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Pygmies
for
all
Reasons
by
Maxine
K.
Kinne
It’s
very
clear
to
you
why
you
have
your
wonderful
little
goats,
but
many
times
people
ask,
“What
are
they
good
for
–
why
do
you
have
them?”
Maybe
there
are
as
many
answers
as
there
are
Pygmy
goat
owners.
To
begin
with,
they’re
great
pets;
very
friendly,
sociable,
endearing
and
eminently
lovable.
Watching
their
antics
is
entertainment
all
its
own.
Pygmies
are
just
plain
fun
to
have
around.
Many
rationales
for
keeping
Pygmies
are
important
and
it’s
handy
to
know
other
benefits
and
use
of
Pygmies
for
explanations
at
public
exhibitions,
to
potential
customers
and
for
relatives
who
think
you’ve
gone
‘round
the
bend.
You
never
know
when
a
good
excuse
is
going
to
come
in
handy!
Due
to
Pygmy
goats’
diminutive
size
they
are
easily
handled
by
children
and
make
excellent
4-H
projects.
Requirements
for
housing,
pen
space
and
feed
are
much
less
than
for
the
larger
dairy
breeds.
Some
people
enjoy
showing
their
goats
and
there
are
numerous
reasons
for
participating
in
shows.
What
we
enjoy
most
are
the
friends
we’ve
made.
Show
time
is
a
great
time
to
meet
old
friends,
make
new
ones
and
learn
from
others.
The
judge’s
evaluations
of
one’s
goats
as
compared
to
others
is
an
incentive
toward
better
breeding
programs.
And
it’s
always
great
fun
to
win
a
ribbon.
I’ve
read
that
Pygmies
are
more
efficient
browsers
than
dairy
breeds.
In
a
study
done
at
the
University
of
Oregon
Medical
School
involving
cattle,
sheep,
dairy
goats
and
Pygmy
goats,
it
was
found
that
Pygmies
showed
a
positive
preference
for
compounds
tasting
sweet,
salty,
sour
and
bitter,
which
may
suggest
they
find
a
wider
range
of
plants
palatable.
[.
.
.]
Mention
goat
milk
and
many
people
grab
their
throats
and
gargle,
“AAAGH!”
Pygmy
goat
milk
is
extremely
sweet
and
delicious.
Does
willingly
give
up
to
2/3
gallon
per
day
at
the
peak
of
their
lactations.
I
feel
a
doe
worth
her
keep
should
give
half-a-gallon
per
day
at
her
peak,
but
a
quart
a
day
is
nothing
to
sniff
at
–
that’s
nearly
two
gallons
a
week!
The
butterfat
content
of
Pygmy
milk
in
our
herd
ranges
from
4.5%
to
over
11%.
High
butterfat
content
means
the
milk
resists
off-flavors
due
to
dietary
causes
and
helps
maintain
milk’s
sweet,
delicious
flavor
longer
in
cold
storage.
Raw
Pygmy
goat
milk
has
maintained
its
freshness
and
flavor
in
our
refrigerator
for
14
days.
Pygmy
milk
is
higher
in
calcium,
phosphorus,
potassium
and
iron
than
milk
from
dairy
breeds,
and
is
lower
in
sodium.
Polyestrous
sexual
behavior
means
they
can
cycle
year-round
as
opposed
to
dairy
breeds.
If
milking
is
a
priority,
a
continuous
supply
of
milk
can
be
obtained
by
breeding
two
does
alternately.
Dairy
breeds
usually
have
problems
maintaining
a
year-round
milk
supply
due
to
their
seasonal
breeding
nature.
[.
.
.]
Pygmy
goats
are
more
disease-resistant
in
some
ways
than
other
breeds.
In
Africa
they
are
immune
to
the
bite
of
the
tse-tse
fly
–
probably
not
a
problem
in
your
neighborhood.
Demodectic
mange
affects
Pygmies
much
less
severely
than
dairy
goats
breeder
causing
bb-sized
lumps
in
Pygmy
skin
but
up
to
golf
ball-size
in
dairy
goats.
Natural
teat
conformation
helps
Pygmy
does
resist
mastitis,
a
bacterial
infection
of
the
mammary
system,
usually
gaining
entrance
through
the
teat
orifice.
Pygmies
usually
have
small
orifices
in
addition
to
well-attached
udders
that
are
held
close
to
the
body,
out
of
harm’s
way.
[.
.
.]
Frequently,
Pygmy
goats
are
kept
as
companion
animals
for
other
species
of
livestock
and
are
often
found
at
horse
breeding
facilities
and
race
tracks.
An
article
in
Spring,
1983,
Memo
documents
an
elephant
at
the
Indianapolis
Zoo
suffering
acute
loneliness
and
subsequently
comforted
by
the
presence
of
a
Pygmy
wether.
[.
.
.]
Add
to
these
many
positive
qualities
that
Pygmy
goats
are
[.
.
.]
unusual
pets.
People
can’t
fail
to
respond
to
their
friendliness,
loyalty,
responsiveness,
utility
and
intelligence.
Excerpts
from:
Kinne,
Maxine,
ed.
Pygmy
Goats:
Best
of
Memo
2
(1982-1987)
National
Pygmy
Goat
Association:
pp
30
This
document
is
for
informational
purposes
only
and
is
in
no
way
intended
to
be
a
substitute
for
medical
consultation
with
a
qualified
veterinary
professional.
The
information
provided
through
this
document
is
not
meant
to
be
used
in
the
diagnosis
or
treatment
of
a
health
problem
or
disease,
nor
should
it
be
construed
as
such.
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