Boer goats: breed description and characteristics, maintenance rules

Boer - an exotic breed of goats. These are heat-loving animals that are bred in southern Africa for their meat. They feed on shrubs and grass and gain 100 kilograms of weight in just a few months. Boer goats are profitable to breed, because they do not require any unusual feed. True, few people are engaged in industrial production. Breeding animals cost about one thousand dollars, goat meat has a specific taste and smell.

Origin story

The Boer breed was bred in South Africa at the beginning of the 20th century specifically for meat production.African goats and their relatives from Europe and India participated in the crossing. By the early 1980s, these animals had spread all over the globe. The leaders in breeding Boer goats are the countries of Africa, Latin America, as well as the USA, New Zealand, Australia.

The word "Boer" itself comes from the Dutch "boer", which means "farmer". This breed is known by many European farmers and has been bred for several decades. After all, Boer goats grow quickly, feed mainly on grass and hay, gain weight well, and only 8-18 months after birth they can be sent for slaughter. On average, one animal gains 60-100 kilograms of weight, that is, it gives 30-50 kilograms of meat. The Boer is the most productive meat breed. Such animals are not bred to obtain milk.

General description and characteristics of the breed

Boers differ from others in their unique color. This breed has a large white body and a brown head. In height and length, the animal grows up to 1 meter. The weight of an adult goat is 110-130 kilograms, the weight of an adult female is 85-105 kilograms.

Distinctive features of the Boer breed:

short, smooth coat;
small ponytail;
udder has 2 or 4 teats;
short, thick legs with big hooves;
body stocky, strong, with a broad chest, round belly;
well-developed muscles on the back, chest, hips;
medium length horns, curved back;
drop ears, medium size;
powerful head with a convex nasal septum.

The Boer breed has a calm nature. They are well suited for keeping together with other animals. Unlike cows and sheep, Boer goats do not eat grass as much as shrubs and leaves from small trees.

This breed has tender, veal-like meat. Animals are slaughtered at the age of 8-18 months. During this period, they weigh about 60-100 kilograms. Animals reach puberty at 5 months of age. True, they try to cover the females a little later. The pregnancy lasts five months. During the first lambing, females give birth to no more than one kid weighing 4 kilograms.

Queen babies are fed up to 3 months. All the milk goes to him. This breed is rarely milked. A goat gives about 1-2 liters of milk per day. The kid is growing rapidly, daily gaining weight 250-400 grams. Young goats are castrated in infancy so that their meat becomes more tender and fragrant. At 4 months of age, the animals weigh 30 kilograms.

Pros and cons

Pros of Boer Breeding:

getting dietary meat;
quick weight gain on grass and hay alone;
weight 50-70 kilograms in 8-10 months;
slaughter meat yield 54%;
excellent adaptability to the climate of the middle zone;
undemanding to feed;
females can give birth 2 times a year;
excellent immunity.

Cons of Boer breeding:

high cost of breeding animals;
to get quality meat you need goats that are 75% Boer;
poor adaptation to frost;
need to trim hooves twice a year;
eat everything in their reach (grass, shrubs, flowers, tree branches).

Maintenance and care requirements

Boer goats are profitable to breed. After all, they grow quickly, gain weight well, in just a year they give about 50 kilograms of pure meat. True, breeding animals are very expensive. Goats need to create the most comfortable conditions so that they do not die, but grow up and give birth.

For the Boer breed, you need to build a goat's house with an area of 4 square meters. meters per animal. In winter, this room should be heated if the air temperature is below 15 degrees Celsius. Infrared lamps are used for heating. In the goat's house they equip the hood, make windows and doors, install a manger for hay, a drinking bowl for water, a feeder for finely chopped vegetables and grains.

Straw is laid on the floor. The litter is replaced as it gets dirty, that is, every day. It is forbidden to keep goats in dampness and dirt. Animals can get sick if they sleep on wet, dirty and cold bedding.

