Boer Goats: What and Why?

Boer Goats: What and Why?

by Gail Bowman

I raise Boer Goats in the Northwestern United States. Why? Why not raise cattle or sheep like most people? Hopefully, this article will answer those questions and many more that you may have about the fastest growing agricultural industry in the United States: Boer Goats!

First of all, what is a Boer Goat? Boer goats are large framed animals resembling, in many ways, the Nubian goat. The most obvious difference is the size. A Boer is a large, double muscled animal. Boers are specifically meat goats. They can consistently produce more muscling in less time, and will pass this capability to their kids. Boers are to the meat goat industry what imported cattle were to the beef industry. Boers goats were developed in South Africa for their meat, hardiness and brush control abilities.

What do Boer goats look like? As I said before, they are large animals, generally white with a reddish brown head and (usually) a white blaze down the middle of the face. Solid red Boer goats are also becoming more and more popular. Mature weights between 200 and 350 pounds for males and 120 to 200 pounds for females are considered normal. They have long ears that should hang down along the sides of their faces. The leg bones and general bone structure of a Boer goat are bigger and thicker than in other kinds of goats. When you look at a Boer goat you should look for a deep, broad chest, good back, strong shoulders and heavy muscling in the rump.

Boers are hardy, adaptable and easy to handle. I use a simple three sided structure to give my goats shelter from the sun, wind and snow. However, my Boers often don't use it. They seem to be very happy lying out in the sun on 90 to 100 degree days (their skin is darkly pigmented under the white fur to reduce the risk of sun burn). The Boers in my herd have also been known to sleep outside down to about 10 degrees, rather than curl up in the goat house with the rest of the herd. I have also noticed that Boers aren't as interested in jumping fences as dairy goats. I have found that any kind of mesh fencing or electric fence, at least 3 or 4 feet tall will confine my Boers.

There are many other kinds of animals that produce meat in the United States. Many that are widely accepted and that we are more accustomed to raising than Boer goats. So, why raise Boer goats? One reason is efficiency of feed and space. The accepted standard in the Northwest for raising cattle is one cow-calf pair per acre of good pasture. With goats, the equal comparison would be six does with two kids each per acre. Ten months after breeding, a cow is nursing a 75 pound calf. Ten months after breeding to a Boer buck, six dairy or Spanish goats will have raised 12 kids (a goat's gestation period is 5 months), and the kids will have been sold. Boer cross kids reach a market weight of 50 to 90 pounds at about 5 months of age. (A weight gain of .5 pounds a day (or more) in cross bred kids is not considered unusual). If we use a market weight of 60 pounds, at $1 per pound, these 12 kids sold for $720. The same six does were then rebred 60 to 90 days after the kids were born and are now 60 days pregnant ten months after the first breeding!

At the end of 18 months, the cow should be pregnant again, and her calf is ready to be sold for $325 (in current market conditions here in the Northwest). The six does have kidded again with another 12 kids (plus the does would be pregnant again) who are now 5 months old and ready to be sold for another $720. Feed cost comparisons between one cow and six goats would vary greatly, depending on the time of year, type of pasture and area of the country. It may cost a little more to feed the six does than the single cow, but the difference in the sales ($1440 - $325 = $1115 more gross sales) certainly makes up the difference. Plus you don't need expensive squeeze chutes, and it is easier to own a buck than a bull or to artificially inseminate a doe than a cow.

If you have 10 acres, you can easily raise 60 goats or ten head of cattle. Goats, especially Boers or Boer crosses, can survive, even prosper, on poor pasture and brush that would not support cattle. Many breeders find the fact that goats will eat berry bushes, Russian olive, elm or cottonwood trees, ragwort, gorse, dock, amaranths and other weeds, to be an important factor when deciding to raise goats. Some ranchers also find it good pasture management to run goats on the pasture after their cows to clean up the weeds.

Goat meat has a lower fat content than either lamb or beef and is eaten by over 80% of the world's population. Already, the popularity of goat meat in the United Sates is rising dramatically. One reason might be the improved flavor that the Boer adds to the meat. We have found that adding just 50% Boer bloodlines to our goat meat produces a very mild and tender, light red meat that readily takes on any seasoning we have tried. Breeders have reported that their kids are ready for market sooner, and their customers will actually pay them a premium for their meat goats if they add Boer blood to their herd!

Many people raise milk goats because they love goats. But it has been said that it takes less time to feed 100 goats than to milk 10! More and more people, like myself, want to buy a small piece of land and raise a few animals, but not an animal that is going to run over me or break my foot if it steps on me. What do you do if you don't especially want to milk, can't stand the smell of pigs, the mess of rabbits, or the stupidity of sheep? Thousands of people have found meat goats to be the perfect answer.

How do you get started? There are as many answers to that question as there are breeders. A meat herd should have a Boer or Boer-cross buck or two, and as many dairy, spanish or mixed-breed does as you want to raise. I definitely recommend buying your goats from reputable breeders rather than the stock yard auctions. Most people find that the loss from diseases brought home from the stock yards more than make up for the lower prices. Your Boer or Boer cross buck should be papered. Blood lines may not be important to your meat herd, but a registration paper is your only way of being reasonably sure that you received what you paid for, or maintaining the resale value of your buck!

