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20 goats arrive at the Virginia Zoo for the summer

Posted at 10:07 AM, May 16, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-16 10:07:41-04

Wot Wot is one of the 20 goats now at the Virginia Zoo. The goats came to the Zoo from Country Charm Farm, of Halifax, Va.

NORFOLK, Va. – A group of 20 goats arrived at the Virginia Zoo recently to spend the summer at the ZooFarm!

The goats came to the Zoo from Country Charm Farm in Halifax, Virginia. They’ll spend the summer greeting guests in up-close-and-personal encounters!

The goats consist of 11 adults and nine kids in Nigerian dwarf, mini Alpine, and mini LaMancha breeds.

Virginia Zoo welcomes back their lovable goats to the ZooFarm for the fourth season. Guests can expect to see them in the yard, and after a 30-day quarantine period will be able to enter the goat yard to interact with them.

The Zoo says Nigerian dwarf goats are miniature dairy goats from West Africa. Gentle, friendly and popular with hobbyists, their small stature means they require less space and food than larger species.

Nigerian dwarf goats are approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a livestock dairy goat, making them eligible for youth 4-H and Future Farmers of America projects. They give a surprising quantity of milk for their size, ranging from 1 to 8 pounds of milk per day. Their milk has a sweet flavor and is excellent for making cheese.

Mini Alpine goats are a new breed of goat that results from a Nigerian dwarf goat breeding with a full-sized Alpine.

Mini LaMancha goats are easily recognized by their very short ears and are the only breed of goat developed in the United States.

The goats aren’t quite ready to greet the public. However, after a 30-day quarantine period, guests will be able to enter the goat yard to interact with them.