Nigerian Dwarf Goat Coat Patterns
Agouti Locus Patterns
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Gold
Gold is just as the name implies, gold! The most common variation of this pattern gives the goat a gold-like colored coat. Sometimes with faint shading in places, particularly on the legs, face, underbelly, and topline. Gold is the most dominant of the agouti patterns. It ranges in shade from white 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. The lightest variation of gold which gives a goat a bright white to cream color is referred to as cream. The darkest variation of gold which gives the goat a dark red color is referred to as red.
Gold kids can occasionally be somewhat of a challenge to identify. It is not uncommon for them to have shaded legs, face, underbelly, and a 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.
Gold kids can occasionally be somewhat of a challenge to identify. It is not uncommon for them to have shaded legs, face, underbelly, and a 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.
Black
Black is a recessive agouti pattern. Meaning a black goat must carry two copies of black to have a black coat. Both parents must carry black to produce a black.
Buckskin
Photos above courtesy of KW Farms.
The buckskin Nigerian Dwarf sports a black, chocolate, or red cape that covers the head, neck, and shoulders creating a cape-like effect with black, chocolate, or red on the topside of the tail and black, chocolate, or red stripes down the fronts of the cannon bones. The remainder of the body is a lighter color (brown/tan/creme/etc.) The face and legs have coordinating stripes. Buckskin can come in several different colors. The most common is just your classic, "buckskin" (black and tan). There is a "light buckskin" (black and cream). "Red buckskin" (red and cream). The last is "Chocolate buckskin" (chocolate and cream or tan). Buckskin is a very common pattern in Nigerians and is easily passed on. There are several different "shades" of buckskin, but the pattern features remain the same.
Chamoisee
A chamoisee Nigerian Dwarf can be described as being tan or brown in color with solid black legs, black underbelly, a black stripe down the back, and a pair of black stripes that run down the face. Some chamoisees have a somewhat black face mask. Body color can range from a light tan color to a deep red. This pattern does come in two different "shades": Black or chocolate. A chocolate chamoisee will have chocolate points instead of black.
There are two different spellings of this pattern.
Chamoise: Is used to describe a male.
Chamoisee: Is used to describe a female.
There are two different spellings of this pattern.
Chamoise: Is used to describe a male.
Chamoisee: Is used to describe a female.
Swiss Marked
A swiss marked Nigerian will have a black or chocolate body with solid white, cream, tan, or orange legs and hind end. It will also have white, cream, tan, or orange ears and matching facial stripes that extend down to the muzzle. Some will also have a lighter dot on the side of each cheek. There are two colors to this pattern. You can have the most common black swiss marked or the more unusual chocolate swiss marked Nigerian.
Swiss marked and sundgau can sometimes be confused with each other. Easiest way to tell them apart is the sundgau has a lighter colored underbelly. The swiss marked does not. Also, the legs on the swiss marked will be solid. The legs on a sundgau will have black or chocolate stripes below the knees, down the cannon bones on both front and rear legs.
Swiss marked and sundgau can sometimes be confused with each other. Easiest way to tell them apart is the sundgau has a lighter colored underbelly. The swiss marked does not. Also, the legs on the swiss marked will be solid. The legs on a sundgau will have black or chocolate stripes below the knees, down the cannon bones on both front and rear legs.
Sundgau
The sundgau pattern is somewhat similar to the buckskin pattern, but has one distinct difference. There is no "cape." The body is solid in color (black or chocolate). The underside of the belly is a lighter orange, brown, or cream color, which can extend from the brisket, underside of neck, and up under the jaw. The legs are an orange, brown, or cream color with chocolate or black stripes running down the front of the cannon bones on both front and rear legs. The face has stripes starting above the eyes that usually run down the face toward the nose.
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.
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
The cou clair pattern is most commonly seen in the Alpine breed, but is becoming popular in the Nigerian Dwarf breed as well. It's likely that it originated from Alpines, but no one knows for sure. Regardless of where it came from, cou clair is a unique pattern that is probably here to stay. Almost somewhat of a reverse of the buckskin pattern. Cou clair has a cream to tan colored body with distinct black facial stripes and markings that start at the loin and go toward the rear end, over the rump, midway down the legs, and on the underbelly. 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.
Cou Blanc (coo blanc): Literally meaning "white neck". Which is the lightest variation.
Cou Clair (coo clair): Literally meaning "clear neck." Which is the darker variation.
Cou Blanc (coo blanc): Literally meaning "white neck". Which is the lightest variation.
Cou Clair (coo clair): Literally meaning "clear neck." Which is the darker variation.
Bezoar
We are looking for examples of this pattern!