If you just want to raise a few breeding animals, rather than a large meat herd, my best advice is to know the breeder you are buying from! Never buy breeding stock from a truck that is just passing through! Always have a pedigree or pedigree application in your hand when you leave the ranch with your animal. Ask about disease control programs. Take a look at the condition of the whole herd, ask to see related animals that have reached maturity (if you are buying kids), and make sure that your breeder intends to guarantee your purchase should the animal turn out to be a non-breeder (a very rare situation in goats). The vast majority of breeders are in the business of raising animals because they love the animals, and are truly trying to do a great job. Find one of these to buy your breeding stock from! Boer goats are fun to raise and can be very loving animals. Enjoy

Why Should You Raise Meat Goats?

by Gail Bowman

The demand for `chevon', or `cabrito', or `goat meat' in the United States is so high that producers can't keep up. Because of this vacuum, much of the goat meat sold in the United States is imported from New Zealand or Australia. About 1.5 million pounds of goat meat is imported every week. And demand just keeps growing.

Much of the demand is generated by the changing ethnic demographics of the continent. About 63% of the red meat consumed worldwide is goat! Much of the goat meat demand in the United States comes from ethnic groups that include Middle Eastern, Asian, African, Latin American and Caribbean heritage. Most of these groups buy goat meat whenever they can find it, and they are willing to pay better prices for higher quality meat.

What is so special about chevon (goat meat)? Many people have digestive problems that require a careful diet. The molecular structure of chevon is different than that of other meats. Therefore, chevon digests more easily. It is also a low fat, good tasting alternative to chicken or fish. I am one of those people who have to watch what they eat. I can eat chicken, some kinds of fish, turkey and chevon. I prefer chevon from an animal that is at least 75% Boer. The Boer influence changes the taste of the meat to a milder, more veal-like flavor. When you have as few choices in your diet as I do, you learn what you like. I have not had the opportunity to try Kiko or Fainting goat meat. My comparisons are with dairy goat meat.

The Direct Market Niche and the Commercial Meat Herd In our area, if you put out the word that you have meat goats for sale, you usually have enough calls to sell your animals right off your ranch. I get about $1.00 per pound on the hoof. I have had other breeders tell me that they can get more for goats with Boer blood. This is a good example of one way to market your goats - find a profitable direct market niche.

One of the most popular market niches in the meat goat industry today is the direct market. A `direct market' is a group or type of buyer that will come directly to your ranch to buy from you, for a specific reason. There are many direct market niches for meat goats. I have already suggested one type of direct market niche: the ethnic meat market. Another direct market niche involves the growing trend in the 4-H and FFA clubs to raise meat goats. One of the most profitable direct market niches supplies Chevon to the local restaurants that are serving an ethnic clientele. Another direct market niche is the market for meat breeding stock. Commercial meat breeders will usually pay about double, for breeding stock, what you might have expected to receive for the same animal by the pound.

Many breeders are now working together, in cooperatives or associations, to meet large commercial sales contracts. These contracts supply the meat markets on the east and west coasts of the United States, and require a supply of high numbers of animals, of a consistent quality, on a regular basis. At this time, much of the meat for these contracts is being imported because there just are not enough meat goats in the United States to supply the contracts.

In many areas of the country, slaughter houses are being constructed specifically for goat meat. However, almost none of the goats being processed at these facilities are actually meat type goats. There are just not enough meat goats being raised, which are not pre-sold to direct markets, to supply a production facility.

Fullblood Meat Goats

There are several types of 'meat' goats: Boer goats, Tennessee Fainting Goats, Kiko goats, and 'Spanish' goats. However, only three of these are true breeds with breed associations and standardized meat breed characteristics. These are the Boers, Kikos and Tennessee Fainting goats. The 'Spanish' goats are an indigenous goat of the southern United States. There are a couple of breeders who have done a terrific job of breeding these animals up into a very good meat animal. However, no registry or breed standards have been developed at the time of this printing.

Boer goats are large framed animals resembling, in many ways, the Nubian goat. The most striking difference between a Boer goat and any other type of goat you may have seen, is the size. A Boer is a large, double muscled animal developed in Southern Africa specifically for meat and hardiness. They can consistently produce more muscling in less time than any other breed of goat, and will pass this capability to their kids. Boers are vibrantly colored and relatively uniform throughout. They are easy to raise, have mild temperaments, are affectionate, require no milking, no special care, no shearing, and no fancy fences. Boers and Boer crosses also have huge rumen capacity. The Boer goats were developed to clear land that was too difficult to be cleared by humans. They spend a lot more time grazing than other types of goats do. One reason for this, is that they are out grazing in the heat of the day when dairy goats are wilting in the shade. They are also out grazing when the snow is blowing across the pasture. They will graze and thrive on ground that will not support dairy goats without supplementation.

The Kiko goat is a recent development of a New Zealand company called "Goatex Group LLC". These hardy goats were developed as a result of a government funded project to get the native goat population in New Zealand under control. As part of this project, in the 1970's, many goats were hunted and killed, and thousands more were captured to cross with angoras. Some of the native goats confined during this project exhibited enhanced characteristics for growth and meat production. The members of Goatex isolated these animals and began to cross them with hair and milk goats to find a combination that would yield the best results in both hardiness and meat carcass production. The resulting breed was called "Kiko" meaning "meat for consumption" in Maori.

Fainting goats are not huge animals. They average between 17 and 25 inches tall, and weigh between 50 and 165 pounds. They come in a wide variety of coats and colors, with long ears that stand out to the sides of their heads. Fainting goats have very distinctive 'bulgy' eyes. Several breeders have spent a lot of time and energy breeding this basic breed up into an 'improved' meat goat that is larger and heavier and crosses well with Boers.