Goats are fed 3 times a day, in between feedings they give clean water (a bucket for one individual). In summer, animals can graze all day on the pasture. Only at lunchtime and in the heat they are driven into the goat's house for several hours. In rainy weather, animals should not be taken out to pasture. In winter, Boer goats are kept indoors. They take them outside only in the spring, when the air temperature reaches 15 degrees Celsius, and green grass appears on the meadow.

Boer goats need to trim their hooves 2 times a year, because they grow strongly if the animals are kept in a stall all winter in a motionless state. To process this part of the limbs, special scissors or secateurs are needed. The hooves are cut for the first time before wintering, the second time - in the spring, before going out to pasture. In the summer, they grind themselves.

What to feed the Boer goats

Animals of this breed must be fed with quality feed.In summer, goats are pastured. Animals recover well if they eat clover, alfalfa, cereals and legumes. S alt lick should be put in the goat's rue so that the goats replenish the s alt reserves in the body. Animals willingly eat low berry bushes and eat branches, leaves of trees (willow, linden, aspen, maple).

In the summer they are given beet tops, nettles, corn stalks. For a day, one goat eats about 5-8 kilograms of grass. Between feedings, the animal should be given at least a bucket of clean water.

In winter, they are fed sun-dried hay (4-5 kilograms per day). Pine and spruce branches are given as a vitamin supplement. Finely chopped vegetables (carrots, beets, pumpkin) should be present in the diet. In winter, goats are given premixes, pharmaceutical vitamins and minerals.

Animals gain weight well if they are fed with legumes, a small amount of grain, sweet vegetables, silage, bran, compound feed. Bone meal and chalk are added to the feed. For the winter, it is recommended to prepare 500 kilograms of hay (per individual).

Nuances of breeding

To breed the Boer breed, you need to have at least one breeding goat in the herd. Nubian goats are suitable for obtaining the highest quality hybrid. For crossing, it is allowed to use females of the following breeds: Kiko, Angora, Spanish, Jamnapari. The resulting offspring must be crossed again with a purebred Boer goat. It is forbidden to allow closely related animals to mate.

They try to cover females in autumn so that they give birth to kids in early spring. The mating is carried out when the goats are 12 months old. True, they reach sexual maturity six months after birth. Pregnancy lasts 5 months.The queens feed the goats with milk for 90 days. You can milk a goat 3 weeks after the birth of the cub. They take a small amount of milk, leave the rest to the goat. For the first time, a goat gives birth to one cub. During the year, the female can become pregnant twice. The second time she has 1-2 kids.

Protection against diseases

Goats aged 3-4 months must be vaccinated. Animals are vaccinated against rabies, brucellosis, anthrax, parasites, foot and mouth disease. If necessary, they are vaccinated against tetanus and enterotoxemia. In regions with a high risk of contracting encephalitis, animals can also be vaccinated against this disease.

Important! It is recommended to clarify the nuances of vaccination with your local veterinarian. Only he althy kids are allowed to be vaccinated.

Distribution in Russia

Boer goats are bred on the territory of the Russian Federation. These animals are best grown in the central and southern regions, that is, in places with a warm climate. Boer goats do not tolerate frost well, they often get sick in the cold season.

Animals eat mainly grass and hay, so the cost of feeding them is minimal. You can buy a breeding kid for 1-2 thousand dollars. In Russia, such animals are bred for decorative and personal purposes, less often for the industrial production of meat. The fact is that an adult animal weighs, on average, 100 kilograms. It produces about 50-60 kg of meat. On the market, it costs 10-20 dollars per kilogram. For 50 kg of meat, they usually give about 500-1,000 dollars, that is, almost 500-1,000 dollars less than the cost of a breeding animal at a young age.

How much?

Breeding Boer goats can be bought in South Africa and the USA. Delivery of the animal, taking into account its cost, will cost the buyer 3-8 thousand dollars. You can buy goat sperm, it will cost less ($50). Local farmers sell these animals for 1-2 thousand dollars.