kiko or boar?

kandmcockrell · #1 08/02/12, 08:51 AM

I am looking to add a meat doe to my dairy heard. I have a ND doe, and ND buck and a LaMancha doe.

Which is easier to care for? I have heard that kiko are hardier than boar. Is this true? What about grow out time?

Thanks!

Alice In TX/MO · #2 08/02/12, 09:02 AM

Boer. Sorry.

Cross bred ANYTHING is hardier.

possom · #3 08/02/12, 09:06 AM

We raise boer goats and with a quality feed they grow out quite well. If you aren't looking for a show quality animal I would suggest a percentage boer with some type of dairy goat mixed in. Pure bred boer does have trouble producing enough milk to feed multiple kids. A little nubian mixed in will up milk production quite a bit.

Cliff · #4 08/02/12, 09:07 AM

Yes Kiko are hardier, and do better on just forage. Boer/kiko crosses are ok.

Copperhead · #5 08/02/12, 09:54 AM

A Boer will give more meat, but a Kiko requires less foot and worm maintenance. A Boer billy is more likely to be mild mannered and gentle while a Kiko billy can be kinda headstrong.

**mygoat** · #6 08/02/12, 11:16 AM

Go with what you can find that is disease tested/healthy in your area. Finding either - though especially Kiko - can be hard.

I drove 600 miles one way to get my first boer does from Emily. The following spring I drove 300 miles one way to get my boer buck.

An option is to breed your Munchie doe to a boer buck - that's a good way to get meat cross kids for your freezer. Plus, I'm partial to 'munchie eared boer goats.

Ozark-Jewels Apple Strudel

Though I'm not a huge breeder, I haven't had to worm my boer does more than my dairies or minis. With the muck of this winter I saw hoof rot and had to work hard to keep their hooves nice and as dry as I *could* - but that wasn't particular to the boers, it was all the dang goats. I will admit the worst two were boers, though.