# Boers and Feeding



## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

onder:
I have done a lot of looking around on this site, and I have heard so many things about so many feeds but never at the same time. :chin:I have heard about...
Noble goat Grower
Noble goat (maintance/non medicated)
Calf Manna
BOSS
Hay, etc...
Because I am new to this meat goat thing, I am wondering which one, or combination of these have people had the best luck with, and how much/when (ages) do you give it? I understand some are supplements to the feed. Another question that comes to mind is at what point do you stop/start feeding medicated feed? 

As I said, I have Boers, and a boer buck to make hardy meat crosses. (open to suggestions on good meat breeds/crosses also) I hope to get a few Kinders this spring for milk and cheese. 

Thanks for your assistance, and knowledge!  It is much appreciated


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

I'm not sure if you are showing or just breeding but I feed my 9 boer wethers just noble goat (we had a grass fire so no pasture for them anymore) and I have two 6 month boer doelings and they eat purina goat chow along with show bloom and essential show doe feed


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

We feed all of the above! 

Everybody has their own feed plan though and I can't think of another farm who feeds the same as the other... Finding the right feed that works for your herd is a trail and error process.  

We give Noble Goat Grower (medicated) to all of our goats... bucks, does adults and kids. Calf Manna is given for extra weight gain, so we feed that to our 0-3 month kids until sold or if we are going to keep/show them they get it all through the show season. Our lactating does or thin does who we want to get more weight on will get it as well. 

Our "show goats" get Noble Goat, Calf Manna and a filler grain that's just a 12% Allstock. And free fed alfalfa.

Our bucks and does get the same feed. Noble Goat, BOSS and the 12% filler grain. They get grass hay/alfalfa mixed this time of year. Just pasture in the summer. 

All of our goats get 1-2lbs of grain a day or a little less even depending on what we are wanting to do with them.


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

We are breeding for market quality. They can be shown, but more for the market. Right now (and this is just my opinion) the goats we purchased seem to be lacking muscle tone. They have big bellies, but their hind quarters, and front don't look anything like what I see from other Boer farms. I wasn't sure if there were suggestions on feeding to better this issue. Even the kids we have just seem to be lacking. (same issue as above)


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

Do you have pictures you could post?


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

I can see about getting photos tonight. I have 15 goats right now, so I will get a side profile of a couple of our better looking does, and of a couple not so good looking. Actually this photo is most of the herd.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Agilitymaster this has much to do with genetics. We cant make them long loined big boned or wide if it's not in the genes.
You can however do treadmills & run uphill & all sorts of things to help develop muscle but we've never done any of it.


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

I do understand that this is genetic, but our "starter" herd we bought from 4 different places, and they are all looking more and more like the same build. Big hay bellies and no muscle. I was not sure if it was something we are doing wrong in the feeding or what. This is why I thought I would try to get suggestions on feeding for our future herd. We just started raising Boers a couple of months ago. Right now they are on just a basic farm pellet. I read someplace about the different feed and was hoping to get opinions for meat market goats instead of the dairy side. I know there are different needs/requirements.


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

I've been doing market boer wethers for a while now and I have one word, EXERCISE. We used treadmills, dogs, running them up and down our dried up pond, running laps around our pasture. They can be fed a high protein feed but if there's no exercise it's going to waste, in my opinion. I'm also breeding my does for market wethers


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

They have pasture time all day, but we have never tried anything else. The dog thing is a good idea. I have a border collie. Do you just have the dogs herd them around? My goats see a dog and run as far away as possible and sometimes the fences do not stop them. I will do more thinking on this.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Ours get a 17% feed from the time they start noticing mamas eating it & through out lactation. It is a medicated feed with a coccistat.
We also throw in a handful of BOSS with each serving.
Then free choice alfalfa & good loose minerals.


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

agilitymaster01 said:


> They have pasture time all day, but we have never tried anything else. The dog thing is a good idea. I have a border collie. Do you just have the dogs herd them around? My goats see a dog and run as far away as possible and sometimes the fences do not stop them. I will do more thinking on this.


