# Getting started!



## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

So we bought 2 boer does that are not registered, they are due to have their kids in July, the buck is 100% so the kids will be registered.

We want goats for our kids to show in 4H if they decide 4H is for them. And we want to raise goats to sell for meat since we know several people that would buy them for parties, etc. 

I just wonder how we could get started with our herd other than the 2 we have. 
We want to get at least 2 more does and a buck. Would it be good to get 2 unregistered does, and a registered buck, that away when we do start breeding to the buck, any nice offspring we can register at 50%? 

I did ask over in the 4H section if you can show unregistered boer goats? 

Any opinions would be great! Thanks!


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## MiGoat (Apr 21, 2010)

I don't know about registered animals. Onion Creek Ranch which is the TexMaster site has very good artilces about meat goats.
Welcome! I want to get some boer too.
The thing I was thinking is that if you want to be sure of that you're going to get beefy (goaty?) babies you'll want some "true" stock. 
I think you can show anything in 4H can't you?


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

well I think you have a nice start.

As to the new goats -- yes you can start with unregistered or you could try and get the best you can afford to up your chances of better offspring. But its really up to you. 

In 4H I do believe you can show just about anything. They have a special registration you go through with 4H. I am just learning this as 2 girls are purchasing some registered Nigerian Dwarf does from me but they have to go through a separate process for 4H then I do for their AGS registrations.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Any buck you get will make your herd.... getting a real good 100% registered buck will help your does....even if they may be your average kinda does.... if you are going to also be selling meat goats ...if you have a good buck will help put that meat on his babies.... also for 4h show animals there again if you have a great buck ....will give you some show wethers and does.... Get what you can afford but try to get the best you can ..... it does help in the long run...

If you get 2 more does....with the buck...then expect maybe 8 babies if they all twin.... it does add up quickly ...now if some have trips that is even more.... how big do you want your herd? 

Getting unregistered does is OK.... but maybe some day you may decide to get a 100% registered doe and can make more money to.....

Also with the unregistered does....you can keep offspring out of them and go up each generation with the percentages....to achieve registered Purebred status....None of them will ever be 100% Fullblood boer this way though...

I would call the 4h people that put on the shows an ask if they have to be registered or not.....I believe some classes you don't.... :wink:


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks so much! I appreciate your replies! 
I went to a local auction today. They sell everything on the first and last Tues of the month. I just went to look and see what the goats there are bringing. I ended up bringing home a Boer/nubian cross doe about 3 years old! I'm not sure if I regret the idea, but the woman who sold her said she is a good mama, had 2 sets of twins, but they are downsizing their herd as they have way too many. She's not the 'best' in the world, and she is very skittish, won't come to us at all, but I figure we'll get her a chance <or my husband will put her in the freezer! AH!>.

While I was there, one of the guys was very nice - he buys to butcher for meat, and raises other animals and is familiar with 4H. He said they don't have to be registered.

So.... like toth boer goats just said, we'll get what we can afford. We are hoping to get a buck this weekend, especially since this new doe is not currently pregnant.

We are now looking for a full blooded boer buck, but doesn't have to be registered since it's not necessary for 4H. If my kids get into 4H then later we can upgrade our stock  We are looking for a buck that can breed now, but MUST be good around my kids since my kids are in the pen all the time playing with the girls.

We're thinking 5 does right now and a buck. Then when we get kids, we can choose which babies we want to keep for 4H, and when the others are big enough, we'll sell them. We'll probably sell some of the does we buy depending on the next two purchases and what kind of kids they throw. Our first two girls won't go ANYWHERE, we absolutely love them and they are attached to my 3yo daughter BIG TIME.

