2022 has been an exciting time here at the Silly Couple Homestead. We’ve really taken the next step in getting our garden up and running, we’ve added some fruit trees to the property, we’ve expanded our chicken flock, and perhaps most exciting of all, we adopted some Nigerian dwarf goats. Of course, leading up to purchasing these goats, we both spent many long nights watching YouTube videos, reading blogs, and looking for as much authoritative information around raising Nigerian dwarf goats. Among the most important questions, we were curious about how much land we’d need for our goat herd.
Since we already discussed about how much land you need to homestead earlier this week, it seemed like a good opportunity to continue the trend. And, what better way to do so than to focus on these adorable little milk producers. So, if you’ve been wondering how much pasture do Nigerian dwarf goats need, you’re in the right place!
Not Your Average Goat
Those who aren’t familiar with Nigerian dwarf goats know that they are not your average goat. In fact, adult Nigerian dwarf goats can be as small as 50 pounds. Alternatively, the standard Nubian dairy goat is around 150 pounds (or more). Even larger Nigerian dwarves might only end up about half the size of a Nubian. This affects the fence height you need. And, more important for our purpose, it affects how much pasture they need.
Goats are active animals. They need space to walk, graze, and run around. We’re still adding different platforms and things for them to play with, but the main point here -goats need entertainment. So, when you ask how much pasture do Nigerian dwarf goats need, you’re not just considering dietary concerns. You also need to account for that space they need to roam. But, when you jump down the rabbit hole, you’ll find there isn’t a standard answer.
Giving Them Enough Grazing Space
Like most research on animal husbandry, finding any empirical data on this subject is tricky. When push comes to shove, the more we research how to best raise animals, the more we realize it’s like raising kids -no one seems to agree. In the case of pasture space for goats in general, there’s a huge discrepancy from one source to the next. And, if you searched for this subject in Google, you’ll likely find a wide range of numbers. In fact, I did some extra research when writing this. I found people saying as little as 50 square feet was large enough for dwarf goats and on the other extreme found people insisting you need 1/10 an acre (that would be roughly 4,000 square feet).
So, what is the right space? On one hand, we’re convinced that lower end of 50 square feet is not big enough. On the other hand, we’re also convinced a single goat doesn’t need 4,000 or even 1,000 square feet. Instead, we want to consider the total area and how many goats call it their home pasture. With our three goats right now, we have a single area with about 2,000 square feet. By the time we are breeding them, we intend to double this space (and build a larger barn to serve as a long-term housing solution). Regardless of this though, there is a more important factor when considering pasture for Nigerian dwarf goats.
The More Important Factor
If you’re new to owning goats, know right away that worm load is going to be an ongoing concern. Unlike many out there, we’re not here to scare you away from owning goats. Parasites are dangerous and worm load needs to be monitored. However, don’t mistake this for meaning that all goats are at risk of dying from these parasites. Early in our research, we almost decided not to get goats because it sounded like they all would constantly need to be dewormed and they’d be dropping left and right from the plague.
But, if you dig more in, you’ll find many people who’ve had goats for decades and have not lost a single goat. You’ll also find you don’t necessarily need to deworm your goats every month. Instead, performing a weekly FAMACHA check can help you stay on top of the worm load. So long as this looks good, you can hold off on using a dedicated dewormer. And, this test doesn’t require putting their poop under a microscope or going through any other time-consuming process. It takes less than a minute per goat and you’ll have piece of mind that their worm load is in check.
With all this understood, here’s the thing…more pasture means less opportunity to fall victim to parasites. So, if you have the space, time, money, pasture rotation can be a great option. This way, your goats aren’t stuck grazing in the same area and they lower their risk of getting parasites. Of course, if you follow a diet heavy in hay, they should be grazing less and eating more dry hay.
So, How Much Pasture Do Nigerian Dwarf Goats Need?
Ultimately, we’re not here to judge anyone or tell you to change the way you currently do things. But, if you are interested in getting Nigerian dwarf goats for the first time, here’s what we recommend. First, make sure you are getting no less than 2 goats. Goats are herd animals and having just one is cruel and inconsiderate to your goat. Second, make sure they have enough space to run around. A soft rule would be this -have at least 500 square feet fenced in for 2 goats. If you’re getting more than 2, add at least 250 square feet per goat. And, don’t be afraid to have more than this.
Finally, make sure you are providing 24/7 free access to hay. This will help avoid problems with worms and keep your goats happy and healthy. Have questions about Nigerian dwarf goats? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, we’ll see you around the homestead.