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Knowledge Bank
In this Knowledge Bank section you will find answers to almost any question related to Boer Goats and raising them. It is a constantly expanding source of information so please return here as often as you need to.
If you don’t find what you are looking for here, please send an email – using the form at the bottom of this page – and the answer will be placed here to assist other producers who may have the same question. Johan Steyn, owner of the globally respected Patriot Boer Goat Stud, brings his experience and knowledge gained over more than three decades of Boer Goat production, to this platform.
What is the South African Boer Goat?
The South African Boer Goat is a registered breed of meat producing goat that has been developed by commercial farmers in South Africa over almost 70 years through selective breeding practices. It is the standard against which all other meat-producing goats worldwide are measured due to its fertility, hardiness, mothering abilities, adaptability and rapid growth.
It has been bred to perform particularly well under harsh, arid and extensive farming environments where it converts low quality vegetation into meat with minimal input costs.
Carrying Capacity
Determining carrying capacity is not a question to be answered shortly and simply but I have attempted to outline some principles below to help in your decision making.
All land varies in its ability to carry livestock on a sustainable basis. Determining this carrying capacity is of the great importance before any livestock stocking takes place. This is termed “carrying capacity”.
Economically viable farm size is an important determining factor and each person’s requirements in terms of income generated will differ. Thus, your financial requirements and the size of land required to generate that income will differ from the next person’s requirement.
Carrying capacity is expressed as a ratio: LSU:ha (LSU = Large Stock Unit = 1 cow and suckling calf. ha = hectares. One LSU = 6SSU and 1 SSU = a doe and suckling kid/s) where we require a certain number of hectares of natural grazing (ha) to sustainably carry one LSU throughout the year. This is then converted to SSU. If we further simplify this by saying that 1ha is required to carry, for example, 1 SSU then a farm of 100ha will sustainably carry 100 SSU. However, it is important to establish the actual vs official carrying capacity of the specific farm before possible overgrazing and vegetation denuding takes place. On the ground conditions may vary significantly from official figures available. Overgrazing is often irreversible and seriously reduces the carrying capacity of a farm below any sort of economic value. It is thus recommend that stock levels be built up slowly so as to grow into the carrying capacity of the land. Ongoing pasture management and observation is vital.
Factors like existing vegetative cover, possible overgrazing, availability of planted pastures, irrigated fields, the pasture management system (paddock systems) and such like should also be taken into account as they can and do impact upon the carrying capacity of a specific piece of land. Livestock farming — as with most commodities —typically requires large areas of land to be economically viable.
Hand Rearing Kids
Hand-rearing kids is not an ideal situation. Does that display poor mothering abilities, produce insufficient milk or have problem udders should be culled from the flock. However, it is always wise to determine if there is a way in which management can be improved to avoid or reduce the occurrence of hand-rearing kids.
Where a newly born kid needs to be fostered by a foster doe, this should be done as soon as possible — ideally within a half hour or hour maximum — of both the does having kidded. As an aside, this is another good reason for having kidding seasons. The kid being fostered should have the birth fluids of the foster doe applied to it and the kid should be placed in a kidding pen along with its foster mother. If done in this manner, the foster doe will normall accept the kid as her own with minimal disruption.
If the kid is older than an hour or so, it can still be fostered by milking some of the foster doe’s milk onto the head and rump of the kid. Follow the same procedure with the kidding pen. Foster doe and her own kid/s along with the foster kid should remain here in hygienic conditions for a few days along with regular observation to see that all is proceeding as planned.
As a doe milk replacement, use either Lamlac or Surromel for Lambs, mixed as per manufacturer’s instructions. You can also use 1 liter of cows milk plus 1 egg plus 25g of glucose powder. Feed about 60ml at a time to kids 5 – 6 times per day. Do not overfeed and beware of choking.
Treating Chlamydial eye infection
Chlamydial eye infection is caused by Chlamydial virus and is aggravated by dust and flies.
The symptoms are a watering eye that becomes progressively milkier until if becomes totally opaque with a white centre if left untreated. The goat can become blind if the condition is not attended to.
Administer a tetracycline in a manner similar to eye drops, in the eye daily by using an eye dropper or syringe without a needle. Continue daily evening and morning until it clears up.
Dose all goats with a vitamin A supplement like Oral Dose A or similar. Remove them from dusty environments or damp down dust with water. The eye infection is contagious so separate infected goats from others. Flies spread the infection.
Using a very thin needle, a mixture of 1,5ml Pendistrep and 1,5ml Predef can be administered directly above and directly below the infected eye. This is a delicate procedure and the goat’s head must be held firmly to avoid puncturing the eyeball. If you are uncomfortable with the procedure, it may be better that a veterinarian perform the procedure.
Vaccinate annually against Chlamydial infections using vaccines like Enzovax or Chlamydia or Chlamysure to prevent infection. Also do vitamin A supplementation 2 – 3 times annually.
Consult your livestock veterinarian or animal health specialist for expert advice and product recommendations.