We're hoping we might find a buck this weekend. I have a few we're calling on, and we'll see what happens. I am just relieved we don't 'have' to go the registered route. We want to make sure raising the goats is the right choice for 4H and for meat & to sell and if it works out we'll get more serious. I was just under the impression for 4H they had to be registered, and it was absolute best to have registered bucks especially. As long as they are full blooded.... We'll get what we need for now


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

I think I would not put so much into the does, if you are just doing meat. In other words you can find great does that are not registered. Now the buck is what you will want to invest in. That will be 50% of your herd. I would also look into a breed of heavy muscling for the buck of your choice. The Texmaster or TMG were bred for that reason. Onion Creek, Bending Tree Ranch, as well as myself have those genetics if you are interested. Here are just some examples of these bucks.





































Here are some does from these types of lines.



























Here are some Texmaster bucks at BTR,




























Hope that helps.

MiGoat: You are correct about Onion Creek ranch. That farm did in fact perfect and patten a breed now known as the Texmaster. This farm is also home to the TMG lines. These are now called Tennesee Meat Goats and they are the Myotonic lines that were large and Onion Creek prefected the breeding to keep and breed these lines larger. This is one of the, if not the largest meat goat farm in the US.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Your very welcome...glad to help... :wink: 

Just curious ....do you have a private breeder close by ...that you can buy from?
Auctions concern me ...it's where people take goats that are sick ...or that may have problems...... Hopefully ...you won't get a problem... but ..I wanted to make you aware of the dangers.....and possibly someone else s headache... :doh: 
Craigslist sometimes sells goats cheap to...so check that out...

Good luck with your buck purchase and yep... you are right... you can always upgrade to a registered buck later.... :thumbup: 

Just to let you know ...that no buck should be trusted around children... especially when in rut....a calm and sweet buck... can turn into a monster...so be very careful.... A buck shouldn't be left in with the does... 24/7 ...all year around... it sometimes tends to... turn off the buck or does....so they become lazy breeders... also ...when the does are getting close to kidding time ...they have an odor and discharge that makes the bucks think...they are in season...if the buck chases the does around to much.... it could cause them to deliver premature...and there is that risk the buck may breed her.......... another thing is ...that the young doelings may get preggo to soon and may have difficulties being bred to young.....  

5 is a good number to start with.... it is better to start with a few... then to many ....when you are just learning....

We started out with unregistered and found for us ...that registered Show stock was for us.... we made alot more money and didn't have to wait ...until they were of butcher size to sell them.... it took alot of feed and time... with registered breeding stock they are sold...at 2.5 to 3 months old.... :wink: :greengrin: 

Each person has there own likes of how they want to raise and sell the goats...I did find that the boers are a joy....and you will love them too..... :hug: :thumb: :wink:

They are never BOER-ing ..LOL :laugh:


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## mrs. lam (Apr 20, 2010)

:drool: I want the second one! And the other spotted one....and the one with the nice long horns.....and never mind....I need to go lay down. I think I have goat fever. :sigh: 

Gina


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

It was mentioned that bucks can not be trusted with children.... this depends on the specific goat and the breed. I've owned 8 different myotonic bucks.... only 3 couldn't be trusted with my children...(1 was soooo evil he went to the freezer 3 months after we bought him!!!) The other 2 were sold to people without kids and ALL of their bucklings born here were wethered as I am not breeding for that temperament in my bucks. I sold a 4 1/2 year old buck last year.... he works with special needs children... yes, a working, breeding 4 1/2 year old buck and all of my boys out of that bloodline have been the same! granted... that is not the norm but it is possible.  

I do definitely agree with the need to house bucks separately from the does though..... bucks and does don't belong together unless they are breeding too much chance for disaster. 

