Nigerian Dwarf Goat Coat Patterns

Agouti Locus Patterns

Gold

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Gold is the most dominant of the agouti patterns. The most common variation of this pattern gives the goat a solid tan colored coat. Sometimes with faint shading in places, particularly on the legs, face, underbelly, and topline. It ranges in shade from white to tan to red, depending on other modifier genes at work. Modifiers create the variation and color intensity we see. Since gold is a dominant pattern, one parent must be gold to produce gold offspring. A gold can carry another non-gold agouti pattern such as black, chamoisee, buckskin, etc. However, the other agouti pattern a gold carries will customarily be undetectable as it almost always has no effect on the coat. The lightest variation of gold which gives a goat a bright white to cream colored coat is referred to as cream. The typical, tan colored coat is called gold. The darkest variation which gives the goat a dark red color is referred to as red. Gold kids occasionally can be somewhat of a challenge to identify. It is not uncommon for them to have shaded legs, face, underbelly, and even a false dorsal stripe. These will all lighten up in time. Since gold is the most dominant agouti pattern, breeding heterozygous gold to any other agouti pattern will result in about 50% gold offspring.
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Black

Graphics and photos property of KW Farms.
Black is an easy one. Obviously, just a solid black coat. This pattern is very common in the Nigerian Dwarf breed. It is the only known recessive agouti pattern. Meaning a goat must carry two copies of black to have a black coat. Both parents must be black or carry black to produce black offspring. Breeding recessive black to recessive black will always result in black offspring, with very rare exceptions. Being a recessive pattern, any of the other agouti patterns can carry black unknowingly. You may not realize your goats carry black until they produce black offspring. 
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Buckskin

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Buckskin is a tan body with a very distinct black cape that reaches from the front knees to up over the withers, up the neck and down the face. Face has tan stripes. Legs are tan with black or dark brown stripes on the front of the legs. Under jaw and underbelly are also tan. Top of tail is usually black. This pattern is very common in the Nigerian Dwarf breed and has many variations. The tan can range in color from cream to tan to dark brown. The cape can be small or large. In some cases, the cape extends overtime giving the goat a black body with tan facial stripes, underbelly, and legs. The genetic name for this pattern is San Clemente which came from the San Clemente Island goat breed. A domestic breed of goat that is now critically endangered. This pattern in Nigerian Dwarfs probably originated from the San Clemente. Why the name buckskin was used instead when this pattern first emerged, we will probably never know. 


Chamoisee

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Chamoisee is one of the easier patterns to recognize. This is the same pattern seen in the Oberhasli breed. A chamoisee has a tan body with solid black legs, black underbelly, a crisp black dorsal stripe, and matching black stripes that run down the face. In some cases, they will instead have a black face. As with any pattern, there is variation. The markings can be minimal or extreme and the tan color can be light or dark. Ranging from light tan to dark brown. 

Chamoisee is pronounced "sham wah zay."
Chamoise is used when describing a buck or wether.
Chamoisee is used when describing a doe.


Swiss Marked

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Swiss marked has a black body with tan facial stripes, ears, legs, and underside of tail. The tan markings vary in color from cream (almost white) to tan to dark brown. The tan areas usually have light skin pigment. You will notice pink to peach colored skin around the muzzle, lips, eyes, ears, and feet on most swiss marked goats, especially kids. Hooves are white instead of black. Swiss marked is also known as the Toggenburg pattern. Likely originating from the Toggenburg breed. The normal Toggenberg pattern however is actually swiss marked + a chocolate modifier. Modifying the black areas to chocolate. 


Sundgau

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Sundgau can be described as a black body with tan facial stripes, under jaw, underbelly, and legs. Thick black stripes run down the front of the legs. This pattern is very similar to swiss marked, but the distinct differences are the black stripes on the legs and the tan underbelly which easily set it apart. The tan markings can range from cream to tan to dark brown in color. Sundgau is an uncommon pattern in the Nigerian Dwarf breed which probably originated from the Alpine breed. It is pronounced "sund gow."

Have a sundgau Nigerian Dwarf? We would love more examples of this pattern. If you have photos and would like to share, please email them to us and let us know who to give photo credit to and we will post them here. 


Cou Clair

Graphics and photos property of KW Farms.
Cou clair has a tan colored body with black markings that start at about the loin and go toward the rear end, over the rump, and on the underbelly. Almost a reverse of the buckskin pattern. The head is tan with distinct black facial stripes, accompanied by unique black swoops on each side of the jaw. The tan markings can range in color from a cream (almost white) to tan to dark brown. The lightest color variation of the pattern is referred to as cou blanc and the darker, browner color variation is referred to as cou clair. As to where the line is drawn on correct usage of blanc or clair...well, that's open for interpretation. The cou clair pattern is most commonly seen in the Alpine breed, but has become somewhat popular in the Nigerian Dwarf breed as well. It's likely that cou clair originated from Alpines, but no one knows for sure. Regardless of where it came from, cou clair is a unique pattern that is here to stay. 
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Cou Clair and Cou Blanc are pronounced "coo clair" and "coo blanc."
Cou Blanc: Literally meaning "white neck". Which is the lightest variation.
Cou Clair: Literally meaning "clear neck." Which is the darker variation.

