Boer Goat Farming – What You Should At Least Know When Raising Boer Goats
Image by ephemerama
Article by Peter Hansen
Raising goats is being practiced widely everywhere today. Not only does it promote to the wellness of the environment but it could be an alternative source of income. This article will take a quick glance at Boer goat farming and what it entails.
The Boer breed originated from South Africa during the 1990s for the production of meat. The name was coined form the Dutch term “Boer” which means farmer. The goat was a result of the cross breeding of goats from Europe and India. Unlike the Angora goats, they are known for their excellent meat which is generally attributed to selective breeding.
Boer goat farming is simpler than any other goat farming. Boer goats are renowned for their strong resistance against diseases. This is a great contributor for their lifespan which could reach up to 14 years. Moreover, they are highly adaptive against unfavorable environments.
Generally speaking, the Boer has a white body, a red head and long ears that resemble those of the Nubian goat. They have a very manageable temperament and a high growth and fertility rates. Unlike other dairy and fiber goat breed, Boer does are exceptionally good mothers to their offspring. The average size of mature Boer does is 200 to 220 pounds while 240 to 3000 for the bucks.
A major factor that makes Boer goat production easier is the goats’ fertility rate. Since Boers are highly polyestrous, they could mate as much as they can all year round. With this good fertility rate and with proper goat farming practices, six to nine Boer kids can be produced over two years.
Raising Boer goats is particularly rampant in New Zealand, Australia and United States. Compared to breeding sheep or cattle, goat farming is more lucrative. The focal point for Boer business is meat quality. And the drivers to produce high quality meat are proper nutrition and environment management.
Farming of Boer breed is very different from farming sheep or cattle. Some use the Boers to enhance the environment by elimination of weeds. Some use them as supplements for sheep and cattle. Others simply focus on mere Boer breeds.
A great consideration for raising Boer goat is fencing. Once a Boer knows how to escape, it would be difficult to keep it in. Electric fencing could be an option. The thing to consider in fencing is the trade off between the cost lost when a goat dies and the cost of setting up the fence.