Here is a picture of my SWEET little boy Shooter.  He is stinky but soooooooo friendly! LOL

I can't wait to see your new goaties! CONGRATS I bet your family is really going to enjoy showing! Just be careful... it's VERY addicting!!!! LOL


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

well hope you find a nice buck, breed the best you can get!

and I'd never trust a buck in rut.  they can snap and I'd hate to be between them and a hard place


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

mrs. lam said:


> :drool: I want the second one! And the other spotted one....and the one with the nice long horns.....and never mind....I need to go lay down. I think I have goat fever. :sigh:
> 
> Gina


He is the Sire to my Brock. The other spotted one is the sire to Drucilla. The first is the sire to Silver who is the only longer haired do. She is mine. Pretty much all ove them are sires and dams to something on my farm. LOL All but the texmasters. I thought the same thing when I saw them and because I was not able to by them I got kids from them. LOL


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Just to let you know ...that no buck should be trusted around children... especially when in rut.





> It was mentioned that bucks can not be trusted with children.... this depends on the specific goat and the breed.


 I did mention that....I would hate for a newbie.... to not be informed... that anything can happen... with any buck breed and depending on a childs age and size.... together with a bucks age and size... that caution needs to be suggested.... Bucks in rut or even when they are not....can cause injury... no matter the size ....they can be over powering... . :hug: :wink:


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## DPW (Mar 13, 2010)

Personally I would not take the risk of allowing children into a buck pen. Of course age, speed, and agility of the kids is to be considered. :wink: 
And an auction yard would not be my first choice for purchasing breeding stock. I'm sure plenty of decent goats are sold at auction. But it is also where people sell problem animals. 
Any new goats you bring onto your property should be quarantined for thirty days.
When buying goats make sure you see the whole herd. Not just the one(s) the person is selling. Pay attention to the general health of the herd and what their facilities are like. Ask about their vaccination routine. The vast majority of goat people are great. But it would be naive to think there are not those who are willing to take advantage of people new to goats. I know. I've met them.
You already have two pregnant does. You might not need to get a buck right away. Shop around. The buck is important. 
In our neck of the woods people breeding for 4H wethers breed around June, July, and August. It depends on when the 4H shows happen in your area. The Oregon Meat Goat Producers held our 4H wether and breeder pen sale at the end of March.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks everyone! We have decided to try and find a young buck, and are going to look at a paint buck this afternoon who is about 5 months old and around 35-40 lbs? I could be wrong on the weight.
There is another one we are supposed to look at tomorrow, they may have a couple but not sure yet how many <she's looking into what her brother has since they both breed>. These aren't registered bucks, but we're just trying to find a starter for our does.

I bought one doe from an auction <I posted about her in the newbie section>, she does have issues, mostly just a hurt foot, but overall the does all looked very good that they were selling, she was 3-4 years old and the others were much older - only reason they were being sold since they are trying to downsize their herd to make room for the new does.

At what age do bucks usually 'rut?' I know I need a handbook that I can carry with me and read from time to time.

We are hoping we could keep a buck in with the girls just until we get a buck pen made. I told my husband we should make it across the creek in the wooded area. And later we'll make a second pen that away we can move him around if need be.

So much to do, and trying to do one thing at a time! It's a lot of fun though, and we are enjoying our does! I think we're going to have them spoiled rotten...one of them already is!


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## DPW (Mar 13, 2010)

_"At what age do bucks usually 'rut?'"_

A general rule of thumb is to seperate intact bucklings from does/doelings at 3 months of age to ensure no accidents happen.


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## Perfect7 (Apr 19, 2010)

You sound just like us getting started out! My kids are also going to show in 4-H and they do not have to be registered. In fact, they don't have to even be boers since it is a "meat goat" show. You might want to check your area to see if they have to be debudded/dishorned to show. Ours do not, just have the ends of the horns tipped so they are blunt and not sharp.
The doelings we started with are also 50% unregistered boers (2), and one adult doe is purebred but her sale price didn't include papers. The last one was culled because she needs regular hoof trimming, so she was priced really well. For our buck, we found one out of a 75% doe by a 100% buck with awesome bloodlines that throws great show wethers. So, at 88% he's not registered but for our purpose right now that's not needed. We're also doing meat and 4-H. Did you get that pretty paint buckling?


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