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farming goats

Boer Goat

The goat farming and the cattle farming are a very popular animal farming types that practices all around the globe. Of them the goat farming promises high income and it is very easy to manage a goat farm. There are many types of goat breeds and types that are rearing all around the world. Some of the, are the goat type Cashmere goat, goat breeds Pygmy goat, Boer Goat and so on. Through this post I am going to discuss on the goat breed type the Boer.

Boer Goat

Origin

This can consider as the best meat goat type in the world. Most of the farmers all around the word rear this goat breed due to its easiness as well as due to its nutritious quality of the carcass.

South Africa is the motherland of Boer Goats (Capra hircus). Dutch people developed this goat type in early 1900s. They raised these goats for meat purpose. The meaning of Boer is “farmer”. It is a Dutch word.

These goats are bred from Namaqua Bushman and Fooku tribes. They are indigenous goat types and are crossing with Indian and European types. This breed can survive in harsh climate. Hence, they are suitable for African countries. This goat type is mainly rearing for meat purpose than milk production.

According to Boer Goat breeders’ association in south Africa, there are five types of Boers. They are Ordinary Boer Goat, Long Hair Boer Goat, Polled Boer Goat, Indigenous Boer Goat and Improved Boer Goat.

Characteristics

They have fast growth rate. Because they have high carcass quality. Also, these goats are resistance to diseases and they can live well under harsh climatic conditions.

Body color of the goats is normally white but they have brown heads. Their ears are long and pendulous like in Nubian goat type. They are docile animals and the fertility rate is also high. Compared to other goats these goats have superior mothering skills. Male animal of Goats is known as buck and female animal is known as does.

Matured male Goat’s weight is between 100-135 kg and matured female goat’s weight is between 75-100kg.

When consider about mechanism of stress coping, it is equal to sheep breed known as Merino

Managing the Goat

Boer Goat Management

Fencing and feeding

Fencing is an essential need here. Hinge joint fencing and pre-fabricated ring lock fencing is ideal for these goats. Also, farmer should provide free access to fresh water for drink and good shelter too required.

Rearing goats for meat are very easy. Because they want less care. This is similar to Boer Goats also. They want mostly pastures and less amount of supplementary feed because they are meat purpose goats. So, farmer can give year-round grazing for them with mineral supplements.

Moat of the time these goats prefer browsing. Also, their impact on grass cover is minimum. So, can rarely combine with cattle or sheep.

Copper, selenium and iodine like trace minerals are important for goat’s health. Goats want trace elements three times more than sheep. Diarrhea, anemia, spontaneous abortions, infertility and lethargy like abnormalities can happen in these goats due to copper deficiency.

Breeding

In a commercial herd, fullblood male is recommended to use as a sire. They can enhance meat capability of any kind of offspring due to their high growth. Also, they can sell for a better price.

Does can give birth to singles, twins, triplets or quads also per year. Can give birth in year-round. But it depends on the region. So, breeding time differ from animal to animal. After mating, their gestation time is five months. Most does can give birth to one kid. But in commercial farms they get kids three times per two years.

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