PYGMY GOATS
Welcome to our dedicated Pygmy Goat page. Here you will find out about the Breed Standards and ideals for the Pygmy Goat, along with the AGB Inc. registry and grading rules. You can connect with our leading Pygmy breeders here to find out more about this truely unique breed. The popularity of this breed is going through the roof with more DNA verified genetics coming in to Australia.
Pygmy Goats are awesome little creatures. They are the 'smallest' breed of goats here in Australia - well if you are talking height-wise. Some are almost as wide as they are tall!
DNA verified does are trading around $1,500 for animals in the 40% range, which steadily increases with the % genetics or crosses. Does 50% - $2,000+, 60% - $2,500+, 70% - $3,000+, 80% - $4,000+. You'd expect to pay from $5,000 for 87.5% and above does.
Bucks 60-70% trading $2,500-$3,500, in the 70-80% range they will be $3,500-$5,000 and DNA parent verified bucks over 80% starting around $5k.
USA Purebred animals with full parental verification would be over $10,000 at this stage.
Breed Character and type, along with how well they meet the USA standard is a major factor when considering investing in Pygmy animals for your breeding program.
PYGMY BREEDERS
Interested in getting into Pygmy goats or expanding your current herd? Connect with a premium breeder here
PYGMY BREED STANDARDS
Our Pygmy Breed Standards are adapted from the USA where this breed was developed. We are proudly an Affliliate of the NPGA. In Australia we have a lot of appendix animals which are the result of the available genetics. You may find quite low % animals that are actually made up of many crosses of Pygmy appendix breeding, and showing good breed character. Equally though, people may have been breeding toward their own goals such as spots which do not meet the actual Pygmy Breed. In our Breed Standards we make allowance for appendix animals in terms of coat and colour, however looking to reach the ideal in our purebred animals.
GENERAL APPEARANCE AND CONFIRMATION
GENERAL APPEARANCE genetically small, cobby and compact.
Frame well angulated, limbs and head are short relative to body length. Well-muscled and circumference in relation to height and weight is proportionately greater than that of dairy breeds. Hardy, agile and animated with smooth gait, balanced and effortless.
FRONT END well-muscled, short, full-throated neck. Withers nearly level with, but not lower than spine. Muscular, well angulated and tightly attached shoulders placed posterior to sternum. Well- muscled, wide chest. Elbows close to chest.
BACK, TOPLINE & RUMP strong and straight, level along chine and loin to hips. Medium long and wide rump. Neither level nor steep. Hips wide nearly level with back. Thurls high and wide apart. Pinbones prominent and well apart, lower than hips. Deep flanks set low on barrel. Tail is symmetrical, set and carried high.
FEET & LEGS strong, well-muscled, squarely set, wide apart. Forelegs straight with short cannon bone. Hindlegs are well-angulated, short-hocked, parallel and aligned with hips; femur and tibia proportionately longer and more well-muscled than in dairy breeds. Widely set legs to accommodate large barrel. Stifle joint pronounced. Pasterns short, strong, and resilient. Feet well shaped, symmetrical, heels deep and soles level.
Snr Doe 45, Jnr Doe 50, Buck 50 points
HEAD AND PYGMY BREED CHARACTER
HEAD is short to medium in length, profile somewhat dished. Rounded muzzle, nose short, wide and flat. Chin and underjaw full, even bite. Strong, broad, well-muscled jaw. Forehead broad, flat or concave. Eyes set well apart, bright, brown in colour, wide but not protruding. Medium size ears, firm and erect.
Naturally horned and should be disbudded for showing.
PYGMY CHARACTER well-muscled, full-barrelled, while compact and cobby. Notably short, heavy boned legs carrying a large and wide body in proportion to size of animal.
COLOUR & BREED SPECIFIC MARKINGS are a key element in Pygmy breed character. Purebred animals should meet USA standard. See detailed list of NPGA colours and breed-specific markings below.
Colours and patterns outside the USA ideal are acceptable in Australian Appendix animals.
COAT dense, hair straight, medium long. Abundant in bucks, copious mane draping across shoulders is desirable.
SIZE - Does between 40cm and 57cm measured at withers. Bucks between 40cm and 60cm.
Cannon bone measurement animals over 12 months - Does to 11.5cm, Bucks cannon length to 12cm.
Snr Doe 20, Jnr Doe 25, Buck 25 points
BODY CAPACITY
BODY CAPACITY large in proportion to the size of the animal, providing ample digestive and reproductive capacity as well as strength, vigour and stamina.