I ran my market wethers this way. On a special made dog track. Your border collie I bet would be perfect as long as she doesn't bite them any more than a nip on the heels


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

She does not nip, or bite. She is a good little girly. I will try to think of something...Maybe I can leash train them and take them for walks up our old logging trail.  

I got a general goat mineral block for the does and buck to eat away at. As soon as I put it in with the does, they went crazy over it. I was afraid they were going to get ill and I would have to take it away. They finally calmed down over it.


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

Of you are breeding and not showing, exercise for muscle is not really necessary. You don't keep breeding stock in the same condition as showing stock. You would loose all your profit into feed. I have a thread on this subject titled breeding or feeding. I would give you a link, but I don't know how. Some of TGS's big boer folks weighed in there so you should check it out. Save your time and money to exercise only your show stock, and maybe your meat youngsters, and keep your breeders healthy but not huge.  I think that the big bellies are generally healthy rumens the more fiber they eat the bigger it gets. If they have pasture all day, that is probably what you are seeing. That is why show wethers get very restricted hay and pasture and more grains. They are trying to avoid that belly. However, the nature of a goat is to browse and they are supposed to have a nice round belly.  it is goat sexiness! Your breeding stock do not have to look like the show photos you often see to be quality animals.


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

These tips are extremely helpful you guys. Thanks  My little sister wants to start showing 4-H, so If you guys have any other pointers on anything (because we are so new at this) it would be so very much appreciated! Thanks again ;D


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

Well said Mimi! I agree!

Here is a link to the Breeding or Feeding thread: http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f185/breeding-feeding-152763/


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

Thanks Crossroads! I need to learn how to do that.


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## Crossroads Boers (Feb 19, 2011)

No problem.  

You just go to the thread and copy then paste the link at the very top of your screen.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

I just wanted to say... the goats in the picture look pretty darn good! It's a far away picture, but I can see enough to know your management is pretty good. I feed Noble Goat Grower 16 RM20 and I like it. I wish it was $10 a bag instead of $17.


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

Here are some of the best photos I could get after I got done with work. It was getting dark out so some are harder to see. The buck is a Kiko. He is a year and a half old. The doelings are around 6-7 months old, and the adult doe is 3 and a half years old. The smallest doe in the photos (one I'm holding) is one of the older doelings believe it or not. Sorry they are scruffy...They like to run through the burdock and get full of them.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

They are in great condition!


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

That is reassuring to hear! I don't know why but I think they should be growing faster or bigger for their ages. It is good to hear that I'm not as crazy as I think. My sister was caught trying to practice 4h showmanship so it looks like I will be working with 4h. And advice feel free to share. I may be asking for opinions on which goat she should use. We have 3 that would be great the problem is deciding. Thanks again for the help


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Some lines are just slower growing than others. And some get real big. Others, depending on genetics, are more demure when grown. As long as you haven't had a bout of cocci they should be just fine.


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## wildegoats0426 (Aug 30, 2013)

They look good and healthy


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## Used2bmimi (Oct 3, 2012)

Yep they look great! Nice herd.


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## BCG (Jun 30, 2012)

So, just to be sure I understand....you are raising Boer goats for the meat specifically and not planning on showing them. Correct?

If this is the case, I would not be concerned about the bellies. However, I would put them on a good quality high protein feed to promote muscle development. Also make sure they are well wormed and cocci free. This will help with the bellies as well. Make sure you know withdrawals on medications and wormers before taking to market.

I have a slightly different view on the exercise. While growing and putting on muscle, I only walk and train. Once they have bulked up, usually 4 weeks before show, I start an exercise program. Reason....they need calories to grow....exercise burns calories....like an athlete, you have to feed a lot more calories just to maintain....and....a goat will only eat so much! 

But.....again....if you're not showing them, they don't have to have sucked up guts and finely tuned bulked up muscle. Just feed them well and grow them out to finished market animals and take them to the sale.


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## agilitymaster01 (Sep 25, 2013)

Well my sister just recently decided to sahiw in 4h so there will be a couple she may show in that. We are just trying to breed good quality boers and some boer/kiko crosses.


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