How to start boer goat farming

Have you ever dreamed of having a goat farm of top notch odd balls? Well me neither! but Before we even think about starting to farm these little genetically gifted stallions. We're going to find out a little back story. Then learn what goat farming is all about. Followed by the impact farming these specialty goats has on you, me and mother nature.

History Of Boer Goats 

The boer breed of the goat family originates from South Africa and dates back to the early 1900's. They are bred descendants from the indigenous goats of the Namaqua, San and the Fooku tribes. There is also scientific speculations of a possible crossing of Indian and European bloodlines along the way. This metaphorically mythical goat was often selected for meat rather than milk and possessed rare like qualities since the beginning of its existence. The first exposure these spartan esque goats had in the United States came from herds located in New Zealand. Later they were being directly imported from South Africa. The inevitable cross breeding that occured in the timeline is what made them become the breed they are today. Boer goats are a popular breed and in high demand in many consumer markets. Due in part to selective breeding and their rare genes the Boer goat has a fast growth rate, maturing much faster and able to reproduce more frequently than other livestock. I know what you're probably thinking by now. "These titan goats are all brawn meaty little beefcakes!" Wrong!! There are boer goats raised specifically for show purposes only as well. They are bred to be larger than normal goats, but don't let that fool you into thinking that these goats "aint purdy!" they have to meet specific visual appearance requirements. And both attributes of brawn and beauty characteristics are valuable genes to add to the commercial herd. Forget super humans, I'd say that Boer goats are the biological D.N.A holy grail mankind has been looking for. Their unique genes alone bring value to ranchers with the ability for improvement in any breed of goats. Along with superior genetics boer goats have a high resistance to disease and adapt well to hot, dry semi deserts. The coats they wear have distinct coloration consisting of white bodies and a brown head with long flippy ears. A buck from a proven fast-growing bloodline will command the highest price, as its offspring will tend to also be fast growers.

What Is Goat Farming?

I'm going to jump right into this in the simplest language I can so we are all on the same page  together, OK readers?. Goat farming is literally a herd of goats, specifically boer goats, on a farm, preferably your farm, doing goat farm stuff while you farm the goats. HAHA! Now on to a serious note. Getting started and raising your own boer breed of goats can be an economical and enjoyable experience, provided you take the time to properly prepare for goat ownership and selectively choose your does. Boer goats and other livestock coincide especially well on the grazing fields that are in less than perfect shape due to weather conditions or the severity of current season. The goats will eat up whatever the other livestock left behind and all the foliage to harsh for cows and sheep to even consider eating, making your herd of goats some lean mean muscle machines year around. Here In the United States, Australia, and New Zealand boer goat farming and raising herds for profit is slowly taking off into a demand driven market. Statistically speaking, approximately three quarters of the global population eats goat meat and nutritionally it contains low amounts of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol.  Now that my mouth is watering for steak and I'm all the sudden suffering from empty dinner plate syndrome, it's time to enlighten you on the fact that boer goats are poly estrous and can breed throughout the year making them far more profitable than sheep and cattle. . A typical breeding program produces three kid crops every two years, meaning the does are pregnant for five months, nurse their kids for three months, and then are re-bred.

Environment/Caring for Boer Goats

It is fair to assume that not all goats are going to thrive equally spread across different regions and landscapes, but what I can say for sure is this. The number of animals that a goat farmer can raise and sustain depends on threats in your area and the quality of the pasture. Do keep in mind that since goats will eat vegetation that most other domesticated livestock refuse to, they will maintain oneself on very poor land. Woah! what a goat! genetically engineered naturally to be a winner, built strong and yet a minimalist at heart.
One of the most important aspects other than plain old land to take into consideration before acquiring goats, is a fence. Figure out what type of fence you would like to use then sort out all fencing requirements needed prior to bringing in your stampede of super goats. Your herd of four legged landscapers should have a nice covered area to shelter themselves from weather conditions along with good ventilation and cleanliness to ensure the health of your fleet of top shelf goats with the most.
I hope this article is useful to the ones that may be interested in getting into boer goat farming themselves or to anyone simply searching for information on the subject. I'm going to leave you with a couple of more pieces of information i considered to be the most important if you are looking to invest in a goat farm. It is convenient for farmers that Boer goats can be farmed with a relatively small area of pasture and limited resources which is great for the variety of conditions your goats can find livable. But don't forget that these bundles of opportunity goats prefer brush and scrub over pasture. Goats do not thrive well in a feed lot situation, where they live on dirt and are fed grain. If boer goat farming is something you want to get into here is more information on starting a boer goat farm 

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