# Building MUSCLE!



## AlaskaBoers

Hi,
I'm going to a boer show in one month, my boers are great, but they havent done much this winter and could use some muscle, what can i do to get these does and bucks' muscles bigger, theyre kinda flabby now. thanks


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## Shelly

The best way to build muscle is tracking, up and down hills, treadmilling and isometrics. We have spools and a ramp that go up to a box(about 2 ft high) set up in a circle/square in the pen. Last year our dog and the neighbor dog only saw each other at feeding time and would run around the pens barking and playing the goats would start run too and jump up and down on the spool and boxes. The neighbor have put up different fencing and pens. So my teen age kids have got the cloverbuds and a friend little brother to play with the goats :wink:. The goats aren't to sure about the small kids (5-8) that are loud, running and waving arms so around the pen they go. Yes my kids are supervision the whole time. I really don't no how long this will last. I think the goats are going to get use to the kids or the kids are going to get bored. Shelly


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## AlaskaBoers

thanks, we have lots of hills in the area so i might try that, my buck's pictures (attached): notice his large rump, can he be disqualified for it? he's 3yrs old, (maybe he hasnt grown into it?) I've never shown him, but he's got ennobeld bloodlines! thanks


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## alyssa_romine

Sprint him for about 15 minutes every day until the show and walk him up hills as much as possible. Treadmills work great also. I have hooked a wagon up to the back of the fourwheeler and held the goats front feet in and someone else was driving thw fourwheeler...it did build muscle but it took 3 people to do that....i was babysitting at the time so I had the extra help. This was my cousin's goat and he took 3rd place at the county fair. He was a nubian/pygmy and he beat most of the boers there. The goat's brothers took 1st and 4th in their classes.


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## enjoytheride

It would seem to me that putting feed at the bottom of a hill and water at the top would mean that they would got up and down the hill at least several times a day.


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## alyssa_romine

That would work well!


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## nancy d

OK that rump is no DQ...he may grow into it...it looks fine to me but then again Im just learning! You want good rump as well as loins. If you show him let us know how he did!
What's his bloodlines? Im very interested in all this cause we are hoping to purchase an FB buck this year. 
Judges are always saying might grow into it. Whatever IT is..the musceling etc..if you have a basically good package they can tell if they know their job.
Ive never done anything special to get my girls ready for a show except to make sure feet are trimmed and hair on the feet & around tail clipped enough to see pigmentation..along with a little spot cleaning. 
A good judge looks thru a clip job....I don't know how to do it anyway!!!....and have had a couple place very well in spite of it!


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## AlaskaBoers

On his Dam's side he has North Country (alaska goats from Annette Maze's herd) and Kapetian (ennobeld), and DSM Kala (ennobeld) then he's got South African studs. On his Sire's side, mostly North Country & South African. So he's pretty nice. I have more info and pictures of him on my website : http://www.rocknhranch.ak.tripod.com
He makes AWESOME** babies! the wether on my avatar is his feburary kid.


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## badnewsboers

There are several ways to build muscle. The best way is fast, high intensity exercise. So sprinting your goat is very effective. This can be done by chasing the goat. Some people have a special track and goat chasing dogs to do with. Or you can run with the goat. I've always just put the goat on a leash and run up and down the road. I've even heard of people building jump courses for their wethers. I've never tried that myself but it sounds interesting. :greengrin: Then of course there are always treadmills and the like. Just get that goat to run.

Another small thing you can do is build a feeder thats higher up. Then put a small step at the bottom. That way to reach the food the goat has to stand with its front legs on the stand and brace itself with its hindlegs. tHis is a cheap way of replicating the goat chariots some people use.

Also, I don't understand what you mean about your buck's rump. Do you mean how he's higher ended in the back? All boers are like that.


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## AlaskaBoers

Thanks, i've been jogging with him, people get a kick out of seeing a person jogging with a goat, but anyhow, to 

badnewsbears : i know they have a larger rump, but it seems mine has a very large not and looks like he's walking downhill, but i think he might grow into his butt, when i get him in shape, i am going to try the elevated feed though, good idea!


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## AlaskaBoers

hi, 
i thought i might update this post: 
i have been running him with big cashmere wethers and they sprint back and forth together playing and having a good time beating on each other. elevated grain with calf manna, walks every other day uphill, downhill, and free choice graze and water, i have the show on june 20th, and he's looking alot healthier! -and buffer. :shades: thanks for all of the suggestions :thumbup:


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## Di

How'd you do at your show?


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## AlaskaBoers

he won reserve champion buck, and reserve champion senior buck, in the entire class there were two goats though, hmm. the judge said he wasn't wide enough, or tall. which i believe, she did say that his front end was very muscular and he had a nice twist. thanks


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## heidi_renee

i have some baby weathers maybe 2 weeks old i want to start working with them as soon as possible to get them gaining muscle but what i do with the other goats would be to hard on the little ones so what could i do?


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## Dani-1995

I would not reccomend any working or anything on little guys (younger than 10 weeks old). It can hurt muscle and bone development just like in people. You can add.toys for them to jump on, like large wire reels. You can start them kn a creep feeder with calf manna, show feed and wheat germ or cocosoya oil. They should have access to it anytime


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## bsigley2

I love reading all of the comments on this site! They help so much! I'm training my goat now and I read on this site everyday. Thank all of you so much for answering all of the questions!


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## Goats and Rodeo

Shelly said:


> The best way to build muscle is tracking, up and down hills, treadmilling and isometrics. We have spools and a ramp that go up to a box(about 2 ft high) set up in a circle/square in the pen. Last year our dog and the neighbor dog only saw each other at feeding time and would run around the pens barking and playing the goats would start run too and jump up and down on the spool and boxes. The neighbor have put up different fencing and pens. So my teen age kids have got the cloverbuds and a friend little brother to play with the goats :wink:. The goats aren't to sure about the small kids (5-8) that are loud, running and waving arms so around the pen they go. Yes my kids are supervision the whole time. I really don't no how long this will last. I think the goats are going to get use to the kids or the kids are going to get bored. Shelly


Is that the only thing you do to build muscle? Jillian


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