Bezoar

Graphics property of KW Farms. Click on individual photos for credits.
The Bezoar pattern is uncommon in the Nigerian Dwarf breed. It is a wild type pattern which gives the goat a tan body with lighter facial stripes, underbelly, and legs. The legs also having thick, black stripes. Apart from the light stripes, the face is dark. Typically there is a crisp, black dorsal stripe and darkening over the shoulders. This pattern look very similar to typical buckskin/chamoisee combinations. They can be very difficult, if not impossible to tell apart. This pattern name likely came from a species of wild goat known as the Bezoar Ibex. Bezoar is pronounced "bee zor." We would like to thank the goat owners and breeders who contributed to our Bezoar examples. Please be sure to click on the individual photos to view photo credit.

Combined Patterns

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Every goat carries two patterns at the agouti locus. If a goat carries two different, co-dominant patterns, neither pattern can express fully. All of the agouti patterns are co-dominant, except recessive black and dominant gold. Since all other agouti patterns are equal in dominance, they blend together when a goat carries two different patterns. This is because the tan areas of each pattern will express when combined. Creating a pattern that usually shows bits and pieces of two patterns, but never just one or the other. Sometimes when this happens, they almost cancel each other out. This blending of patterns often results in a fairly plain looking coat which can make it very difficult to determine the patterns present. However, there is a way to help determine this. Breeding a combination patterned goat to a recessive black goat will guarantee offspring of one pattern or the other from the combination pattern goat. For example, breeding a buckskin/chamoisee to a recessive black will result in only buckskin or chamoisee offspring. 

Below is a diagram displaying the interactions between some of the Agouti Locus patterns.

Important to note that there is variation with every pattern and every combination of patterns.
​These are meant to represent typical interactions.
You may notice black and gold have been excluded from this chart. That is because gold combined with any other agouti pattern is gold. Black combined with any other agouti pattern is that pattern. For example, a combination of black and buckskin is a buckskin goat that carries black. A combination of gold and buckskin is a gold goat that carries buckskin. It works the same way when they are combined with any of the other agouti patterns.

Known Agouti Locus patterns in the Nigerian Dwarf breed.

Graphics are property of KW Farms. Do not use without permission.

Gold

Most Dominant
Very common pattern.
Symbol: A wt

Buckskin

Dominant
Very common pattern.
Symbol: A sc

Chamoisee

Dominant
Very common pattern.
Symbol: A b

Swiss Marked

Dominant
Common pattern.
Symbol: A sm

Cou Clair

Dominant
Common pattern.
Symbol: A pk

Sundgau

Dominant
Uncommon pattern.
Symbol: A t

Bezoar

Dominant
Uncommon pattern.
Symbol: A +

Black

Recessive
Very common pattern.
Symbol: A a


​Spotting Patterns and Other Markings

Moon Spots

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What are moon spots?

Moon spots are a unique, dominant pigmented spotting pattern. Moon spots are round, but irregular and randomly placed over pigmented areas of the coat. They vary in color. Ranging from light creme to silver to tan to dark brown. They can come in many different colors, but will never be *true white or *true black. Moon spots on kids often (not always) start out dark and will lighten as they age. It's possible for a goat to have more than one color of moon spots on the coat.

The moon spotting gene has not been mapped, but is believed to be a dominant gene. Meaning at least one parent must have the gene for them in order to pass them onto offspring. Sometimes moon spots can hide on the coat. The level of expression varies from little to no visible moon spotting to completely covered in moon spotting. A moon spot can be as tiny as just a few hairs and can also be "hidden" by white markings. 


White Spotting/Piebald

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White spotting is very common in Nigerian Dwarfs and can range in expression from a tiny dot to complete coverage. There are multiple white spotting patterns that create an abundance of variation in the way the white markings are expressed and how they're inherited. White spotting "covers up" the base pattern. This can make it difficult, sometimes impossible, to tell the base pattern of goats with extensive white spotting. One goat is also able to carry multiple white spotting patterns, but there is little known about these patterns and their mode of inheritance. Some patterns are likely dominant and others recessive.


Roan

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Roan is a pattern characterized by an even mixture of pigmented and white hairs on the body, while the head and legs are mostly solid colored. Goats with roan coats have white hairs evenly intermingled throughout any base color, such as black, buckskin, chamoisee, and so on. The head and legs have fewer scattered white hairs or none at all. The amount of roaning throughout the coat varies from goat to goat. Some may have a very even appearance, while others may have more minimal or uneven roaning throughout the coat. Roan is usually accompanied with heavily frosted ears and nose. There may be a relation between the two patterns.

Frost

Graphics and photos property of KW Farms.
Frost is a white ticking pattern that occurs around the muzzle, base to tip of ears, underside of tail, around the eyes, and sometimes throughout the coat.This is a common pattern in Nigerian Dwarfs and appears to be dominant. Possibly related to roan.


White Poll

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If a Nigerian Dwarf is described as having a "white poll," it is referring to the white, round spot on top of the head (the poll). Commonly seen in Nigerian Dwarfs and often accompanied by a white tipped tail. This may be a dominant pattern. A good term to know when filling out the color description for your goat's registration application, especially if they have no other markings.