Nigerian Dwarf Goats: How to Make Money from Them

The Nigerian Dwarf goat is a miniature dairy goat breed of West African ancestry. The survivors originally lived in zoos. Nigerian Dwarf goats are of very high economic value and a lot of farmers have seized the very promising opportunity to own and raise this specie of goats for both personal benefit and monetary profit. Interestingly, Nigerian dwarf goats are popular as pets and family milkers due to their easy maintenance and small stature. However, because of their high butterfat, they are also used by some dairies to make cheese.

nigerian dwarf goats

The physical and behavioural features of the Nigerian dwarf goat makes raising them less burdensome, compared to some of their other relatives. The Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association states that the Nigerian dwarf goat breed should ideally be 17–19 inches (43–48 cm) in height, with a maximum allowed height of 21 inches (53 cm), and bucks should ideally be 19–21 inches (48–53 cm), with a maximum allowed height of 23 inches (58 cm). They are registered by the American Dairy Goat Association, the American Goat Society, and the Nigerian Dwarf Goat Association.

The question asked most times by farmers contemplating raising Nigerian dwarf goats is: How does Nigerian Dwarf Goats make some much needed return on investment (ROI) for their owners?

Nigerian Dwarf Goats: Trade

Nigerian dwarf goat costs more than any other goat type; and they cost more than most people think they actually do. The Kids price ranges between N80,000 – N100,000. The Bucks and milking Does price ranges between N40,000 – N60,000 and the Wethers sell for a price range of N25,000 – N40,000. Ease of rearing makes it very profitable for farmers to rear and sell Nigerian Dwarf goats. With the correct management, rearing and selling of Nigerian dwarf goats can be very profitable.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats: Milk

Nigerian Dwarf goat farmers make a cool amount of cash from the milk produced from the goats. Nigerian dwarf goat does give a surprising quantity of milk for their size. Their production ranges from 1 to 8 pounds of milk per day (one quart of milk weighs roughly 2 pounds), with an average doe producing about 2.5 pounds of milk per day. Without exaggeration, that’s pretty much. Their milk has higher butterfat content than milk from full-sized dairy goats, averaging 6.5% according to the American Dairy Goat Association.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats: By-products

The butterfat in the milk produced by Nigerian dwarf goats later in lactation can go up to 10% or even higher. This makes Nigerian Dwarf goat milk excellent for cheese and soap making. Butterfat is a very crucial ingredient in the production of soap and they can also be fermented if cheese is what’s needed. Also, other by products includes Yoghurt, hides and skin, and so on.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats: Goat Meat

One secret Nigerian Dwarf Goat farmers know is that those who are buying goats for ‘soupy’ purposes prefer them coming in small sizes and this single factor makes the Nigerian Dwarf goat a very matching fit for cooking as meat. Nigerian Dwarf goats sell a lot in the eastern part of the country since there are a lot of goat meat consumers and majority of those who buy these goats around that part of Nigeria don’t really have the intention of rearing. Instead, they immediately see some fresh goat meat for soup or pepper-soup in the making.

Bottom Line

Nigerian dwarf goats consume little space, are easy to rear, and are both locally and internationally recognized. If you’re planning on rearing this goat specie, you can confidently go ahead. Although profit wouldn’t probably come in until your second or third year of Nigerian dwarf goat rearing.

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