Fullblood breeding animals are a whole different industry from the meat production industry. However, the two are very closely tied. When you take a look at what you want to raise, you might consider adding at least a few quality fullbloods to your operation. If the meat industry in your area blooms and expands, there will be more demand for good fullblood meat goats. We are heading into an era of serious meat production.

In all livestock industries, there is a place for the good registered herd sire. These animals must be proven to be fertile and prolific, adaptable, disease free, and have the meat and muscle characteristics that will add productivity to a commercial meat herd. It may be a good idea to consider whether or not you want to make the initial investment to start a good breeding stock herd. Or, alternatively, add a few breeding stock to your meat herd, or some meat production stock to your fullblood herd. The two types are not mutually exclusive. As a matter of fact, one usually leads to the other. If you start with a meat herd, but have to add a fullblood herd sire, sometimes you will also be tempted to buy a fullblood doe to go with him. Then you are suddenly producing herd sires for your neighbors. This is a good idea, because one good fullblood sale a year can pay nearly 1/5th of your feed costs for a year (if you are raising 50 goats).

What are the prices on fullblood meat goats expected to be in the long run? Many things will affect the answer to that question. I know a couple who breed fullblood registered angus cattle. How many rural communities have plenty of cattle? How can these people make their money? They market. They have big production sales where breeders come from all over the world, or tie into a satellite link, to buy their stock. I believe that there will always be top breeding stock. People that advertise, raise quality disease free animals, and let the meat producers know they are out there, will always have a market.

As in all industries, the price you will be able to get for good fullblood stock will depend on the quality of your animals and the effectiveness of your advertising. If you do not want to market, you will probably be able to sell your fullbloods to your neighbors at about $250 each, indefinitely. If you are well known, and advertise, and you have animals that make the buyer's head turn, you will probably always be able to get at least $800 for your fullblood meat goats. At the time of this printing the prices for good fullblood stock are about double that amount, and are actually going up. These prices have been stable for three years now, and the market seem to indicate that they will remain firm in the future.

Whether you are interested in raising goats for meat or for breeding, or some combination of the two, meat goats, and goat meat, are here to stay. The market is increasing and expanding, and shows no signs of slowing down. You don't need a lot of specialized equipment to raise meat goats, and you can reasonably plan to raise about 6 does with their kids per acre of good edible vegetation. As an industry, meat goats are replacing beef, hogs and dairy herds nation wide. Meat goats are the newest and fastest growing small acreage industry in the United States.

THE BOER GOAT - MEAT FOR THE FUTURE

THE BOER GOAT - MEAT FOR THE FUTURE

By Dick and Andrea Dixon

The Boer Goat originated in South Africa where the word "Boer" means farm. The Boer has been a registered breed in South Africa for fifty years and is raised strictly for its meat. The Boer Goat can be easily recognized by it's beautiful full white body, roman nose, pendulous ears, and reddish brown or light to dark brown head.

In the US the term "full blood boer" is used when a goat has always had Boers in its pedigree. When another breed of goat is crossed and continues to be crossed with a Boer buck at the 31/32 generation it will be called a "purebred".

GOAT LANGUAGE

Doe-adult female Doeling-young female Buck-breeding buck Buckling-young male Kids-offspring Whether-castrated male Intact Male-uncastrated Kidding-giving birth Gestation-length of pregnancy To Wean-no longer nursing Dairy Goat Breeds-Nubian, LaMancha, Alpine, Saanan, Toggenburg, etc.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A BOER DOE

The Boer doe is a very gentle animal. She is not flighty or a fence jumper. She can be bred at 8 to 9 months depending on her size. Gestation for a goat is five months. She is capable of producing 3 sets of kids in two years. A yearling doe will produce 1 to 2 kids per birth. After first kidding, she will usually produce twins, triplets or quads. Boer mothers supply very high butterfat milk to suckle their young. A Boer doe is much like a beef cow as she will produce ample milk for her kids but at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 months she will start to dry up. She will have from 2 to 4 teats but may not produce milk from all 4 teats. Within 17 to 21 days after kidding she may cycle and can be bred back safely in 2 to 3 months. Rapid tail movements called "flagging" can detect heat. A Boer doe is capable of producing kids for 8 to 9 years or more. Mature (2 to 3 yrs.) females will weigh 175 to 225 lbs. Both male and female Boers have horns.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A BOER BUCK

The Boer buck is hardy and exceptionally well built. He is broad at the shoulders with a muscled rump. The Boer can withstand very cold (-30 F) and very hot (+120 F) temperatures and readily adapts to weather changes. The Boer Buck can also be a very gentle animal even though he will grow to weights of 275 to 330 lbs. We discourage anyone from scratching bucks on top of their heads, pushing against their foreheads, or wrestling with them by holding on to their horns because this is seen by the buck as aggressive action. Instead we scratch and rub them under their necks, ears and down their backs. Thus they will approach humans with their heads up, not down. The horns make handling easier as a mature animal. Boer bucks can breed any month of the year but it may not take place in daylight. They are smelly as this attracts the females. A buck can actively breed at 7 to 8 months of age but it is recommended that he not be allowed to service more than 12 to 15 does. A mature (2 to 3 yr.) buck can service 40 to 50 does. It is recommended that all bucks be separated from females at 3 months of age so that no unplanned breeding takes place. Bucks can breed for 8 to 9 years or more. The buck kids will gain from .40 to .80 lbs. per day weighing 50 to 70 lbs. at 3 to 5 months of age depending on the amount of milk their mother gives them and their feed ration.