BARREL broad, deep, increasing in width and depth toward flank, giving the impressions of perpetual pregnancy; symmetrical, well supported by firm abdominal wall and well sprung, strong ribs. Disproportionately large circumference is greater in does than bucks.
CHEST wide chest floor, well muscled brisket, prominent fore chest. Heart girth large, full at elbows. Long, flat wide rib bone.
Snr Doe 20, Jnr Doe 15, Buck 15 points
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
UDDER firm, rounded, small to medium size, symmetrical. High, full, tight rear attachment blending smoothly into escutcheon. Fore attachment well forward without a pocket blending smoothly into body. Silky smooth, elastic, pliable but firm and free from lumps.
TEATS cylindrical, symmetrically shaped and placed teats in proportion to the capacity of the udder. Milkable and functional. Free from deformities, obstructions or multiple orifices.
VULVA normal in size and shape.
BUCKS - Two fully descended testicles of even size, healthy and firm. Two cylindrical teats of uniform length and size, symmetrically placed, free of deformities or multiple orifices. Normal sheath.
Snr Doe 15, Jnr Doe 10, Buck 10 points
PYGMY BREED FAULTS
Disqualifying Faults: Wry face; overshot or undershot jaw; teats - double, supernumerary, multiple orifices, blind teat, sprigs, spurs; undescended testicle/s; split testicle over 3cm; hermaphrodism; does over 57cm, bucks/wethers over 60cm; horns or scurs over 5cm; serious emaciation; total blindness; permanent lameness; genetic hernia; pendulous ears.
Faults to be judged on severity: Crooked or malformed feet, cow or bow hocked, dropped weak or long pasterns, postiness, splayed feet; roach or sway back, dip behind wither, loose shoulders, shallow body, narrow chest, steep rump, flat rump, decreasing width of rump; udder faults (NB: BREED SPECIFIC WEIGHTING ONLY TO BE GIVEN TO MAMMARY SYSTEM faults) pendulous, fleshy, or unduly divided, pocket or lack of capacity, undefined medial; teats - uneven, bulbous, extremely small or thick, sideways pointing; folded ears; pendulous scrotum; divided scrotum over 1cm, scrotum small for age. Blue eyes may be present in Australian appendix animals, however not desirable trait, and not permitted in USA Purebred Pygmy. Consideration to be given to ideal coat colours and pattern when judging Pygmy Goats.
UNDERSTANDING AMERICAN PYGMY ACCEPTABLE COLOURS AND COAT PATTERNS (NPGA USA)
AGB Inc. is committed to breeding Pygmy goats to the USA standard.
The coat, colour and markings are intrinsic elements in the Pygmy Goat,
contributing heavily to the overall breed character. The USA judging scorecard
weights 18% of total points for bucks to coat and colour/markings.
This is our pictorial guide to the colour and breed specific markings that meet
the National Pygmy Goat Association American Breed Standard. A useful tool
for Australian breeders and judges alike to help understand the correct breed standard.
We are so thankful for the assistance of US photographer Diane Keith of Diane Keith
Photography and her express permission to use all photos in this entire section.
SOLID BLACK
Not common to have all black hair on face/ears.
Body Colours: All body hairs black in colour with solid black stockings. No other solid colours are acceptable.
Required Markings: none.
Optional Markings: white patches or bellybands anywhere on barrel between point of elbow and stifle joint.
BLACK
Body Colours: All body hairs black in colour with solid black stockings.
No other solid colours are acceptable.
Required Markings: muzzle, crown, eyes and ears distinctly accented in white.
Optional Markings: (a) white patches or bellybands anywhere on barrel
between point of elbow and stifle joint; (b) tail accented in white.
AGOUTI
Black Agouti and Grey Agouti: Black and white hairs intermingled, producing an appearance ranging from highly grizzled to nearly solid with solid black stockings.
Brown Agouti: Brown and white hairs intermingled, producing an appearance
ranging from highly grizzled to nearly solid with solid brown stockings darker
than the main body colour.
Required Markings for all Agoutis: (a) muzzle, crown, eyes and ears distinctly accented in
white and may be intermingled with hairs the same colour as the body; (b) face, and forehead
distinctly darker than, but of the same colour as, the main body colour. Stockings are defined as,
from the knee down on the front legs and from the top of the hocks down on the rear legs.