Combined Patterns
Every goat carries two patterns at the agouti locus. If the goat happens to carry two co-dominant patterns (most patterns are), neither pattern can express fully. Since the two patterns are equal in dominance, this sometimes creates for a blended phenotype pattern. A pattern that involves bits and pieces of two patterns, but never just one or the other. Sometimes when this happens, they almost cancel each other out. This fight for dominance between the two patterns often ends up resulting in a fairly plain coat pattern.
Fun Fact: Breeding a combination pattern 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. Breeding a cou clair/swiss marked combination to a recessive black will result in only cou clair or swiss marked offspring.
Fun Fact: Breeding a combination pattern 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. Breeding a cou clair/swiss marked combination to a recessive black will result in only cou clair or swiss marked offspring.
Spotting Patterns and Other Markings
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Random White Spotting/Piebald
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Nigerian Dwarfs often times have white markings. There are a few ways to say the goat's pattern/color and white. You can simply say, the goat is _____ and white or you can get a little more detailed. Other descriptions of the white markings could be: pinto, white overlay, scattered white, broken white, abundant white, etc.
Or even give a short description of the color and location of white.
Or even give a short description of the color and location of white.
Moon spots
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Photo courtesy of...
Zanzabeez Nigerians |
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Photo courtesy of...
Freedom Star Farm |
What are moon spots?
Moon spots are irregular, somewhat round spots of color on top of the coat pattern. They are randomly placed on the coat and have no order or pattern. Moon spots vary in color, ranging from light creme to dark brown. They can come in many different colors, but will never be *true white or *true black. Moon spots on kids often start out very dark and will lighten as they age.
Moon spots have not been researched heavily, but are thought to be a dominant gene, meaning either sire or dam has to have them in order to pass them onto the offspring. Sometimes moon spots can hide on the coat. A moon spot can be as tiny as just a few hairs and can also hide "underneath" white markings.
Moon spots are irregular, somewhat round spots of color on top of the coat pattern. They are randomly placed on the coat and have no order or pattern. Moon spots vary in color, ranging from light creme to dark brown. They can come in many different colors, but will never be *true white or *true black. Moon spots on kids often start out very dark and will lighten as they age.
Moon spots have not been researched heavily, but are thought to be a dominant gene, meaning either sire or dam has to have them in order to pass them onto the offspring. Sometimes moon spots can hide on the coat. A moon spot can be as tiny as just a few hairs and can also hide "underneath" white markings.
Roan
Photo courtesy of...
Lost Prairie Nigerians |
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Black & white with abundant roaning.
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Photo courtesy of...
Phoenix Rising Farm |
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Light buckskin with abundant roaning.
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Roaning on a swiss marked buck.
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Photo courtesy of...
Phoenix Rising Farm |
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Photo courtesy of...
Phoenix Rising Farm |
Roan is generally defined as an even mixture of white hairs with the base color that does not change or fade as the animal ages. Roan is a pattern that is easily passed onto a goat's offspring. It can occur on any coat pattern. The amount of roaning shown on a coat varies from goat to goat.
Frosting
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Photo courtesy of...
Desert Springs Nigerians |
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Frosting occurs around the muzzle, base to tip of ears, and sometimes around the eyes and/or underside of the tail. In extreme cases, I have seen frosting cause white ticking through the coat. Frosting is white in color can range from a very minimal expression to a very extreme expression. Any color goat can have frosting. Some goats will have just a little bit of ticking around the muzzle, others will look like they dipped their whole nose in white paint, so the pattern does vary. Some goats have frosting, some don't, but it is regularly seen in the Nigerian Dwarf breed and seems to be passed along to kids easily.
Mixed Patterns
Swiss marked and light buckskin.
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Chamoisee and buckskin.
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Chamoisee and buckskin.
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Swiss marked and chamoisee.
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Swiss marked with buckskin and roan.
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Chamoisee and buckskin.
Photo credit to Tristany Beckwith. |
Cou clair and sundgau.
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Swiss marked and buckskin.
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Nigerians can carry more than one pattern. These goats will show a mixed pattern coat. There are no names for these mixed patterns so for registration papers, it's okay to make a note of each pattern that the goat carries. Examples: Buckskin/chamoisee or Chamoisee/swiss marked or Light buckskin/cou clair, etc.
Do you have a mixed pattern Nigerian Dwarf? We need more examples and would love photos for the website. Email us with photos and photo credit information and we will add your photo(s) to the website.
Do you have a mixed pattern Nigerian Dwarf? We need more examples and would love photos for the website. Email us with photos and photo credit information and we will add your photo(s) to the website.
The white poll.
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If a Nigerian Dwarf is described as having a "white poll," it is referring to the white, somewhat round spot on top of the head (the poll of the goat.) Commonly seen in Nigerian Dwarfs and regularly passed onto the kids from a parent. A good term to know when writing the color description for your goat or kid's registration application, especially if they have no other markings.