WHERE DO YOU START

It is possible to raise 7 to 8 adult goats in the place of one cow. A cow will produce one calf per year that can be sold for $300 to $600. Seven to eight goats will produce approximately 12 to 16 market meat kids that generate a $700 to $1500 return in 8 months. Start where it is financially comfortable--looking at the amount of land and the time that you desire to invest in this new meat industry. The number of meat kids produced determines the profit. A beginning workable herd is 25 to 30 dairy or 1/2 Boer does. One full blood Boer buck can easily breed this number. These does could produce 40 to 60 kids every 8 months (half males-half females). The males can be sent to the meat market and the does can be added to the herd. A starting herd of 30 does can become a herd of 240 does in 39 months producing 480 meat kids. The size of the herd can be controlled by sending both males and females to the meat market or by marketing your females as percentage Boer Does. The question is whether to start by purchasing good quality, young dairy does or 1/2 Boer does. By breeding a dairy doe to a full blood Boer buck, the result will be 1/2 Boer kids. The disadvantage in using dairy does is that it takes effort to dry them up when the kids are ready to be weaned. Dairy does are also harder to keep fenced. Half Boer does, when purchased as a starter herd, carry the genetic tendencies of the Boer in that they dry up easier and faster with fewer complications and are more docile in nature and are easier on fences. The greater the Boer genetic influence --the more efficient the meat production. Carcass yield, which is the relationship between live weight and hanging carcass weight is 28 to 32% on a dairy wether but increases to 40 to 42% on percentage Boer wethers and up to 48 to 53% on full blood or purebred Boers. Half Boer does when bred to a full blood Boer buck will produce 3/4 Boer kids and so on until a herd of purebreds is produced. A half Boer wether can reach a weight of 50 to 70 lbs. in 5 to 7 months of age. A 3/4, 7/8, 15/16, 31/32 (purebred) can each reach market weights quicker thus saving money in feed costs.

HOUSING

Goats require an open-front shed for shade and shelter from wind, rain and snow. They will need shelter at kidding time. Mothering up pens are recommended--where an individual doe is placed after kidding for a day or so until she bonds with her kids. The shelter need not be heated but heat lamps are required if kidding during cold winter months.

FENCING

Hog wire (37 to 39" high) or woven wire can be used--stretching it tightly between wooden or metal posts every 8 feet. We advise a barbed wire be stretched next to the ground on the inside. A second barbed wire on the inside at the top of the woven wire and a third barbed wire 3 inches above the woven wire. This will keep goats from going through, under or over the fence. Electric fences work very well but training is required.

FEEDING

Goats can utilize feed sources other than those used by cattle because they are a browser. They do eat and grow rapidly on grass-alfalfa hay with some grain, but also thrive on brush, weeds and leaves. This is why they are a great animal for farm diversification, or when brush and weed control is needed. It is important to understand that protein builds muscle. Goats grow fastest on 14 to 16% protein feeds. When dry-lot feeding 5 to 6 lbs. of grass-alfalfa hay per day, per adult is recommended with 1/2 to 1 LB of grain mixture. Oats, barley, corn wheat bran, rice bran, soy meal and canola meal are grains that can be used. This does not need to be rolled. They need free choice range cattle mineral (1.1) and iodized salt. Kids should have free choice grain creep feed and hay or pasture from the time that they are one week old even though they are nursing off their mothers. Approximately 8 to 9 lbs. of feed is needed to produce 1 lb. of growth. CAUTION--Goats can tolerate only minimum amounts of urea.

PREDATORS

Llamas, guard dogs or donkeys serve well as protectors against predators.

WEANING

Kids grow rapidly during the first 3 months of life. At 3 months of age they can be taken off their mother easily because they are a ruminate and will already be eating along with the rest of the herd.

HEALTH PROTOCOL

An annual health schedule should be followed. The Boer goat is very hardy and not prone to disease but "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". A deworming by mouth or injection 2 to 3 times a year depending on location and climate is advisable. If your soil is deficient in selenium, a selenium shot is recommended at birth and once a year thereafter. All farm animals carry coccidiosis bacteria. It is important to include a coccidistat in either the grain or mineral for at least 30 consecutive days per year. For dry-lot conditions, use twice per year. Hoof trimming is very important for both the young and adult animals as it produces a breeding animal that will stand on strong, straight legs for many years. This should be done at least 2 to 3 times each year or as needed. We recommend that castration take place within the first month using a green rubber elasterator. The rubber rings should be stored in the refrigerator to preserve their elasticity. REMEMBER--some religious cultures prefer meat animals that are "intact males".

HANDLING

A squeeze is not needed but sufficient paneling is needed to enclose the working area. One or two persons can easily hold an animal for injections or inspection. A wooden goat box is recommended for disbudding or tattooing.

TAGGING, TATTOOING AND RECORD KEEPING

A plastic ear tag can be used for identification. A tag can identify an animal on site by name, number, birth date, parents or percentage Boer. We do not recommend neck chains or neck ropes. Record keeping is essential. By keeping birth, pedigree, weights and feeding records, it is easier to determine what methods of feeding, breeding, etc., are working best to meet your goals. All animals to be registered must be tattooed. The use of green tattoo ink is recommended.

WHO CAN RAISE MEAT GOATS?

Because the goat is a very social, personable animal, it can be easily handled by males and females of all ages.

WHAT DOES GOAT MEAT TASTE LIKE?

