Boer goat breed

The Boer goat breed appeared in the early 20th century. Their homeland is distant South Africa. This breed of goat is primarily meat. By purchasing these goats, farmers do not expect to produce milk. Boer goats are a fairly popular breed.

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Boer goats

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Descriptive Characteristics

Boer goats are distinguished by their large build. Adult goats in weight can reach 110-135 kg. The weight of the female varies from 90 to 100 kg. Some compare this breed of goat with the Nubian. These goats are similar to each other with hanging ears, long limbs, large growth, and they also have a common homeland.

The nature of the Boer goats is very restrained. The standard color for this breed is a light beige coat color, while the head has a dark brown color, as in the photo.

But this is not the only color characteristic of this breed. A characteristic feature of Boer goats is that they may have not two, but four teats on the udder. They have a medium build, but strong. The pectoral muscles are well developed. The back is also wide and long.

The muscularity of this breed is clearly visible in goats. Muscles appear on the back, hips and chest. The goats are growing pretty fast.

Meat productivity

Boer goats are valued primarily for their meat productivity. It is important for farmers to know that the meat qualities of the Boer breed are passed down through the paternal line, which means that if you want to breed such goats, then you need to keep several healthy and active goats on the farm. With such fathers, even small females will produce good offspring.

The pregnancy of a Boer goat lasts 5 months. The goat feeds the kids with milk for 3 months. At the age of three months, on mother’s milk alone, goats can weigh about 35 kg.

The meat of these animals is highly valued among gourmets, they are willing to pay a lot of money for it. The meat has a delicate taste, has the aroma of veal.

These animals are fertile, they can produce offspring all year round. The first time the female can bring one kid, and the next time the female brings two kids.

What to feed?

In winter, Boer artiodactyls are fed hay, oilcake, vegetables and root crops. The advantage of Boer goats is that they are unpretentious in feed. The farmer can experiment with different feeds, eventually finding one that suits him economically.

In winter, do not forget to add mineral and vitamin supplements to the Boer goats. In the summer, provide them with access to a green pasture. Under such conditions, the meat of these animals will have a particularly rich taste.

Do not worry if the goats do not have access to very good pasture, this is not a problem, the peculiarity of this breed is that grassed, scarce pastures are also suitable for them. These goats also love foliage and tree branches.

How to contain?

The features of this breed dictate the rules for its maintenance, here is what applies to these rules:

  • Since the nature of the animals is calm, it is quite possible to keep them in the same room with other animals, for example, horses. They will also feel good with sheep.
  • The Boer goat breed is distinguished by its endurance to cold. If you live where the winter is not too severe, then you don’t need to take care of heating the room where the goats are located. But make sure that the temperature in the barn does not fall below 5 degrees Celsius.
  • But with regard to humidity, this indicator is important to monitor. High humidity leads to the growth of bacteria in the room, which increases the risk of diseases. The humidity level in the barn should not exceed 80%.
  • It is important for Boer goats to ensure the flow of daylight. In the summer this happens naturally. But in winter, when the daylight hours are short, it will have to be extended with the help of artificial lighting. This indicator is important for their well-being.
  • From the correct equipment of the barn, it is also worth considering that the concrete floor in the barn must be covered with sawdust. With such a coating, the legs of goats will not be supercooled. It is important to follow this point in all artiodactyls, since their hooves are their weak point.
  • The necessary conditions of detention also include timely vaccination and timely examination by a veterinarian.

How to breed?

The Boer goat is ready for mating already in the fifth month of life, but farmers still advise waiting another 1-2 months with this event.

Usually, in the first pregnancy, the Boer goat leads one kid, then two kids become the norm.

Boer goat breed has a distinctive color

A lactating goat can bring about 2 liters of milk per day. It’s dumb. Sometimes this amount of milk is not enough to feed the younger generation. In this case, the farmer will have to resort to artificial nutrition.

But goats grow very quickly. At the age of three months, their weight can already reach 30-40 kg.

It is allowed to cross the Boer goat with a goat of another breed in order to maintain meat performance better, so that the Angora or Nubian goat becomes this breed.

You can buy these animals in private farms, you can even find an ad via the Internet, social networks, for example, in classmates.

Anna Evans

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