23/04/2026
HOW MUCH FOR A PYGMY?
Let me say a few words to you, yes you, the person who sends a text to just ask for the price. The person who calls and hears the price and says “I can buy a cheaper goat somewhere else”. I'll talk to you too; the person who doesn't care about papers because I want “just a pet".
No registered goat is “just a pet"
Behind every purebred goat is a BREEDER. I use capital letters to distinguish a breeder from an animal factory for lack of a better word. A serious breeder does not breed goats without documents that protect the integrity of the breed.
Registration papers are records of ancestry documenting the bloodline and enabling you to investigate possible health problems in your lineage.
When you tell a breeder you don't care about the papers, just tell them you don't care about the goats’s health, you just want the cheapest thing you can find!
If you choose to buy a goat from a reputable and quality breeder, this breeder is responsible for every goat’s health.
This breeder will skip vacations, make vacations out of judging trips, miss sleep, and most of their personal time is dedicated to their goats and their well being. The truly passionate breeder, who loves what they breed, puts all of their time into it. Not only for goats that are sold, but also for every customer who owns a piece of their heart (!) and is now a member of their large family.
A breeder will get his hands dirty, often covered in everything that comes with birth. Because that's what life is all about... in the midst of birth and death is life. The wheel that keeps spinning. A breeder conducts ultrasounds, analytics, emergency vet calls, vaccinations, registrations, researches pedigrees, deworming, hoof trims and provides the base start for the future of the goat in handling, breeding and showing.
Last but not least, a breeder CHOOSES the family who is lucky enough to have one of their goats. Yes, you read correctly. Because some of us have learned the hard way!
A real breeder chooses who they sell to.
There really is no compensation that can offset the investment a breeder has made.
A good breeder has other criteria for those who want to continue their bloodline, why? Because breeding isn't a responsibility to take lightly, it's a lifestyle choice reserved ONLY for the few devoted people willing to sacrifice.
Since a goat is never “just a pet” he/she is the legacy of the breeder, a little boy’s best friend, a caretaker of a little girl, therapy for the elderly, a member of the family, someone's whole world!
Partially written by: Sr. Eduardo Loredo Muller
Translated into English by: Angel Sophia Nogga
Modified for foals by: Stacey Mugrage
Modified for goats by: Katie Dean/Living Dreams Nigerians
Modified for ReignInGrace Farms by: Robin Norman - Reign In Grace Farms
Worth sharing with so much truth in this article. Responsible breeding and possession of many goats is a lifestyle and commitment many cannot understand.
7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Our lives revolve around the goats - LITERALLY!
