Dairy goats vs Boer goats

[dvcowboy]

In my area dairy does are selling for atleast 30% cheaper than Boer goats. However any goat that is part Boer say 50% or more is selling for the higher price. Therefore I was wondering about buying dairy females breeding them to a Boer buck and getting full price for the offspring. Okay now everybody shoot holes in that plan.

[Scrounger]

There are a lot of Boer cross goats out there, but people are wanting crosses less all the time (at least here). I go to a breeder or sale and don't much look at the crosses, unless they are REAL good. I can get more for a full. You area might be different.

[Milk n' Honey]

It is the same here. Boer goats are much higher and I believe that is b/c there is more of an outlet for the product. Until people are allowed to sell their milk without being an FDA dairy, they aren't likely to come into much more demand. I don't see that happening so most people will only buy them if they want a couple for family milkers, they have a dairy or a 4-H kid wants one. Boers, however, can at least bring quite a bit at market each year. Don't get me wrong....I have a weakness for dairy goats. I have a mostly Boer herd but also have some dairy/boer crosses, 3 reg. Saanens that are beautiful and a couple of grade Nubians. Personally, I think the Boer/Nubian crosses are just gorgeous. I bred my reg. Nubian to a 100% Boer buck and her kids are so gorgeous. I wouldn't, however, expect to get "full price" for the kids. I can register them, yes, but what are you calling full price? You'll get more for the higher percentages and especially the fullbloods. What you get for your kids totally depends on what you are willing to put into it. The more you put in, the more you get out, usually. Will you pay attention to the bloodlines that everyone who is paying high dollar wants? Will you have a website to get noticed? What about going to a few shows a year? If you are talking about sale barn prices, I'd expect to get whatever everyone else is getting for Boer crosses. Commercial herd breeders will most likely be looking for cheaper stock and will care more about mass and fast growing than they will about what is in your goat. You pretty much have to do what the people do that you are trying to cater to. Know what I mean? You might not have to show if you buy your stock from show lines and you have a website but not sure on that. Most show people like to buy from people who are active in the show ring. I went to a sale this weekend. I saw some pretty nice stock that were 88% Boer does with papers. They were selling for $105 - $125 on the adults. If you sell breeding stock or show stock from your farm, you'll get at least 3 times that. Even the 50% does that look really great are usually actually a higher percentage than what the papers show. If I go to a production sale and get an 88% doe, I'm likely to pay $400 or higher for her. I'm in Indiana so I don't know what the market is there but this is pretty much how it goes here. Hope that helps.

[chamoisee]

If you are going to do this, I suggest getting LaMancha or Nubian does with good level backs and well angulated rear legs, and maybe two bucks, not just one. Breed the dairy does for two years, sell them off, breed the 50% doelings to the buck that isn't their sire, their now 75% offspring back to the first sire.

[dvcowboy]

One of my concerns is it going to cost 30% more to feed the dairy goat herd so it eats up the lower purchase price? Are there any other added costs that will negate me buying the dairy goats at a cheaper price

[chamoisee]

Tell ya what, though, the few years of extra work to breed up to high percentage may not balance out the lower price. That's a lot of feed in three years....I know I learned that breeding my grades up to American dairy goats.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by dvcowboy

One of my concerns is it going to cost 30% more to feed the dairy goat herd so it eats up the lower purchase price? Are there any other added costs that will negate me buying the dairy goats at a cheaper price

Don't buy low quality(trashy/unhealthy) dairy does. Buy healthy, hardy stock, grade or whatever. For Boer crosses I like Saanens and Lamanchas. Buy large does with large bodies, decent udders, good feet and legs, and capaciousness. You want to start out on the right foot. You don't need top producers for your program.
Breed them to a good quality fullblood Boer buck. The kids will grow well and fast.
Dairy does are no harder or more expensive to feed than Boer/meat goats if you just want them feeding their kids. I would feed them as I feed my Boer does. Alfalfa(hay or pellets) for milk production, a little grain for body condition and free-choice browse. I'd cut out the grain after the kids get up to about 2-3 months as long as the does are keeping condition well.
Boer does or dairy does, you will need to keep on top of worming, give them ample housing for the nasty weather, and feed them well enough to produce milk for kids. I've done this with great success.
If your market is mainly meat and a little breeding stock, your better off keeping to the lower percentages. I like 1/2 Boer and 3/4 Boer for my dams, and sell off the higher percentages as they are born. Continually breeding back to a good Fullblood buck. The dairy influence raises kids well and faster than the average Fullblood does. So your meat market appreciates this.
Now if your going to try to market show stock, you might continue breeding up. But for the meat market and for my purposes, I like the 50% and 75% Boer does for the mothers.

[goatsareus]

dvcowboy, your questions seem to be centered around money. Is this your primary concern, that this idea be a money making venture?

You have been given some very good advice here, please carefully read the above posts.

