BOER GOAT INFORMATION

                                                                           BOER

The Boer goats were derived from the indigenous goats
kept by Namaquo Hottentots and Southern Bantu tribes of South Africa although some genes were derived from
goats from India and Europe (Casey and Niekerk, 1988 ).
The name Boer means “ farmer ” in Afrikaans. The South
African Boer goats have a white body with a red head
and a blaze. This breed is suited for mixed grazing
with cattle due to its browsing skills with little impact on
grass cover. The adult males weigh between 110 and
135 kg (240 and 300 lb), and females weigh about 90 –
100 kg (200– 225 lb), with an average daily gain of 0.2 kg
(0.44 lb) in feedlots and 0.14 – 0.18 kg (0.3 – 0.4 lb) on a
standard farm.
The Boer goat is a horned breed with lopped ears. The
breeding season is extended with does often producing
three kid crops every two years. A kidding rate of 200%
and weaning rate of 160% is common for this breed. The
breed is very prolifi c with potential for high growth rate
and excellent carcass traits.
The Boer goats are distributed widely throughout the
world being used to upgrade indigenous goats and improve
meat production. They are found in more than 48 countries
(FAO, 2004 ). This breed has been registered in herdbooks
in Germany since 1980 with Boer breed societies being
recognized in many countries. See Figure 2.2 .