It is a very mild, tender, sweet red meat tasting very much like beef when eaten young. Goats raised on sagebrush will taste differently from those raised on grass or hay. The meat is very low in fat and cholesterol. It does not have the inner-muscle (marbling) fat like beef. The fat on a goat lies on the outside of the body where it can be trimmed off. It can be cooked "western style" just as beef is prepared roasted, sliced cold for sandwiches, stir-fry, barbecued chops, shish-kabobs, stews, etc.

SLAUGHTERING

An individual is allowed by law to slaughter on his own property any animal that is owned by him for his own consumption. He is not allowed to slaughter and sell the meat to anyone else. Encourage customers to purchase goats and take them to a local slaughter plant or do it themselves on their own property.

MARKETS---WHERE ARE THEY?

Our neighbors are our market. Start selling meat kids off your own premises by putting up signs "MEAT GOATS FOR SALE" in your yard, supermarkets, Laundromats and beauty parlors, etc.

You should be getting approximately $1.00 to $1.50 per lb. live weight. Have meat goats ready for sale near important ethnic holidays. A satisfied customer is your best advertisement, as he will recommend you to his friends. Why? Because you are offering a meat goat with 10% to 15% more meat on the carcass at a younger age. There are individual contracts available at present that require 20 to 100 meat goats per week in the cities along the eastern and western sea coasts of the United States and Canada as well as all other large cities in every state and province. These neighbors come from Fiji, Greece, Switzerland, England, Italy, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, China, the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Central and South America. Our markets are all around us!!!

WHO EATS GOAT MEAT?

You are asking the wrong question. The question to ask is "WHO IS GOING TO SUPPLY THE MEAT NEEDED TO SATISFY THE EXISTING DEMAND?" Goat and sheep are the number one source of meat protein in the world. In North America there are over 63 million people from an ethnic background that traditionally eat goat meat. When available goat meat would be eaten weekly and not just for a special occasion. Six years ago about the only goats in North America were dairy and hair goats. It is difficult and costly to get dairy animals of any breed up to the standards of meat goats. This is why the Boer Goat's entrance into North America has had and will continue to have such a great effect on the Meat Goat Market.

BOER

Contributed by Poot's Evergreen Acres Goats

Line drawing "Highlander 97" by Keith Smith, boergoats.com.

The Boer Goat is an improved indigenous breed with some infusion of European, Angora and Indian goat breeding many years ago. Several researchers agree that the indigenous populations were probably from the Namaqua Hottentots and from southward migrating Bantu tribes. The name is derived from the Dutch word "boer" meaning farmer and was probably used to distinguish the native goats from the Angora goats which were imported into South Africa during the 19th century. The present day Boer goat appeared in the early 1900's when ranchers in the Easter Cape Province started selecting for a meat type goat.

The South African registry was established in 1959. Since 1970 the Boer goat has been incorporated into the National Mutton Sheep and Goat Performance Testing Scheme making it the first goat breed involved in meat production performance testing.

The Boer goat is primarily a meat goat with several adaptations to the region in which it was developed. It is a horned breed with lop ears and showing a variety of color patterns. The Boer goat is being used very effectively in South Africa in combination with cattle due to its browsing ability and limited impact on the grass cover. Producing weaning rates in excess of 160% the Boer goat doe is a low maintenance animal that has sufficient milk to rear a kid that is early maturing. The mature Boer Goat ram weighs between 110-135 kg (~240-300 lbs) and ewes between 90 and 100 kg (~200-225 lbs).

Performance records for this breed indicate exceptional individuals are capable of average daily gains over 0.44 lb/day (200 g/day) in feedlot. More standard performance would be 0.3-0.4 lbs/day (150-170 g/day). The ovulation rate for Boer goats ranges from 1 to 4 eggs/doe with an average of 1.7. A kidding rate of 200% is common for this breed. Puberty is reached early, ususally about 6 months for the males and 10-12 months for the females. The Boer Goat also has an extended breeding season making possible 3 kiddings every 2 years

Boer

Also Known by: Africander, Afrikaner, South African common goat

The Boer is an improved indigenous breed with some infusion of European, Angora and Indian goat breeding many years ago. Several researchers agree that the indigenous populations were probably from the Namaqua Hottentots and from southward migrating Bantu tribes. The name is derived from the Dutch word "boer" meaning farmer and was probably used to distinguish the native goats from the Angora goats which were imported into South Africa during the 19th century. The present day Boer goat appeared in the early 1900's when ranchers in the Easter Cape Province started selecting for a meat type goat.

The South African registry was established in 1959. Since 1970 the Boer goat has been incorporated into the National Mutton Sheep and Goat Performance Testing Scheme making it the first goat breed involved in meat production performance testing.

The Boer goat is primarily a meat goat with several adaptations to the region in which it was developed. It is a horned breed with lop ears and showing a variety of color patterns. The Boer goat is being used very effectively in South Africa in combination with cattle due to its browsing ability and limited impact on the grass cover. Producing weaning rates in excess of 160% the Boer goat doe is a low maintenance animal that has sufficient milk to rear a kid that is early maturing. The mature Boer Goat ram weighs between 110-135 kg (~240-300 lbs) and ewes between 90 and 100 kg (~200-225 lbs).

Performance records for this breed indicate exceptional individuals are capable of average daily gains over 0.44 lb/day (200 g/day) in feedlot. More standard performance would be 0.3-0.4 lbs/day (150-170 g/day). The ovulation rate for Boer goats ranges from 1 to 4 eggs/doe with an average of 1.7. A kidding rate of 200% is common for this breed. Puberty is reached early, ususally about 6 months for the males and 10-12 months for the females. The Boer goat also has an extended breeding season making possible 3 kiddings every 2 years.

