Pygmy Goat

The Pygmy Goat was originally called the Cameroon Dwarf Goat. The goat is mostly restricted to the west African countries, but similar forms of Pygmy goats also occur in all of northern Africa, in the southwestern African countries, and in east Africa. However, what we call the Cameroon Dwarf goat is the one present in the United States. The breed actually came from the former French Cameroon area.

The Cameroon goats were exported from Africa to zoos in Sweden and Germany where they were on display as exotic animals. From there they made their way to England, Canada, and the United States. In 1959, the Rhue family in California and the Catskill Game Farm in New York received the first documented shipments of Pygmy goats from Sweden. Offspring of these animals, as well as earlier imports, were sold to zoos, medical research, and to some private individuals.

Breed Characteristics
Pygmy goats have a full coat of straight, medium-long hair which varies in density with seasons and climates. On does, beards may be non-existent, sparse, or trimmed. Bucks usually have abundant hair growth, with a full, long, and flowing beard, and a copious mane draping across the shoulders like a cape.

All body colors are common, the predominate coloration is being a grizzled (agouti) pattern produced by the intermingling of light and dark hairs, of any color.

Breed-specific markings are: muzzle, forehead, eyes, and ears accented in tones lighter than the dark portion of the body in goats of all colors, except goats that are solid black. Front and rear hoofs and cannons are darker than the rest of the coat, as are the crown, dorsal stripe, and martingale - except in goats that are solid black. On the caramel goats, light vertical stripes on the front sides of the darker socks are common.