Stud vs Commercial grade Boer Goats
There is often a misconception about the term “stud”. Often, stud animals are considered to be any animals that can be bred with (as opposed to slaughter animals). This is unfortunately not true. See related article: “The Various Grades of Boer Goats”.
Flock grade animals are 100% pure bred Boer Goats but may have some small characteristic that precludes them from being registered with the Breeders’ Association as stud animals. These characteristics may include a small colour variation, a spot of colour elsewhere besides the head and ears, horns that are not perfectly rounded, very minor conformation defects etc. They in no way preclude that animal from being bred with. These animals are still full blood Boer Goats and are good quality animals that can improve the quality of your flocks.
Stud animals on the other hand conform in all respects with the breed standards as laid down by the Association and represent the peak of genetic perfection available in the Boer Goat breed. They are the very best genetics available, have outstanding conformation, colouring, pigmentation, hair coat and are often bred out of respected and proven bloodlines. They are also registered as such and have special metal ear tags inserted after being inspected by two SA Boer Goat Breeders’ Association inspectors.
Reliable and ethical breeders will be able to supply dam and sire details, a pedigree and other performance figures that allow the buyer to base his buying decision on tangible, provable figures rather than on a visually impressive animal. These figures allow the buyer to determine the genetic purity and potential future performance of the animal he is interested in.
As always, buyers are encouraged to understand the industry they are involved in. Understand the difference between SP (stud Proper), stud, flock and slaughter (or cull) grade animals. There is a price difference due to the significant performance and quality difference. Very importantly, this difference is not always visually discernible. To buy an animal based on what you see before you rather than on proven historical performance can cost you dearly in the long run.
Various Grades of Boer Goats
The South African Boer Goat Breeders’s Association recognises 4 grades of Boer Goats. Prices increase per grade. Cull animals are normally sold per kilogram on the hoof while breeding animals are normally sold per head depending upon their bloodlines, the breeder history and past performance, quality and condition.
Cull (or slaughter) Grade
These animals are unsuitable for breeding with due to defects either in genetics, conformation or conformance with breed standards. These animals are most often sold on a rate per kilogram live weight. (on the hoof)
Flock Grade
These animals conform to the breed standards but will have minor deviations from the breed standards that preclude them from being graded as stud animals. These goats can be bred with as they meet the minimum breeding requirements as determined by the South African Boer Goat Breeders’ Association (SABGBA). Due to minor deviations such as colour discrepancies, conformation variations, longer hair coat, horn shape and form, stance etc they cannot be graded as stud animals.
Stud Grade
Stud animals conform in all respects with the breed standards as laid down by the South African Boer Goat Breeders’ Association. They represent the very best genetics, conformation, growth rates, fertility and other characteristics that make the Boer Goat so sought after worldwide. They have been inspected by two Breed inspectors from the Association and have had a special steel tag applied to either ear. This tag will reflect the breeder’s registered stud number and a sequential number that can be traced back to the original breeder.
SP (Stud Proper)
SP grade animals are the very top quality stud grade Boer Goats, registered with SA Stud Book and have various levels of performance, genetic and other data available. This data can included progeny data, maternal indices, growth indices, a minimum 3-generation pedigree and other data that attests to their superior genetics and proven performance.
Prophylactic Heartwater treatment
Boer Goats born in a heartwater area are normally — but not always — resistant to this disease. Animals from a non-heartwater area can however be prophylactically treated over a period to assist in keeping them heartwater-free while they develop their own immunity. Immunity cannot be guaranteed, even in animals born in a heartwater area. A well planned and implemented dipping programme is essential in order to limit occurrence of the disease. Heartwater is a major cause of mortality among Boer Goats.
Boer Goats being moved from a non-heartwater area to a heartwater area need to have tetracycline administered (at a dosage of 1ml per 10kg body mass) every 20 days for 6 – 8 months. This procedure MUST be combined with a well managed and implemented and regular dipping program to minimise tick infestation.
Consult your livestock veterinarian or animal health specialist for expert advice and product recommendations.
Treating Orf (scabby mouth, Vuilbek)
Orf is a contagious infection caused by the orf virus. It causes wartlike lesions on the mouth, lips, eyelids, ears and between the hooves. Infected suckling kids kan transfer this to their dam’s teats.
Left untreated, it can severely negatively affect feeding and grazing to an extent that kids loose condition and can die.
The most effective treatment is preventative vaccination against the particular virus strains found on a specific farm.
Infections can be treated as follows:
Mix 1/3 tincture of iodine with 2/3 liquid paraffin. Then mix this with milking cream until it is the consistency of joghurt. Apply this 2x per day with a toothbrush until it clears up. You should also administer a long-acting broad spectrum antibiotic to prevent secondary infection. Inoculate annually against scabby mouth using Orf vaccine.
Alternative Treatment:
Mix milking cream with MUPS until it is the consistency of yogurt. Apply this with a coarse brush 2x daily. Administer 5ml of Duplocillan intramuscularly 1x per day for 3 days.
Consult your livestock veterinarian or animal health specialist for expert advice and product recommendations.
