and dog thing and find something different in terms of what to take care of, especially since you have the space. Someone may have suggested to you to try and get a Nigerian Dwarf goat and this has somehow piqued your interest. So before you do go out and buy from Nigerian dwarf goats Santa Cruz county breeders, then do read on in this article for more information that you may use.
Imported into the United States in the 1970s, this rare miniature breed of goat is well known for milk production. Its milk has more buttermilk than cow milk and is sometime more preferred due to this. Currently there are about 25,000 according to the American Minor Breeds Conservancy, but it is expected that the number may go up as the breed becomes more popular.
This animal however, is not kept only as a milk producing animal but is fast becoming popular as a pet as well. This is due to their even tempers, playful personalities and gentle demeanor. They can be quite easy to train and work wonderfully with children. They are also used as therapy pets for hospitals and nursing homes.
Despite their small size, they do require quite a bit of space to frolic in. As such they also need some things that they can climb and jump on like small tree stumps and also large rocks. Should they live on a farm or other such place, they can easily live with other livestock.
As regards what to feed them they are not that hard to feed. Before they do eat grass, they will eat everything else before that which includes wee, trees, and bushes. Sometimes owners will give them grains, but this can easily be overdone and they can be overfed. You should not overfeed them grains unless yo want some kind of health complication setting in.
As regarding breeding these goats, they should start to be bred once they are at least one year old. As they live up to a span of about ten years old, they should no longer be included in breeding once they turn 7. This is because older goats will have harder times giving birth. In prime health the goats can give birth to goats two to three times a year.
It is always good to remember that you cannot just keep one goat. When keeping the Nigerian Dwarf you need at least two or three of them since they are in fact herd animals. If they do not live in a herd or be with others of their own kind they can become quite depressed and even sickly.
Thus this ends the article on these animals to give you a basic inkling of what you are in for if you decide to take this breed as a pet. Do remember that there are other considerations that you should think about before making the final decision and it will be wise to also research these also.
Imported into the United States in the 1970s, this rare miniature breed of goat is well known for milk production. Its milk has more buttermilk than cow milk and is sometime more preferred due to this. Currently there are about 25,000 according to the American Minor Breeds Conservancy, but it is expected that the number may go up as the breed becomes more popular.
This animal however, is not kept only as a milk producing animal but is fast becoming popular as a pet as well. This is due to their even tempers, playful personalities and gentle demeanor. They can be quite easy to train and work wonderfully with children. They are also used as therapy pets for hospitals and nursing homes.
Despite their small size, they do require quite a bit of space to frolic in. As such they also need some things that they can climb and jump on like small tree stumps and also large rocks. Should they live on a farm or other such place, they can easily live with other livestock.
As regards what to feed them they are not that hard to feed. Before they do eat grass, they will eat everything else before that which includes wee, trees, and bushes. Sometimes owners will give them grains, but this can easily be overdone and they can be overfed. You should not overfeed them grains unless yo want some kind of health complication setting in.
As regarding breeding these goats, they should start to be bred once they are at least one year old. As they live up to a span of about ten years old, they should no longer be included in breeding once they turn 7. This is because older goats will have harder times giving birth. In prime health the goats can give birth to goats two to three times a year.
It is always good to remember that you cannot just keep one goat. When keeping the Nigerian Dwarf you need at least two or three of them since they are in fact herd animals. If they do not live in a herd or be with others of their own kind they can become quite depressed and even sickly.
Thus this ends the article on these animals to give you a basic inkling of what you are in for if you decide to take this breed as a pet. Do remember that there are other considerations that you should think about before making the final decision and it will be wise to also research these also.
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When you are hunting for the facts about dwarf goats Santa Cruz County residents can come to our web pages online today. More details are available at http://www.quailmeadowfarm.com/animals now.
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