Safehaven Boer Goats (2024)

FAQs

How many acres do you need for a Boer goat? ›

Goats are active animals and like to explore different types of environments. It is important to not overstock pastures and allow the renew of forages to decrease the presence of parasites. To produce 70% of your herd's forage, you will need an acre for 1-3 goats (3-9 goats/hectare).

Kids (goats under a year of age) are often slaughtered when 3 to 5 months of age and weighing from 25 to 50 pounds. Kids do not store much body fat until they are about a year old. Many goats are older than a year and heavier when marketed, but most, except aged cull goats, are slaughtered when less than a year of age.

d) All meat goats must be either a wether or a doe. Acceptable breeds are Nubian, Kiko, Boer, Spanish, Savanah, Myotonic or crosses of these and may be purebred or grade.

While Boers are known for their hardiness and resistance to disease, "You have to be careful," says Turnquist. "Quick pneumonia or heat exhaustion can cause you to lose an animal.

Teats – a Boer goat should have no more than 2 distinct teats on each side. Blind teats, split teats, fish teats, and teats with double orifices are undesirable, as they may cause problems with kids nursing, especially newborns.

However, goats are very social animals. If you only purchase one goat, they may get lonely and loud, as they often call for company. It's best to raise at least two goats at a time. Preferably, we recommend purchasing both goats from the same herd so they're comfortable with one another.

Goats are similar to sheep in that you can support about 6-8 goats on an acre of land. Because goats are browsers, not grazers, it will be important that the land you have will supply them with the sort of forage they like to eat—see below.

You could make a profit with just one goat, or dozen, or a hundred, or a thousand. You can lose money with one or a hundred or a thousand. But generally speaking, you would probably want a dozen or so at least, because the more you have, the less work it takes, per goat, to look after them.

Boer goats are also renowned for their superior carcass quality, with well-developed muscling and minimal fat deposition. This translates to lean, flavorful meat that appeals to discerning consumers seeking healthier protein options. Boer goat breeding and production offer promising prospects for farmers.

The Boer goat breed is highly productive and prefers to browse, making it an ideal meat goat breed to raise alongside cattle. Does often weigh around 200-225 pounds and mature bucks weigh 240-300 pounds. Breeding does are very prolific and can kid out more often than other breeds.

Do goats know they are about to be slaughtered? ›

The goats that are to be cut on the following days are kept in the same place where their fellows were cut, skinned and hung in front of their eyes. They kick and cry loudly for days and nights before the sacrifice, but once the killing begins they go eeringly quiet.

Grass hay is ideal for both meat and dairy goats. It is high in protein and calcium. You can get this kind of hay from local feed mills. Alfalfa hay is a popular choice for pregnant and lactating goats.

Some judges want goats in the 100-120lb. range. In my area, most judges prefer goats in the 60-90lb. range.

Boer goats who are primarily meat goats are the fastest at clearing land and are considered the best breed for land management.

Boer goats are generally considered low-maintenance when it comes to management but are not as hardy as other breeds due to an overt focus on growth and large-framed meat goat production traits in the breed over the years.

Characteristic cull defects: Concave forehead, horns too straight or too flat, pointed jaws, ears folded (lengthwise), stiff protruding ears, too short ears, over - or under -shot jaw and blue eyes.

Goats are fun! They enjoy interacting with humans, are easy to feed, will eat weeds, and don't take up too much space. The potential negatives of owning goats generally involve noise (goats bleat loudly when they want attention) and upkeep, like regularly trimming their hooves.

The Boer goat is a breed of goat that has been specifically bred for meat and is regarded as the world's premier meat goat. Goat meat is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and is growing in popularity and demand in both the domestic and export markets.