On Location: The Pygmy Goat
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http://www.forestparkzoo.org/exhibits/ A pygmy goat is a small breed of domestic goat. Pygmy goats tend to be used as meat goats primarily, though also work well as milk producers unlike standard meat goats. They are also sometimes kept as pets in urban or suburban backyards, depending on local regulation of livestock ownership. The pygmy goat is quite hardy, an asset in a wide variety of settings, and can adapt to virtually all climates. The anatomy of a pygmy goat shows it has many features specific to pygmy goats, such as a thurl, but also has features similar to other animals, such as the dew claw which is also found on cats and dogs. Females, called does, weigh 24 to 34 kg (53 to 75 lb) and males, called bucks, weigh 27 to 39 kg (60 to 86 lb). Wither height ranges from 16 to 23 in (41 to 58 cm). Their color can range from white caramel, medium caramel, dark caramel, dark (red) caramel, silver-light grey agouti, medium grey agouti, dark grey agouti, black with frosted points, solid black, and brown agouti. Pygmy goats are precocious and polyestrous breeders; bearing one to four young every nine to twelve months after a five month gestation period. Does are usually bred for the first time at about twelve to eighteen months, although they may conceive as early as two months if care is not taken to separate them early from bucklings. Newborn kids will nurse almost immediately, begin eating grain and roughage within a week, and are weaned by three months of age. Polyestrous sexual behavior means that they experience heat and can be freshened (made to come into milk production) year-round. If milking is a priority, a continuous supply of milk can be obtained by breeding two or more pygmy does alternately. Some full-size dairy breeds are also noted for polyestrous sexual behavior.