# Thoughts on mini boer goats?



## Shellynrrbg (Mar 15, 2013)

I am wondering what some of the thoughts would be about breeding my registered Nigerian buck to a few of my reg Boer does.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Less meat. If you just want to use him to save buying or renting a buck that is fine. Depends on what you want to do with the kids.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I have a N.D. Boer doe and I like her. She's not too small but produces a lot of milk. I haven't seen any kids from that mix but have seen pigmy cross and looking at it for meat I would say they look great. They are fairly short and chunky. This guy brings his kids in every year to the sale and he does well on them....but thats pigmy.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I think they would make a cute goat, a fun pet...but here are a few things to consider
what would be their function? 
*Meat?* they would be considerly smaller than a standard boer, which would be fine for a small family who like to process their own meat but other wise,,Why? 
you may not get the money for them you would for standard breed
*Milk?* Adding any dairy to boer can add better milking, but not always, so culling would need to be done to achieve better milking meat breed. My daughter has a pet goat who is boer crossed with alpine..but she looks boer and carries the bad teat gene and produces very little milk...by the time her kids are weened shes all but dry.

Knowing the market and your reasons will help when time comes to sell off the kids..I agree breeding to a pygmy makes more sense for a meat breed but again, kids will be smaller, other than appealing to small families or pet homes, I dont see a market...But thats me, here in Texas..meat goat country : )


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## Shellynrrbg (Mar 15, 2013)

Thanks for the input , Alittle history ..I have been breeding registered Boers for 8 yrs, I have excellent stock n bloodlines and put a lot of time money and lots of love into these guys. However in this area the producers here don't seem to understand the theory of you have to put something into them to get something out of them.They go to stock sales buy junk then half ass feed n manage their herd then wonder why they cant get good money for the meat kids that make it to the sale before they die ...When im asked how come my goats for breeding n show stock are so expensive and how the kids that don't make the cut for breeding n showstock and go to the meat sale still look so much better then the others that they bring. I proceed to tell them and they say they cant afford to do what I do and be able to make any money. I have so many horror storys from around here u would just cringe. I have gotten away from the breeding n show stock ideas. I have down sized my herd from 60 does 3 fb boer bucks to 10 fb Boer does 1 fb Lamacha doe a 50/50 boer n lamacha a 50/50 boer n Nubian and a very happy Nigerian Dwarf buck. So im just going to try some mini versions of what I have and go for broke with really cute stubby little goats and market for pet goats 
So sorry I guess im done ranting now but thanks again for the input!


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## Honey21 (Jan 26, 2014)

I think the idea is cool I love the boer breed but if they were smaller they would be easier to handle


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I hear your rant!! Its not easy to convince some folks it cost to raise Quality animals!!..If you are just wanting to play it out and see how they sell..I say go for it..there may be a great market for them...Im breeding Mini Saanen and have a lamancha bred to my NB as well..she was a tiny baby so not as large as my other Lamanchas...Minis are becoming popular...:think:


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

If that is the case in your area, sounds like they would still do well at the sale barn.


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## tess90us (Apr 6, 2015)

I had some oops here a couple months ago. Our boers goat bucks that we were taking to the sale got in with our pygmy does. Was lucky no troubles but one & we did have to pull the baby. She did survive & mom was fine also. Out of 8 kids we have sold all but 3. So we are having no problems selling them. Having a lot of interest in them though for people that are doing only mini & mini crosses. So our pygmy buck is now in with some of boer does. I did like how stocking they are looking. Would be a lot easier for those that don't want to deal with the bigger goats. My only advice would be don't breed a boer buck to a pygmy doe.


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

I was just thinking about this today. I have a dog with food allergies and he does great on goat, otherwise they don't seem to eat goat much in this part of the States, so there is no commercial market for them. My extras go towards feeding my dog and I sometimes still have to buy from elsewhere. I have NDs and was thinking that getting a Boer doe would give me kids with a little more meat without going off the deep end.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

I had several born one year, totally by accident. Beautiful blue eyed, red headed Boers in a small package! They were smaller than standard, but not by a whole lot. I had no problems at all selling them. People thought it was a great idea.

I was way ahead of my time though. This would have been in 2005 or so! Not too many mini anything up here back then!


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I am starting to breed some mini boers. My reason is that I am a registered miniature goat stud and we have some boer girls that we were going to breed to local boer bucks, but people come here and meet our boer girls and love their personality but not their size. I 
Am putting 3 of them in kid to my mini buck and already have 3 babies sold as pets.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

thats the way to do it Bree..find a market and make it work!! good for you!


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