Dairy goats vs Boer goats

gotcha. thank you

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Professional Tool. 1220 Woodmere Ave,Traverse City, MI. 49686. 231-941-8003. http://professionaltool.com/

Yep, you got it. Its the Angus of the goat world as the Nubian is the Jersey and the Saanen is the Holstien.

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

And my Alpine is the ... um... I don't know, but I didn't want her left out!

(her milk tastes really good)

(couldn't help it)

Now what boer/cross do you use to get the green spotted ears?? Irish short horns??

You know all the flooding rains we've been getting here lately?? Her ears just started to mold. ........and if you'll believe that, I've got some ocean front property I'd like to sell you...its in Missouri....

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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net

"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence

I'd advise anyone who is primarily in the milking end of it to do just what the cow folks have been doing for years...breed your milkers to a similar-sized Boer buck, and sell the kids as "terminal" for meat or to other farmers for establishment of a crossed meat herd.

Cow dairies breed their Holsteins to purebred Angus, resulting in a cross that qualifies for Certified Angus labeling and provides more of supermarket steaks than most people realize. To quote: "Market animals that are at least 51% black that exhibit Angus-type characteristics are eligible for CAB® evaluation." Lots of room for Holstein crosses there! In this way, they are straddling both markets.

I agree with Vicki, do not be afraid to make money and if you are serious about that, do not let anything be a roadblock to it. Carefully evaluate all costs and inputs...that is the key to profits in a low return on investment business like this. Do not make your goats into pets, resist the urge to name them, and do not hesitate to sacrifice an individual goat for the good of the herd. That's Nature's way. Don't try to go against the natural grain, or it'll cost you lots more in time and in money the more you do. If you are in the milk biz, then I say you are in the meat biz, because you have to birth kids to get the milk. So why not maximize your return from both?

I know everyone has their favorite breeds, but personally, if I was milking I would select a large-bodied milk breed like Saanens, then breed them to a like-sized Boer. There are some on forum who have done that. RESIST with all your might the temptation to breed to a larger-bodied Boer than you have in your milkers. That is a sure way to have kidding troubles. Try to find a smaller-headed Boer buck, too, because it makes it easier on your milkers to deliver unassisted. (This is also what wise cattle folks do...I have experience in both.)

As far as feed, your terminal meat kids should get plenty of browse and pasture. They should have free access to water and to a mineral specifically made for goats only. That's all they need, unless it is wintertime. Yes, your ADG (average daily gain) may be slightly lower this way, but your feed is FREE for your sale goats then. And here's where the beauty of Boer comes through...they will still pile on the pounds with grass and browse...they were MADE genetically to do that.

You can primarily market meat goats 3 ways, depending on your situation:

1.) Sell at the sale barn. You pay a commission, and will probably get less per goat, but it's one trip and you have your money. Current prices here are around $1.15-1.25/pound.

2.) Sell to farmers wanting to establish a cross herd, or to breeders as embryo recip animals. If you use Saanen or other big dairy breed, you will have some fine larger meaty animals with better milking ability than a registered Boer. That's a good sales point.

3.) Sell for meat right off your farm. You can sell live weight per pound if you get a scale, or by the head. If you have a processor, you could try frozen cuts for value added. If you are not squeamish about such things and have customers who want it, you could build a small shed on the back of your place and allow buyers to use it to butcher on-site. It needs a block and tackle, water source, and cutting table.

These 3 basic ways to market can lead to lots of other possible sales. But it all starts with that dairy-Boer cross. Like I say, cattle dairies have been doing it for years. Why reinvent the wheel?

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

Here's a good Boer cross mama. Heheheheheh...



You should see those lil kids now, at 2 months!

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Jim Steele
Sweetpea Farms
"To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing." -- Robert Gates

I have dairy goats in the past Alpines and Saanens Very nice dairy goats. Hey I love dairy goats but here is my experiences.
Now I have a herd of Reg full blood Boers, dairy crosses are gone
I find Boers to be very calm, easy to handle, grab them and they stand --do not fight to get a way--follow me anywhere, good mothers, heavy milkers with snug udders and wean large framed heavy kids.
Dairy cross does are sometimes hard to dry off after weaning the kids. Some dairy cross does are hard keepers--more feed--- some are neurotic and cry a great deal, their kids have dairy frames..... slight of bone and lack the bulk and meat of a boer or high percentage Boer cross. Some of my dairy crosses were 3/4 Boer and still throw kids with dairy frames.

Starting out?.........get some Boer cross does that look like a Boer..meaty big bulky....breed to a Boer buck

Jerry

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate everybodies info. I am going to start out with a dozen and see how it goes.

Here boers are dirt cheap, so if you really want boers feel free to trade with me!!!! giggle

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

Okay ....WHY? are dairy breed goats gonna cost you more to feed??? ALL of my goats are grass fed. I run my boers and my dairy goats I'm not milking togeather in rotational pastures. They cost me the SAME. *ponder*

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

You also need to remember that the reason MANY breeders are crossing their boers with nubians is because people have focused blindly on breeding for "beefy frames" and ignored udders SO much that well....boers arent as great as they used to be. Go right ahead and chew me out all you like but it doesnt matter how "awesome" a goat looks if they cant raise their kids. I know lots of breeders who are intentionally crossing with nubians (they both have long ears so it doesnt change the over all "look" of the goat) to improve their boers udders. Then they breed those back to a boer buck. No they arent purebred, but its faster than undoing the damage done the way it was done in the first place. grin.
Besides...the real purpose of a boer is to provide meat. And people who say you need purebred/pedagreed stock have forgotten that. So figure out if you are selling for meat or for "breeding stock" to sell to other people who have forgotten that people who are buying goats to eat them couldnt care less if they are registered. (so says the professors at the International Goat Research Facility in Praire View who actully did a blind taste testing study pitting registered purebred boers with crossbreds.....can you IMAGINE the weird sht our tax money is paying for??? Thats like getting a grant to test out which kites are more fun to fly....sigh)

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Joy Alba
Oak Hill Ranch
since 1834
Bedias, Texas

Boer is the Dutch word for farmer, and in South Africa the breed of goat most commonly seen on their farms, (the farm goat), inherited the title. From what original breed they descended from, I have no idea.

Shin

(A name my daughter tells me translates to "A mine of useless information that doesn't help me at school".)

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BIDADISNDAT: Aiming to Live a Good Life of Near Self Sufficiency on a Permaculture Based Organic Home Farm

My whole idea about feeding dairy goats more relates back to my experience with dairy cattle. If you stick a half angus/half holstein cow out on our native pasture and she is feeding a calf she will feed the calf pretty good for a while but can not hold condition good enough to cycle and breed back. So thats why I was asking if the dairy goats would need that extra feed. I know I dont have to feed for maximum milk production, all they have to do is raise their kids and stay in good condition to breed back.