Quality New England Boer Goats

Southbury, Ct.

What is a Boer goat?

The Boer goat is a large framed, double muscled goat, bred specifically for meat production and hardiness. Complimenting their noble stature, boers have short white hair, red markings on the head and neck, and a graceful sweeping horn set.

The name of the breed is derived from the Dutch word, “boer”, meaning “farmer”. Little is known about the ancestry of the Boer goat. Their predecessors are believed to come from the southwest migrating Bantu tribes with Indian and European goat bloodline influences.

In the early 1900’s, Dutch ranchers in the Eastern Cape (South Africa), began selectively breeding meat-type goats for good conformation, high growth rate, fertility, and their signature white body and red head. Through the following decades of selective breeding, the Boer goat developed its genetic superiority and nobility.

In 1959, the South African Boer Goat Breeders’ Association was founded in order to establish standards for the emerging breed. 1993 marked the arrival of the first fullblood Boer goats in the United States and the formation of the American Boer Goat Association.

Today, the total meat goat industry’s value is estimated between 150 million and 400 million dollars annually. Due to the growing ethnic population, in the U.S., the demand for chevon, or goat meat, is so great that U.S. producers can not possibly keep up. Currently, 1.5 million pounds of goat meat are imported, from New Zealand and Australia, every WEEK! Every year, the demand for U.S. produced goat meat is growing. With its large size, uniform carcass, average daily gain of well over 0.50lbs., the Boer goat has revolutionized the world’s goat meat industry.

Rapid growth rate
Highly adaptable to different environments
Docile, very affectionate
Bucks
mature weight of 260-380lbs
puberty 6 months
Does
Mature weight of 210-265lbs
Puberty 9-2 months
Extended breeding season allows for a doe to kid 3 times in 2 years.
A Normal kidding rate of 200% is common.

Breed Characteristics

Goat Meat

Goat meat is often referred to as Chevon or Cabrito.
63% of the red meat consumed worldwide is goat meat.
The dressing weight of a Boer is over 50%.
The molecular structure of the meat makes it easier to digest.
Goat meat that is at least 75% Boer has a milder, more veal-like flavor.

Goat meat is 50%-60% lower in fat than similarly prepared beef, but has a similar protein content. The US Dept. of Agriculture also has reported that saturated fat in cooked goat meat is 40% less than that of chicken, even with the skin removed.

Sources: USDA Handbook, #8, Nutritive value of foods, Home and Garden Bulletin #72, USDA, Washington DC, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1981

Goat Meat Nutritional Facts

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