[DQ]

hello fellow okie! I just purchased 3 nubian does to add to my 3 percentage does for breeding this year. hopefully the market will stay good for the boer percentages. in talking to several boer breeders lately I've heard of at least four full blood boer moms who lost babies supposedly due to poor milk production. I decided on these nubians to add to my little herd to hopefully add some milkyness to my future commmercial herd, and avoid those types of problems. dairy goats are CHEAP around here. boer goats are high for crappy diseased stuff and they don't seem as hardy as the percentages. I just happened on two full blood boer bucks less than 1/2 mile away. my only concern after checking them out is that they are HUGE! I'm afraid they will crush my little girls. good luck

[chris30523]

I am going the other way I am going to use a nice Nubian buck on some of my yearling Boer does. I hope it will give me some nice 50/50 to breed back to my FB boer. I am wanting meaty kids that grow fast and adding the dairy should help.I am doing this cause I am also going to get a few PB Nubian does and breed to him and diversify a bit.

[dvcowboy]

No I am not centered around making money however it would be nice to make some though. I have enough hobbies that dont make any money I dont need another one. I am just trying to take advantage of a place in our local market, if that is possible. I do agree I have gotten some good advice and I am thankful for that like all the advice I get on here.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

No I am not centered around making money however it would be nice to make some though.
...................

Don't let anyone make you double talk your answer like that. Your livestock venture should have a business plan that includes making money in the next couple of years. Have a business plan, never make one purchase on a whim. The purchases must bring you closer to your goal each and every year, cull kids an does out of your program who do not make you money each and every year. A doe who does not at least pay her way the first year with saleable kids gets culled.

Starting smaller with better quality stock is much eaiser now getting your money repaid than breeding up from trash to a good animal because of feed and land prices. Do not buy goats from anyone not doing exactly what you are doing. If your goats have to live off the land, they should come from a place that is doing this, don't buy from grain fed folks if you aren't going to grain feed. Don't buy from someone with lush pastures if your land is wooded. Purchase someones first or second crosses, starting with dairy goats you are going to get ripped off (poor udders, poor mothers, mastitis, CAE and CL), starting with full bloods you are going to get ripped off (Paying too much for their culls when you don't know anything, they are selling breeding stock only, not animals for meat). Do you have a market to sell meat kids? 100 in 1 month? Than stagger breedings...do you have fences to control your buck from breeding who he wants? If you have to truck to a market where is it? Will you also sell breeding stock? Learn to fecal now, it will save you a ton of money. Know how to handle the newly purchased stock, which includes worming, trimming feet and drugs, so you limit or elimanate your losses. Once you have made your purchases, stop purchasing. Good luck with this. Vicki

Talk to the meat goat breeders on this forum...Jim S...follow his marketing program as much as you can being in a different area. There is little reason to listen to or to purchase from pet farms.

[CountryHaven]

Once you have made your purchases, stop purchasing

That has to be the hardest thing to follow. LOL I've had to conciously stop myself lately. I have a good start and now have to concentrate on keeping everyone healthy and happy and start producing to sell and sell some before I get bigger still. It's soooooo hard though. haha

[dvcowboy]

I guess my primary concern is whether the added feed you have to feed to a dairy doe will negate the cheaper purchase price. I understand these does will not be used as traditional dairy does so they dont have to necessarily milk to their genetic potential but I do think they will have to be fed some extra to stay in good shape and breed back as usual. Am I wrong?

[ozark_jewels]

When I was allowing all my dairy does to raise their own kids, I ran them with the Boers and fed them all the same. They got alfalfa to produce the milk and a little grain the first few months to keep the weight on. They all weaned off very nice kids and I babied my dairy does no more than my Boers.

[michiganfarmer]

what is a boer?

for us idiot milk cow guys

[CountryHaven]

Boer is a breed of goat. It's one of the meat breeds. This is my Boer buck:


Didn't see the 'for us idiot milk cow guys' part until after I posted: think of it as the difference between a Holstein and an Angus. Dairy vs meat.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by michiganfarmer

what is a boer?

Best meat goat on the planet.



This is a triplet doeling, the smallest of the three raised by one of my 3/4 Boer does this year. That is why I like the 1/2 and 3/4 Boers as my dams. They raise nice multiples.

[ozark_jewels]

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

When I was allowing all my dairy does to raise their own kids, I ran them with the Boers and fed them all the same. They got alfalfa to produce the milk and a little grain the first few months to keep the weight on. They all weaned off very nice kids and I babied my dairy does no more than my Boers.

Wanted to add: This is where as Vicki said, buying from breeders who do it like you want to do it, comes in. Buy does who are accustomed to working for a living. Buy does who run on large acreage and are used to "rustling their own grub" much of the time. You will of course need to supplement bred and lactating does, but that you have to do with any producing animal.

[michiganfarmer]

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

Best meat goat on the planet.



This is a triplet doeling, the smallest of the three raised by one of my 3/4 Boer does this year. That is why I like the 1/2 and 3/4 Boers as my dams. They raise nice multiples.

so its a breed like angus, or holstein?