Cameroon goats are known all over the world, they are as popular as pygmy ponies, pigs and other small copies of animals. Goats are bred for milk and meat, caring for the Cameroonian breed is not difficult, but it requires a lot of time.
Cameroon goat
Cameroon goats do not need a lot of food.
Cameroon goats have strong immunity
The history of the origin of Cameroon goats
The Cameroon goat is considered one of the first domesticated breeds. Even 10 thousand years ago, the inhabitants of the Middle East were able to tame these animals. Huge interest in miniature goats arose during the massacre of whales.
Cameroons perfectly tolerate a long stay on the ship, and they do not need a lot of food. Whalers often used them as a source of milk from goats, and later meat.
Goats came to Europe in the 19th century, and to the regions of North America in the middle of the 20th century. Animals are bred in the tropics. The miniature goat is considered one of the most popular pets of rainforest farmers.
To date, the prevalence of such goats is from Sudan to Zaire. On the Southern Continent, farmers create small goat ranches, as the profitability of small animals is much higher than other large animals.
In the Middle East, they are also popular with tigers. This is very surprising, but predators do not eat goats, they drink their milk and let them go.
As for the territory of the Russian Federation, miniature goats appeared only at the end of the 20th century, they spread in the Novosibirsk, Moscow and Kaliningrad regions.
Breed description
The main feature of Cameroonian goats is their miniature appearance, which is why they are called dwarf, pygmies or mini goats. In height, the animal reaches 0,5 m, in length – 0,7 m. The weight of the male varies from 16 to 24 kg, and the female – from 9 to 16 kg.
Appearance and color
The main characteristic features of Cameroon goats:
- barrel-shaped body, mundane and small;
- miniature head, compact;
- not long, but strong legs;
- small beard;
- small curved horns back;
- upturned tail.
The colors of Cameroon goats are diverse, they cover a wide palette of shades: from black to light. Marks, stripes are allowed on the color. The coat has a dense undercoat. This structure allows Cameroonian goats to withstand the cold climate of our country.
Character
As for behavior, dwarf goats are not particularly different from their counterparts. They are very active and stubborn. If the Cameroonian individual decided that she needed “there”, then she would get “there” by any available and inaccessible means. She will wait for the moment when it will be possible to seep into the desired place.
Some reviews of the Cameroonians note an evil character. But in fact this is not so, anger is not inherent in these animals. The fight with the owner does not come from the anger of temper, it is due to the fact that the animal seeks to occupy its niche in the hierarchy of the herd.
Excellent appearance, small size does not allow the owner to notice in time the moment when the male begins to go beyond what is permitted. As a result, the goat thinks that he is in charge and tries to put the owner in his place.
To remove the animal from the post of leader, the owner of Cameroon goats will have to fight it for a long and painful time, which is why it seems that they have an evil temper. It is better to notice this zeal for “power” in animals at the beginning, then it will be possible to get by with less conflicts with Cameroonians.
Females are very attached to the owner, they love kindness and affection. Too quickly and easily get used to the owner, do not like to be alone. The main thing is that the owner does not offend them.
In case of bad behavior, you can calm the goats by spraying them with a spray bottle.
Productive characteristics
Despite the miniature size of Cameroon goats, they are very productive. Even 1-2 individuals can provide the whole family with dairy products. As for costs, the Cameroonian is much more profitable than its ordinary counterparts.
The average milk productivity is 2-2,5 liters per day. The product is fatty and tasty, it happens that the fat content reaches 6%. With high-quality animal care, it does not have a specific smell.
In the composition of milk, the amount of iron, potassium and phosphorus is many times greater than that of ordinary goats. Everyone who decides to get Cameroons because of meat will also be happy, because this product is considered dietary, and tastes like rabbit meat.
The life expectancy of Cameroonian goats is about 20 years.
Advantages and disadvantages
Despite their amazing appearance and excellent productive qualities, Cameroons have both pluses and minuses, and they should be taken into account when breeding these animals.
