Boer Goat Kid weights

[CarolynRenee]

Ok, I don't mean to be a naysayer or "diss" anybody, but there is a local FB page in our area and a farm is selling intact 3 1/2 month old boer kids and says that they weigh 85 lbs.

We only have three Boer kids right now, two females and one male, and they are just over a year old and don't quite weigh a hundred pounds yet.

So my question is, do I just have crummy boer kids and should I be looking for better stock or is the seller being a little "generous" on the estimates of the weight of the kids?

[Ken in Maine]

Okay... let's do the math!

3.5 months is 30 times 3.5 which equals 105 days. A fast growing Boer kid can gain approximately 3/4 of a pound per day or .75 pounds.... 105 (days) times .75 (pounds per day) equals 78.75 pounds plus birth weight of approximately 8 pounds equals 86.75 pounds at 3 1/2 months. This is not a typical weight gain but it could be achieved under optimal conditions.

We never had a Fullblood Boer gain much more than 1/2 pound per day but we did have a couple Boer buck on angora doe crosses that reached the 3/4 pounds.

[Ford Zoo]

Yes, that person could be stretching the truth, but I have a nursing boer buckling out there right now that is averaging 1 pound ADG, but mine usually average 1/2, sometimes 3/4 pound ADV. One of my breeding bucks was well over 125# before 1 year old.

There are many variables to growth rate and genetics does have a lot to do with it. But don't give up on yours yet, they still have 2 years to reach their potential. I personally do not like to push growth with high energy/protein feeds as I prefer to raise them as naturally as possible. I find this makes for healthier goats in the long run.

[Clovers_Clan]

Question: Why would a producer that avgs. 1# day weight gain NEED to advertise on FB???

Overestimating weight or underestimating age?

Oh, duh. I was thinking CL.

[o&itw]

One thing that I have always wondered about people raising meat goats. (which is what I am most interested in getting). I haven't be able to find anybody that actually weighs them. I have raised everything from rabbits to beef cattle, and when choosing for breeding stock, the percentage of weight gain has always been a very important factor.

Why does no one weigh their animals? I realize most on here are dairy people and that wouldn't be as important as milk production. Yet, I can't understand why meat goat growers wouldn't find it of great interest. It really doesn't take that much effort or equipment. A 250 or 300 lb bathroom scale set on a level piece of plywood or patio block will weigh anything one can lift. Simply pick up the animal, get the total weight, then subtract your own weight. Most guys can lift 85 lbs pretty easily. Do goats squirm too much?

I am always hearing that such and such a meat goat weighs so much at 100 days or 3 months, or 4 months.... but when they get down too it they are just guessing.

Please..... someone explain this to me.

[jcatblum]

A young goat is easy to get on a scale, but after a couple months old I wouldn't want to try it myself. It isn't natural for an animal to have all 4 legs off the ground, most don't like being picked up. A goat with horns would be dangerous to lift! I just told DH the other day we needed to keep an eye out for a large scale. I have seen several vets go out of business & everything be auctioned. Guess I need to attend one of those auctions.

[LoneStrChic23]

Growth is a combination of genetics and management. I've had some freakishly growthy kids and also more average ones both in the same pen on the same management. One year I had a 76lb 14 week old Alpine buck kid and his same aged companion was only 60lbs.

I weigh my kids and keep track....Just did weights on my Nubians & Lamancha kids and in 27 days the smallest had gained a lil over 18lbs, the fastest growing kids (1 Lamancha doeling, 1 Nubian buck kid) both gained a lil over 21lbs. Kids were close to 6 weeks old and all ranges between 30lbs-38lbs........ The 2 kids in the pen with the slowest growth rates are siblings.

Do you know on average how much per month your kids are gaining? If you aren't happy with the gains, either look to your management and see where you could possibly improve, or perhaps bring in new genetics that have a reputation for good growth.....Though do inquire about the management behind the very growths kids so you can make sure you meet the demands of that growth.

Oh, and yes, I see lots of embellishments on FB.....One gal is on there bragging today about her yearling milker producing 4 gallons a day

[oz in SC V2.0]

Originally Posted by CarolynRenee

Ok, I don't mean to be a naysayer or "diss" anybody, but there is a local FB page in our area and a farm is selling intact 3 1/2 month old boer kids and says that they weigh 85 lbs.

We only have three Boer kids right now, two females and one male, and they are just over a year old and don't quite weigh a hundred pounds yet.

So my question is, do I just have crummy boer kids and should I be looking for better stock or is the seller being a little "generous" on the estimates of the weight of the kids?

Go to a Boer goat show and prepared to be shocked at the size of the goats.
We thought our buck was a decent size(before he got sick and lost weight),he was easily over 200 pounds and wasn't yet two years old.
There were bucks there easily over 300 pounds and younger than him.

There was a 3 month old buckling that was easily over 70 pounds.
We had a red doe that was probably 225 pounds,sadly she died(try moving that dead weight) but she was all muscle.

All that said,our own goats run small,but we don't feed them like show goats.One exhibitor told me if you want a good sized buck,he should be getting 10-12 pounds of feed a day.

Of our new kids,we have a little doeling that was just under 30 pounds at four weeks old.

[oz in SC V2.0]

Originally Posted by o&itw

One thing that I have always wondered about people raising meat goats. (which is what I am most interested in getting). I haven't be able to find anybody that actually weighs them. I have raised everything from rabbits to beef cattle, and when choosing for breeding stock, the percentage of weight gain has always been a very important factor.

Why does no one weigh their animals? I realize most on here are dairy people and that wouldn't be as important as milk production. Yet, I can't understand why meat goat growers wouldn't find it of great interest. It really doesn't take that much effort or equipment. A 250 or 300 lb bathroom scale set on a level piece of plywood or patio block will weigh anything one can lift. Simply pick up the animal, get the total weight, then subtract your own weight. Most guys can lift 85 lbs pretty easily. Do goats squirm too much?

I am always hearing that such and such a meat goat weighs so much at 100 days or 3 months, or 4 months.... but when they get down too it they are just guessing.

Please..... someone explain this to me.

We do this when they are smaller,once they get up there,holding a goat is a little...difficult.LOL
Now with our bucks it would be great fun to watch.

[o&itw]

Originally Posted by oz in SC V2.0

We do this when they are smaller,once they get up there,holding a goat is a little...difficult.LOL
Now with our bucks it would be great fun to watch.

I guess one could build a peaked mound and put the scale on the top