Optional Markings: (a) white patches or bellybands anywhere on the barrel between the point of
elbow and stifle joint; (b) dorsal stripe darker than, but of the same colour as, the main body colour;
(c) varying degrees of grizzling on areas of the body (such as the chest, shoulders, and mane);
(d) tail may be accented in white.
CARAMEL WITH BLACK MARKINGS
Body Colour: Any shade of white through dark tan.
Required Markings: (a) muzzle, crown, eyes and ears distinctly accented in white and may
be intermingled with hairs the same colour as body; (b) Vertical stripes on centre front of socks
same colour as body; (c)sides and rear of socks and dorsal stripe accented in black;
(d) Martingale accented in black (bucks only) (e) Face: Accented in black. Amount ranges
from partial to complete according to age and gender.
Optional Markings: (a) white patches
or bellybands anywhere on barrel between point of elbow and stifle joint
(b) Martingale accented in black (does only).
CARAMEL WITH BROWN MARKINGS
Body Colour: Any shade of white through dark tan.
Required Markings: (a) muzzle, crown, eyes and ears distinctly accented in white and may be intermingled with hairs the same colour as body; (b) Vertical stripes on centre front of socks same colour as body; (c) sides and rear of socks and dorsal stripe accented in brown; (d) Martingale accented in brown (bucks only) (e) Face: Accented in black. Amount ranges from partial to complete according to age and gender.
Optional Markings: (a) white patches or bellybands anywhere on barrel between point of elbow and stifle joint (b) Martingale accented in brown (does only).
Once again sincere thanks to Diane Keith Photography for her express permission for AGB Inc. to use these photographs to demonstrate Pygmy coat and colours.
AGB INC REGISTRATION & GRADING
At AGB Inc. we recognise Pygmy goats with full DNA parental verification back to a known import. In some (or many cases), full DNA records may not be available. This means some animals in our registry may reflect a lower % than they show in other breed societies where DNA is not required, or not published. If you are just starting out in Pygmy goats this is a good thing to research and understand from the outset.
WHAT IS 'FULL' DNA PARENTAL VERIFICATION?
This means that the animal being registered has a DNA profile for himself AND is proven to his parents, his parents are proven to their parents and so on all the way to a DNA tested import. Many, many pygmy goat do not have this. Some these days may have one, two or even more generations that are DNA parent verified to their parents, but NOT every generation to the import. Bascially this means the animal in the latest generation is potentially ZERO DNA proven % as the chain of information is not complete. Ultimately that animal is only proven to an unverified animal.
Further, some animals have a DNA profile only which sellers are passing over as the animals DNA. That is correct, it is the animals DNA, but it doesn't prove him to his parents and is not providing evidence that the animal in question is actaully that %. We can help you with more information about this - get in touch.
AGB Inc PYGMY GRADING
We do not have a 'grading' system as such - rather animals will be identified by their proven % imported genetics - as 'PY75' for example for appendix animals. Appendix animals will be graded as 'Adult'. Then, at 93.75% (and above) we recognise the appendix animal as a Purebred. Those DNA verified 100% animals from imported embryos and their progeny will be graded as 'USA Purebred'.
See following the rules around how we recognise, register and will register Pygmy Goats in the future.
AGB Inc PYGMY REGISTRATION RULES
Current animals with a DOB up to 31/12/2023, carrying at least 25% DNA verified genetics can enter the AGB Inc. registry and our shows as a Pygmy.
As Premium Breeders we are all working to increase our Pygmy genetics, ultimately aiming towards purebred status (at 93.75% and above). To this end, we have laid out our registry rules for the next 2 years so that Members can plan appropriate breeding, and manage their show team. The registry rules and show rules are the SAME, and any changes apply from the date of birth.
Bucks born from DOB 1/1/2024 will be 60% imported genetics or more for registration and showing.
Does born from DOB 1/7/2025 will be 50% imported genetics or more for registration and showing.
Bucks born from DOB 1/7/2025 will be 70% imported genetics or more for registration and showing.
PYGMY GOAT SPECIAL MERIT PROGRAM
If you own Pygmy goats that may not have full DNA, get in touch with us to see if they may qualify for our Special Merit Progam (does only), or if we can help with at least some parental verification hello@agb.org.au.
PYGMY GOAT BREED
Check out some of Australia's Pygmy Goats owned and/or bred by our Premium Breeders.
It is wonderful to see the amazing achievement and improvement in Pygmy breed character in the animals over the past few years.