Advantages of the Cameroonian breed:
- small size;
- undemanding in nutrition and care;
- resistance to climatic changes and different temperatures;
- low cost of keeping goats;
- good fertility;
- strong immunity;
- amenable to training and education;
- good disposition, with proper upbringing;
- thanks to the curved horns and friendliness, goats do not harm children.
Disadvantages of the breed:
- get sick in damp and humid climatic conditions;
- too stubborn and butting during stress or fright;
- they do not like loneliness, if it is left alone for a long time, then the animal begins to get angry at the owner, and its behavior changes.
Features of the content
Miniature goats of this breed perfectly adapt to various conditions of detention, they easily endure heat and sub-zero temperatures. They can stay outdoors for a long time, the only thing that negatively affects them is drafts and dampness.
Requirements for the room
A goat shed should be bright, clean and spacious. It is better to sheathe the walls with mineral wool so that it is warm in winter. Heating devices are not installed in such sheds, often individuals themselves cope with heating themselves.
Make separate stalls with beds for each goat indoors, the area of โโโโone is not less than 0,8-1,3 square meters. m. Despite their miniature size, individuals still need a large walking area – for 1 goat about 6 square meters. m.
Young stock care: keeping and feeding
After the birth of a new offspring, it is immediately taken from the mother and fed with colostrum. At 1 month after birth, the goats are fed in this way:
- Diet – 4-5 times a day, from 6.00 to 21.00.
- At the age of 10 days, babies are given hay in small quantities, it must be of high quality.
- Add 5 g of table salt to your meals daily to prevent white muscle disease in babies.
- At the age of 3 weeks, add cereal mixtures to your food. The best options are cake, bran and oats. Mix them with 10 g of chalk.
- At the age of 3 weeks, offer babies fresh boiled oatmeal, and finely chopped root vegetables.
Kids and adults of this breed do not feel the measure in food, so the farmer must constantly monitor the amount of food. With obesity, goats will not want to mate, and females will begin to give birth to weak offspring.
Feeding
All reviews of farmers claim that individuals of this breed are unpretentious in food. Simple goats can snort with displeasure at the sight of food, and these small animals even manage pasture food. Goats are great at climbing trees and other hills, so they find food for themselves on the tops of small trees.
To provide Cameroonian goats, feed is needed 5-7 times less than for its ordinary counterparts. Animals eat: cabbage, hay, greens.
Feeding rates
The milk of Cameroon goats has a high fat content, so the feed must be monitored so that the product is nutritious. One of the main components of the diet of animals is protein.
To improve the work of housing and communal services, a certain scheme should be followed: roughage – 20-40%, concentrated – 40-50%, the rest – greens. Protein is best given in granular mixtures.
Consider the nutritional rate for a male weighing 25 kg: fresh grass (3 kg), dried grass (0,5 kg), concentrates (0,25 kg). Cameroonian women can make do with the grass that grows under their feet.
goat launch
The launch of a goat is a preparatory stage for the female to give birth, she is fed with special products so that she can endure and give birth to healthy offspring. Begin to carry out this process about 1,5 months before goat.
First of all, add protein to your diet. The nutrition scheme is as follows: foot feed in any quantity, sainfoin grass (0,5 kg), oatmeal mixture (0,5 kg), concentrates (0,2 kg).
The second option of the nutrition scheme: foot feed in any quantity, alfalfa hay (0,5 kg), oats + peas (0,5 kg), concentrates (0,1 kg).
It is important to combine feeding with drinking: give juicy foods before drinking, concentrated foods after. Cameroons have an active metabolism, so they need supportive feed much more than ordinary goats.
Walking in the pasture
On pastures, animals eat a huge amount of grass: goats 2,3-2,6 kg, goats – 2,6-3 kg, kids – 0,6-1 kg. With malnutrition, animals begin to become active and mischievous, they eat inappropriate “products”, such as bags or films. Cameroonian individuals perfectly absorb fiber.
What and how often do goats get sick?
Among all breeds of goats, Cameroons have strong immunity. Individuals quickly get used to different climatic conditions, but they cannot stand one thing – high humidity and sub-zero temperatures. Drafts are not the best friends of goats, so close all the cracks in the room and prevent even the slightest breeze from appearing. Better ventilate.
