Do you want to raise your own livestock? Being self-sufficient and independent of the supermarket is a great way to eat homegrown meat.
For homesteaders without acres for cattle, Boer Goats is a popular meat goat breed.
The Boer goat possesses the quickest growth and greatest meat-to-bone conversion, which is a important characteristic for homesteaders since there are so many different meat breeds available.
While there is debate over whether the Hottentots, Europeans, or East Indians are responsible for the origins of boer goats, it is an African breed. What we know is that in the early 1900s, South African farmers started selecting traits in meat goats that promoted fast growth and adaptation.
The first Boer goats arrived in the United States in 1993. Goat meat has become increasingly popular since then. According to the American Boer Goat Association, approximately 45,000 head of Boer goats are registered each year, with the goat meat business valued at around $150 million to $400 million.
Breed Standards of Boer Goats
The primary registry for Boer goats in the United States is the American Boer Goat Association. The breed standard for Boers is a sturdy frame, well-sprung ribcage, and fleshy, compact appearance. The following qualities are also desired by registries:
1. Meat Production
Bucks and does should have a robust build, a broad topline, and a fleshy look without being overweight.
Because this is a indication of a carcass that can carry their meat, gives adequate breathing, rudimentary, and kid carrying capacity, a wide frame with well-sprung ribs is particularly crucial.
2. Height and Weight
Bucks weigh 200-340 pounds, according to the American Boer Goat Association. and weighs between 190 and 230 pounds.
3. Color
The traditional Boer is white with a brown head, however there are certain that are black and white or predominantly brown, despite the fact that there are no set standards for color.
4. Other Breed Specific Standards
Registries often need the following features:
- The Roman nose is well-defined.
- Long drooping ears
- The fleshy neck is well-proportioned.
- In bucks, most guys have a masculine look.
- In terms of looks, the feminine is more prominent.
Typical Characteristics
1. Meat Production Details
How much meat can you expect from a single Boer goat? On average, a goat reared to market age will weigh 40-50 pounds of flesh, or roughly 6-9 months, depending on age, nutrition, diet, and genetics.
If meat production is important to you, then choose Boer goats because they have the highest meat-to-bone ratio of all goat breeds.
2. Hardiness
The hardiness of Boer goats has a mixed reputation. Several African breeds maintain their hardy reputation despite being bred to be adaptable.
Yet, I have heard of several Boer goats that have died to parasites sooner than other types of goats. Always err on the side of stocking your herd with the healthiest animals possible, as well as an effective deworming action plan, because parasites are the number one health concern with goats.
3. Temperament
Boer goats are a calm, docile breed that have been dubbed “gentle giants.” They’re well-liked for their attention-seeking behavior.
Breeding Boer Goats
1. Maturity
Breeding Boer goats based on weight rather than age is recommended since they are a fast-growing breed. For doelings, 70 pounds is thought to be the most suitable weight, while bucklings have six months.
2. Breeding Season
Boers breed all year round, unlike most goats, allowing you to breed them multiple times a year. This is not regarded as acceptable practice, however, and it is harmful to the dam’s health.
The benefit of customizing your breeding program for kids to be sale-ready at peak market periods is that you can breed year-round. Depending on where you live and your clientele, these will change. The fact that Boers can be customized in so many ways is a huge plus.
3. Kids
Boer does carry their kids for around 150 days, like all goats. One of the Boers’ fantastic features is their extraordinarily high fertility rate.
Boer does, like all goats, produce excellent moms when pregnant, but they do need extra attention. If you provide your mothering with excellent well-balanced feed, minerals, hay, and clean water, the person whose own needs are met will concentrate on their children.
Twins are the standard among Boer goats, although singlets and even quadruplets are not uncommon.
4. Genetic Defects
Extra teats are a common Boer flaw. Goats have a firm upper udder and typically have two teats. It’s typical to discover more with Boers, such as an extra orifice (opening) that produces milk or spur teats that branch off one of the main two or are completely separate.
When it came to the United States, Multiple teats were overlooked because the Boer gene pool was small. Customers, on the other hand, are becoming more concerned with quality.
Deformed teats are prohibited by the American Boer Goat Association. Your strict meat customer is more likely to be concerned with meat quality than those looking for registered breeding stock.
Caring For The Boer Goat
1. Feeding and Nutrition
Feeding Boers on high-quality pasture is the best way to keep feed costs down. The only times you should need to feed grain is during poor pasture condition like winter or drought, because high-protein legumes and good pasture management like rotational grazing encourage.
So, what should you look for when it comes to grain feeding? Because Boers are meat goats, they have greater protein needs than dairy goats, but not so much as to jeopardize rumen health. Boers should be supplied with a high-quality feed for meat goats.
2. Housing and Fencing
To keep goats safe from the weather and predators, they need a loafing shed or draft-free barn. To avoid frostbite to their long ears, Boer goats need shelter from freezing temperatures.
To control their wanderlust, all goats need strong, sturdy fencing. Two types of fencing that goats like are electric or cow panels in three strands.
3. Health Issues and Care
The major health issue for goats is parasites, as previously mentioned. Three important aspects of parasite prevention include a deworming protocol, rotational grazing techniques, and small herd numbers.
In addition, Boer goats must be exercised. Being overweight stresses their bodies and lowers their resistance to disease, due to their fleshy tendencies.
4. Grooming
Goats are more likely to take care of their own bathing, but a bath is occasionally required.
Goats’ hooves must be trimmed every four to six weeks as well.
5. Training
Training your Boer goats to a lead rope will make life much easier for most homesteaders since they handle their goats. In addition, your goats will have to learn specific stands and postures if you want to display them.
Alternative Breeds
1. Savannah Goats
The Savannah goat may be a better option than Boer goats for couples or smaller families. Savannahs, a native African breed, are gorgeous goats with similar temperaments as Boers.
2. Kiko Goats
Kikos meet the bill for a breed that produces comparable flesh levels but is renowned for its parasite resistance. Kikos are hardy animals that do not grow as quickly as Boers.
Did You Know?
The term Boer is derived from the Dutch word for “farmer.” The Dutch discovered that raising their own animals was essential to their survival, and they established trade routes along the South African outposts.
The Dutch left their mark on this popular breed, despite historians’ disagreement on who mixed European imports with local goats.
In addition, South Africa had the first registry 64 years before the United States. Boer goats are the market’s top breed because they are one of the few double-muscled meat goat breeds.
Conclusion
So, are you ready to make a significant change from relying on the grocery store? Meet a few Boer goats to see if they are for you if raising your own meat is next on your bucket list.
Boers make a excellent option for homesteaders because of their double-muscle meat output and kind personalities. Are you ready to try them out?