What is a Boer goat?

The Boer goat (also known as the Africander, Afrikaner, or South African common goat) is an improved breed, having been developed originally through crossbreeding indigenous goats with European, Angora and Indian goats. The indigenous goats probably originated from the Namaqua Hottentots and from southward migrating Bantu tribes. The name "Boer" means "farmer" in Dutch and was perhaps used to distinguish these goats from Angora goats imported into South Africa during the 19th century.

South African goat farmers began selecting for muscular and compact animals, and as a result were able to produce a strain of goat that bred true for high growth rate, muscular carcasses and good fertility combined with a very distinct color pattern (white body and red head). The South African registry was established in 1959 and breed standards were adopted. Performance records for this breed indicate individuals are capable of average daily gains over 0.44 lb/day (200 g/day). A kidding rate of 200% is common.

The first Boer goat genetics from South Africa were exported to Australia and New Zealand in 1987 and, after a five year quarantine, were eligible for export. The Boer goat industry in Canada began in 1993 when a New Zealand company (Landcorp Farming Inc.), working with Olds College in Olds, Alberta, brought the first Boer goat genetics to North America. Then the following year, Canadian farmers began to import frozen Boer goat embryos directly from South Africa.

Canadian Boer goat breeders now produce some of the best meat goats in the world!

What is a "Canadian Purebred" Boer goat?

A Canadian Purebred Boer goat is one that has been produced through generations of breeding crossbred animals to fullblood animals, until the individual is at least 15/16 Boer (for does) or 31/32 Boer (for bucks). The process (known as "breeding up") begins with breeding a domestic goat to a purebred South African Boer Goat - the resulting offspring would be registered 1/2 Boer. Then these 1/2 Boers are again bred to purebred South Africans, producing registered 3/4 Boer offspring. The 3/4 Boers produce 7/8 Boers and these produce 15/16 Boers, or Canadian Purebred Boer goats. All offspring of the Canadian Purebred does (when bred to either a Canadian purebred buck or traditional purebred buck) are considered to be Canadian Purebred Boer Goats.

This process allows breeders to create a herd of Purebred Boers at a lower initial cost and also allows for the infusion of selected genetic traits such as increased milk production, mothering ability and hardiness.

PELAN KANDANG KAMBING

PANDUAN PERUMAHAN KAMBING

Perumahan adalah perlu untuk pemeliharaan kambing di Malaysia. Ini adalah kerana keadaan cuaca melampau seperti hujan dan panas terik menyebab kambing-kambing perlukan perlindungan.

Kedudukan rumah/kandang-kandang ini boleh dibuat supaya:

• Mengurangkan keperluan bergerak terutama dalam memberi makanan. Contohnya, kawasan ragut /sumber makanan (stor) mestilah dekat dengan kandang jika boleh.

• Jika hendak membina lebih dari satu kandang, jarak di antara dua kandang hendaklah sekurang-kurangnya sama dengan lebar kandang tersebut. Ini adalah untuk menjauhkan jangkitan penyakit.
  

Apabila membina kandang keperluan-keperluan yang penting untuk menentukan kesihatan dan kesejahteraan kambing-kambing

adalah:

• Sistem pengudaraan yang baik bagi menyejukan udara di dalam kandang
• Membenarkan cahaya matahari yang cukup untuk masuk ke dalam kandang terutama matahari pagi. Kedudukan kandang arah Utara-Selatan
• Tidak mudah menjadi lembab. Sistem perparitan yang baik di sekeliling kandang
• Tidak terkena angin yang kencang
• Terpelihara dari hujan dan panas
• Kotoran/najis dapat dikumpulkan dan diangkut keluar
• Ruang makan dan minum mencukupi
• Lantai adalah sesuai dan tidak membahayakan ternakan, seperti terseliuh atau patah tulang

Bagi membina sebuah kandang kambing yang baik faktor-faktor suhu, cahaya, pengudaraan dan kelembapan yang sesuai di dalam kandang adalah penting. Perubahan suhu, pengudaraan dan kelembapan yang ketara membawa kesan buruk kepada kambing contohnya sebaran penyakit. Jadi sebelum membina sesebuah kandang kambing yang baik pastikan keempat-empat faktor yang tersebut adalah bertepatan.

PEMBINAAN KANDANG

Kandang boleh dibuat di atas tanah ataupun secara berlantai. Pembinaan kandang yang berlantai tinggi dari tanah adalah disyorkan kerana mempunyai sistem pengedaran udara yang baik dan juga senang dicuci.

Lantai

• Di dalam pembinaan kandang, lantai yang dibuat hendaklah:
• tahan lama - misalnya tahan dari semburan bahan kimia dan air kencing
• mudah dicuci
• tidak licin
• tidak mencederakan
• tidak mudah lembab
• Lantai hendaklah dibuat dari bahan yang sesuai seperti beroti yang berukuran 1.5 s.m. (tebal) dan 3.5 s.m. (Lebar), buluh atau batang pinang yang dibelah, anak-anak kayu dan juga papan biasa. Supaya kencing dan najis senang jatuh ke bawah, kayu atau papan lantai diatur dengan jarak 1.2 - 1.8 s.m. tiap-tiap satu. (Jika terlampau luas berkemungkinan kaki anak kambing akan tersepit).
• Luas kawasan lantai untuk satu ekor kambing dewasa ialah di antara 0.7 - 1.4 meter persegi (8 - 15 kaki persegi).
  

