The Background Behind Boer Goats

By The Cross Boers strives to produce quality Boer goats for showmen to compete with at shows. While the appearance of our goats is very important to the success in the show ring, the world of showmanship calls for the showmen to be well informed on the animal they are showing. Here is a little background information on our favorite breed so you can tackle any question the judge may have for you!

The Boer goat breed began developing in the early 1900’s, and can be traced to the Dutch farmers of South Africa. The breed soon took on the name Boer, which was the Dutch word for farmer. With meat production in mind, the Dutch farmers developed the Boer goats following characteristics of a rapid growth rate, high carcass qualities, while being highly adaptable to different environments.

Through selective breeding (breeding influenced by humans), the Boer goat soon gained its genetic superiority and well desired characteristic, creating the foundation for what is today’s American Boer goat.

The first full-blood Boers were brought into the United States in 1993, and in that the same year the American Boer Goat Association (ABGA) was formed. Since then there has been a major increases in interest in the breed, and is one of the most widely used meat goats in the United States.

The Boer goat is commonly a goat with a white body and a red head, yet you can see many color variations such as solid red goats or goats with unique markings as well. Boer goats are friendly, high fertility, and have a fast growth rate. These are all traits that set Boer goats apart in the American meat goat industry. Mature Does (Females) can weigh between 190- 230 lb and mature Boer bucks (Males) can weigh between 200 – 340 lb.

The demand in the world for high quality, lean, healthy red meat is the one of the driving factors behind the development of the American meat goat industry. With a wide variety of consumers, the demand for goat meat continues to grow in the United States each year. The importation of goat meat into the United States is estimated over 30 million dollars annually.

We hope that this helps prepare you to tackle anything the judge may throw at you the next time you enter the showmanship ring!