Infectious diseases Cameroonian goats are not afraid. They do not suffer from brucellosis, hoof infections, pseudotuberculosis, and are not afraid of various blood-sucking insects. In addition, Cameroon goats got along well in their homeland with tsetse flies.
The only drawback regarding health is the regular allergy to some plants, so when changing grass-based foods, watch the reaction of the animals.
Breeding the Cameroonian breed
Puberty in goats occurs at the age of 7 months, so at this age it can already happen to get offspring. The offspring of a goat is hatched for about 5 months, for 1 lambing brings 1-2 kids. But it is surprising that in 1 season the offspring can bring 2 times.
Features and types of insemination of Cameroonians
Experienced farmers do not advise to have individuals too early, it is better to wait until the animals are 1 year old. Childbirth at an early age negatively affects the development of the female, so avoid unforeseen situations.
Case options:
- Artificial insemination. All questions and processes for the fertilization of the female are left to the veterinarian. He will correctly carry out the insemination procedure, and retain all breed characteristics. Moreover, this action can be performed several times.
- Hand case. The owner of Cameroons independently selects individuals that will have to mate. To do this, prepare a small corral, where the goat does not have to “look after” and “catch up” with the goat for a long time.
- Free insemination. Animals themselves understand who and with whom to mate. In this case, the main thing is that all individuals be of the same breed, otherwise there will be an unnecessary mixing of different bloodlines.
The best option for Cameroon goats is manual mating. In this case, the owner himself will regulate the time of birth of babies, their number, etc.
It is better that the kids are born in the spring. It is necessary to carefully select the “parents”, to monitor their fatness, health.
Pregnancy period and features of lambing
Officially, the pregnancy period for Cameroons is 5 months, but in fact this is not so. Often, on the 140-150th day, individuals give birth. It is necessary to prepare for this process in advance: heat the water, take scissors, rags. But more often goats cope without the help of the owner. Dwarf animals give birth without much difficulty: first, the first goat appears legs forward, the rest in reverse order.
The offspring stand on their feet as soon as they are completely dry, after 4 hours they confidently run around the paddock. 2 hours after birth, baby goats should be fed their mother’s colostrum to protect them from infections.
Feeding regimen: every 4 hours. Having salt in your diet will help prevent white muscle disease. From the 3rd week, add root vegetables and fruits to food, just do not forget to chop all food.
Value of the breed
Today, cheese making is one of the leading areas in food preparation. Despite the high fat content of milk, it does not have a specific smell, so you can use the product for making cheese. In the refrigerator, milk keeps in good condition for a couple of weeks.
In addition to good fat content, the product contains a huge amount of useful trace elements such as calcium, potassium and phosphorus.
Animal meat is of excellent taste and quality, has no aftertaste, contains a small amount of fat, and therefore is considered dietary. But only for the sake of getting meat from Cameroons, they are rarely bred.
The cost of Cameroons is high, for example, an individual at the age of 4 months costs about 9500 rubles, a pregnant goat – 12000 rubles. And these are the lowest prices. Given the high profitability of breeding and the minimum cost of keeping goats, we can conclude that individuals are beneficial for breeding not only for themselves, but also for commercial purposes.
Feedback
Oksana, 53 years old, obstetrician. Pskov. Once I accidentally got to an agricultural exhibition, I really liked these miniature goats. I have never regretted that I bought them, now they serve as real guards of the territory. The animals very quickly got used to me, and to all family members, but they donโt like strangers, they can throw themselves at my feet and start butting. Cheese from their fatty but tasty milk is excellent. Ivan, 38 years old, journalist, Krasnodar. I started breeding pygmy goats 5 years ago. It all started with 2 females and 1 male. Now I have a herd of 25 heads. They donโt bring much milk, but it is very fatty and tasty. I make goat cheese out of it, it is willingly bought in restaurants in the city.
Interesting facts about Cameroon goats can be found in the following video:
Cameroon goats are popular with farmers due to their charming appearance, friendly disposition, strong immunity and excellent productivity. Breeding, keeping these goats is not only very profitable, but every day it charges the owner and the whole family with positive energy.