Dinding

• Dinding hendaklah dibuat dari bahan yang tahan lasak. Ini adalah kerana kambing mempunyai tabiat suka menanduk, menggigit dan menggeser dinding. Bahan-bahan yang boleh digunakan ialah buluh, kayu bulat (kayu hutan) dan papan.
• Dinding boleh dibahagikan kepada dua bahagian:
• Dari lantai sehingga kira-kira 1 m ke atas boleh dibuat daripada papan, dengan jarak yang lebih rapat antara 1.5 - 2.0 s.m. yang memerlukan ruang yang agak tertutup untuk mengelakkan kesejukan.
• Di atasnya boleh digunakan kayu beroti, buluh atau nipah dan anak-anak kayu. Jaraknya di antara satu dengan yang lain 9 - 12 s.m.

Bumbung
Bahan-bahan yang boleh dibuat bumbung termasuklah:

• Nipah - bagus untuk sistem pengedaran udara dan lebih menyejukkan. (Pada umumnya terdapat kejadian kambing memakan serpihan nipah).
• Zink - mudah dipasang tetapi boleh menyebabkan suhu kandang terlalu panas, terutamanya jika tidak ada pokok-pokok pelindung sekitarnya. Jika menggunakan atap zink, ruang di antara lantai dan bumbung hendaklah ditinggikan untuk pengedaran udara yang baik.
• Asbestos - bahan yang paling baik untuk dijadikan bumbung tetapi ianya mahal sedikit. Ia tidak saja menyejukkan tetapi juga tidak mudah terbakar.
• Aluminium - dapat mengurangkan kesan haba tetapi harga agak mahal.
  

Palung Makanan

Palung makanan boleh dibuat sama ada di bahagian luar ataupun bahagian dalam iaitu di sepanjang jalan tengah. Lebar palung bahagian bawah ialah 0.3 m dan 0.45 m di bahagian atas. Bagi kandang yang tiada palung makanan, rumput boleh diikat atau digantung di tengah-tengah kandang kira-kira 0.5 m dari paras lantai. Bekas abuk (konsentrat) boleh dibina di bawah palung rumput atau di mana-mana tempat di dalam kandang atau diisi di dalam besen. Air yang cukup dan bersih hendaklah disediakan di dalam baldi atau besen.

Bagi merendahkan kos membina kandang kambing, bahan-bahan digunakan mestilah murah dan tahan lama. Sumber-sumber asli seperti buluh, kayu bulat, nipah rumbia dan sebagainya boleh juga digunakan. Kambing memerlukan ruang lantai 0.7 - 1.4 meter persegi ( 8 - 15 kaki persegi) untuk seekor. Kandang untuk penternakan secara komersil memerlukan kos yang tinggi.

Kandang Kambing

Bagi memaksimumkan keuntungan, kita perlu jimatkan kos buat kandang. Jangan guna terlalu banyak kayu. Seorang penternak telah menghabiskan RM 80,000 untuk membuat kandang, sedangkan kambingnya hanyalah 50 ekor. Dia menggunakan kayu basah iaitu kayu hutan yang dibelah.

Keluasan untuk seekor kambing hanya 4’X2’ biasanya dengan keluasan 10’X10 dapat memuatkan 15 ekor kambing. Berikut adalah harga semasa kayu bagi setiap kaki bagi memudahkan korang menentukan buget buat kandang;

4X4=RM4.00
2X4=RM1.60
2X3=RM1.30
1X6=RM0.50 (Kayu Reject)
1X2=RM0.35
1X2=RM0.25 (Kayu Reject)
2X2=RM0.60
1X0.5=RM0.17
Zink = RM1.80 (Lebar 3’)
Pagar 3’=RM50.00/segulung (45’)
Pagar 4’=RM75.00/segulung (45’)

Pasir=RM130.00/selori
Simen=RM12.00/sebeg
Bata=RM150/satu ikat (1,000 biji)
Mesen Chooper – Deisel = RM4,800.00

Panjang maksimum kayu yang dijual adalah 22’. Kayu tidak dijual untuk panjang nombor ganjil – panjang kayu yang dijual ialah 8’,10’,12’ …20’ dan 22’ sahaja.

Adalah lebih baik kita buat sendiri kandang tersebut, kerana upah untuk membuat kandang biasanya tukang kayu akan charge 1 kali dari harga barang. Kalau terpaksa, kita just upah untuk membuat bumbung sahaja dan kita bagi bayaran mengikut hari bekerja, biasanya RM60-RM80 sehari. Selebihnya ie pasang dinding dan lantai kita boleh buat sendiri atau suruh pekerja kambing yang buat sementara kambing tak masuk lagi. Untuk tiang, lebih murah gunakan batu-bata. 5 beg simen untuk 24 batang tiang yang tingginya 6’, atau nak jimat lagi buat kayu 2X4 yang diikat dua so dia jadi 4X4.

Dibawah merupakan plan kandang kambing yang dapat menempatkan 250 ekor kambing dalam satu masa.

Kandang Kambing- untuk 250 EKOR

Pelan (1)

Pelan (2)

Pelan (3)

Pelan (4)

Pelan (5)

PANDUAN PENGELUARAN & PENGURUSAN MAKANAN TERNAKAN ( BAHAGIAN III )

FODER SIRAMAN ( IRRIGATED FODER )

PENDAHULUAN

Bekalan foder yang berterusan menjadi satu syarat kepada kejayaan kepada perusahaan ternakan. Jika bekalan foder segar tidak menentu, perusahaan ternakan akan menghadapi masalah pengeluaran (susu dan daging ) dan seterusnya akan menyebabkan pasaran tidak menentu.

