Nigora
Nigora is a miniature fiber breed from the United States, also kept for dairy.
Staple length of 1–6 in.
Not a goat for meat, and not a goat you will find quickly in the US.
Registered by American Nigora Goat Breeders Association (ANGBA).
Nigoras give you both milk and fiber from one small goat, a cross of Nigerian Dwarf and Angora bred specifically to fill a niche that dairy breeds don’t cover. Like the Pygora, it grows one of three recognized cashgora-type fleeces, with staple length running anywhere from 1 to 6 inches depending on which type a given animal produces.
Temperament is calm and laid-back, neither aggressive nor excessively fearful, and the build stays close to a refined miniature dairy goat, standing 19 to 29 inches at the withers. A Roman nose is a disqualifying fault in the standard, a reminder of how closely it is judged against that dairy template.
The registry itself is still young. Breeders were, thirty years in, still working toward the generation count needed for full breed status, so this remains a genuinely rare, still-forming population rather than an established one.
A fiber-and-milk hobbyist’s breed, not one to expect to find easily yet.
How Nigora compares
Too few sourced figures for a group median: 3 of 5 fiber breeds have one.
Not enough sourced data to compare this breed's doe weight to the all-breed median. 17 of 28 breeds in our list have a sourced doe weight.
Not enough sourced data to rank Nigora on fleece yield. Our sources didn’t publish one. 3 of 5 fiber breeds in our list have a sourced figure for this.
Full record
Size
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Size class | Miniature1 |
| Height at withers (doe) | 19–29 in1 |
| Height at withers (buck) | 19–29 in1 |
2 more fields not found in our sources
| Mature doe weight | Not found in our sources* |
| Mature buck weight | Not found in our sources* |
Appearance
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Coat type | Cashgora fleece1 |
| Coat length | Varies1 |
| Ears | Erect, Semi-pendulous1 |
| Distinguishing features | Produces one of three cashgora-type fleeces (A/B/C), Rectangular, refined miniature-dairy-goat build, Roman nose is a disqualifying fault1 |
3 more fields not found in our sources
| Colors | Not found in our sources* |
| Patterns | Not found in our sources* |
| Horns | Not found in our sources* |
Fiber
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Fiber type | Cashgora1 |
| Staple length | 1–6 in1 |
4 more fields not found in our sources
| Annual fleece yield | Not found in our sources* |
| Fiber diameter | Not found in our sources* |
| Shearings per year | Not found in our sources* |
| Down percentage | Not found in our sources* |
Temperament and management
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Docility | Docile1 |
| Temperament tags | Docile, Friendly, Calm1 |
8 more fields not found in our sources
| Handler experience level | Not found in our sources* |
| Hardiness | Not found in our sources* |
| Heat tolerance | Not found in our sources* |
| Cold tolerance | Not found in our sources* |
| Parasite resistance | Not found in our sources* |
| Browse clearing suitability | Not found in our sources* |
Housing: Not found in our sources*
Fencing: Not found in our sources*
Availability
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Availability in the US | Very rare3 |
| Conservation status | Not listed (The Livestock Conservancy, 2026)4 |
1 more field not found in our sources
| Population estimate | Not found in our sources* |
History and registries
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Origin country | the United States2 |
Breeds like this one
Pygora
A single Pygora can be born into any of three officially recognized fleece types, each spun completely differently.
Angora
Angoras are shorn twice a year for mohair, and weeks of cold vulnerability follow every shearing.
Cashmere
Cashmere isn't really a breed, just a fiber qualification any goat can earn.
About goats generally
The facts below are stated by extension and veterinary sources for goats as a species, not for this breed specifically, shown separately from the breed's own cited record above.
| Fencing / escape difficulty | High5‡ |
| Hardiness | High5‡ |
| Heat tolerance | High6‡ |
| Cold tolerance | Low7‡ |
| Browse clearing suitability | High5‡ |
Housing: Goats generally don't need elaborate housing -- a simple three-sided structure that blocks wind and rain is enough, at roughly 15 square feet of bedded space per animal. The real hazard is cold, damp drafts rather than fresh air itself: sustained drafty, wet-cold conditions can quickly bring on pneumonia and scours in young kids more than in adult stock.8‡
Fencing: Goats are notorious escape artists, so fencing built for cattle or sheep usually isn't enough. A multi-strand, electrified high-tensile fence with hot wires worked into the first, third and top strands is the standard effective approach; plain woven wire works too, but needs an extra interior electric strand to stop goats climbing on it or catching their heads and horns in the mesh.5‡
‡ Facts marked with a double dagger are about goats generally, not specifically this breed. See "About goats generally" above.
Sources (8)
- ANGBA breed standard article · breed registry / association, retrieved 2026-09-05
- ANGBA || Welcome · breed registry / association, retrieved 2026-09-05
- ANGBA article: 'the American Nigora's claim to fame' · breed registry / association, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Conservation Priority List - The Livestock Conservancy · peer-reviewed / government / conservation body, retrieved 2026-09-05 (as of 2026)
- Meat Goat Production | Penn State Extension · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Nutritional Requirements of Goats | Merck Veterinary Manual · peer-reviewed / government / conservation body, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Shelter, Fencing and Predator Control Needs on Pasture | Langston Ag Research · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
- Goat Housing and Facilities | Penn State Extension (Meat Goat Production and Management Home Study Course) · university extension, retrieved 2026-09-05
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