Dalam keadaan biasa, hasil pengeluaran foder tidak seragam sepanjang tahun. Hasil biasanya akan tinggi dimusim hujan dan akan berkurang pada musim kemarau. Faktur kekurangan air menjadi faktur penyebab dalam masalah ini. Bagi mengatasi masalah ini, satu sistem pengeluaran foder secara siraman boleh menghasilkan kuantiti dan kualiti foder yang hampir sama sepanjang tahun.

Sistem ini sesuai diamalkan bagi perusahaan ternakan secara intensif samada perusahaan fidlot atau tenusu. Satu kawasan foder yang kecil boleh menghasilkan kuantiti foder yang banyak dengan menggunakan satu sistem pengairan dan pembajaan yang ketat.

DEFINISI FODER SIRAMAN

Foder siraman bermaksud foder yang dihasilkan melalui satu sistem siraman yang terdiri dari air bersih , air kumbahan atau air yang mengandungi baja yang dirumuskan secara berterusan bagi menjamin hasil dan kualiti foder yang dihasilkan.

Penyiraman rumput dengan cara sistem pengiraan semburan

a Semburan Air Siraman

Dalam keadaan biasa, satu sistem siraman foder boleh dibuat dengan menggunakan sistem pengairan semburan dengan bantuan pam yang digerakan oleh enjin disel. Punca air boleh diperolehi dari sumber air yang banyak seperti tasik semulajadi atau tasik buatan yang besar. Air dari sumber tersebut dipam dan disiram dengan menggunakan siraman semburan (sprinkler) dimana paipnya dipasang dibawah tanah dan kepala paip semburan hendaklah dipasang pada aras yang tinggi melebehi 2.5 m bagi mengelakan saluran paip rosak akibat dari dilanggar oleh jentera. Semburan air boleh dibuat berterusan dimusim kemarau manakala dimusim hujan semburan dibuat mengikut keperluan.

Rumah hijau (plastik) 4 tingkat rekaan tempatan bagi pengeluaran foder hidroponik

Pokok kekacang (Dun pea – 56% Protin Kasar ) berumur 10 hari dalam “tray” pertumbuhan

Pokok kekacang (Dun pea ) berserta dengan akar yang bersih sedia untuk diberi makan kepada ternakan

Pokok kekacang (Dun pea – 56% Protin Kasar ) berumur 10 hari dalam “tray” pertumbuhan

Pokok kekacang (Dun pea ) berserta dengan akar yang bersih sedia untuk diberi makan kepada ternakan

Lembu susu sedang menikmati makanan lazat pokok gandum (wheat grass) dan dun pea dikandang

Lembu susu sedang menikmati makanan lazat pokok gandum (wheat grass) dan dun pea dikandang

Jenis Tanaman

Beberapa jenis tanaman sesuai dibiakan secara hidroponik. Kajian menunjukan pokok jagung, kekacang (dun pea), dan gandum (wheat grass) boleh dibiakan dengan baik. Walaubagaimana pun benih pokok yang berkualiti sahaja boleh digunakan. Jika biji benih yang peratus percambahan yang rendah, biji benih yang tidak bercambah akan busuk dan menjejaskan kualiti foder yang akan dihasilkan.

Kuantiti benih yang akan digunakan bagi setiap tray juga akan mempengaruhi kadar pertumbuhan. Jika terlampau banyak kuantiti bijibenih diletakan bagi setiap tray, ia akan menjejaskan kadar pertumbuhan

Hasil Pengeluaran

Pengalaman bagi negara Australia, dengan menggunakan teknologi penghawa dingin, kadar pengeluaran foder hidroponik berbanding dengan penggunaan benih ialah 1:10. Bagi setiap satu kg benih yang di hasilkan, sebanyak 10 kg foder dapat dikeluarkan. Kajian yang dilakukan diMalaysia menunjukan kadar pengeluaran ini ialah 1: 5 hingga 1: 8.

Kos Pengeluaran

Teknik pengeluaran hidroponik foder melibatkan kos yang agak tinggi. Sebab utama peningkatan kos adalah disebabkan biji benih tanaman yang dignakan seperti gandum dan kekacang (dua pea) perlu di impot. Dengan harga bijibenih kekacang (RM 3.50) dan gandum (RM 2.50) maka kos bagi mengeluarkan 100 g protin berasaskan berat kering adalah RM 2.93 bagi gandum dan RM 2.40 bagi kekacang berbanding hanya RM 0.10 bagi foder rumput (kaedah biasa) dan RM 0.12 bagi “irrigated” foder (jadual).

Analisa kos ini jelas m,enunjukan bahawa pengeluaran makanan ternakan dengan menggunakan bijibenih yang di impot ini tidak menguntungkan. Walaubagaimana pun teknologi yang sedia ada mempunyai potensi untuk mencari satu sumber benih yang sesuai dan murah.

Perbandingan Harga Rumput (Tanaman biasa dan “irrigated Fodder) dengan gandum dan kekacang (dun pea) berasaskan kandungan protin bagi dalam satu kg (BK)

Bahan Tanaman	CP (g) dalam 1 kg (BK)	Harga (RM) Bagi 100 g protin
Gandum Dun Pea RUMPUT Tanaman biasa Irrigated foder	233 250 140 140	2.93 2.40 0.10 0.12