# Having problems with goats growing



## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

I have 3 goats in particular that I am worried about. They are all boer cross goats. The first is my buck. I expected him to grow super fast and big since he is a buck but I am guessing he is only about 110 lbs. He is a year old this month. I may be over thinking things but I did think he would be way bigger by now. Next is my 2 does from last February. I am guessing they are both bred. I thought about breeding them but before I decided my dad had them at his house in the field with the other does and the small buck that I am also talking about. 
If they are bred they are due the end of March. So when they were bred they were 8 months but I remember before the moved to his house for the fall the one doe was 75lbs and the other 82lbs. I know that almost follows the 8 months and 80 pounds rule. But I just think they look awfully small compaired to their dams. They almost have the body of an adult with short legs. There are no small or mini breeds in their genetics. They were always on medicated feed and hay. Since they might be pregnant I was worried about giving them grain because of their size, I didn't want the babies to get too big. I would say the does are also about 110 lbs. They have more bulk then the buck but he is taller. I am 5'11" tall and they only come to my knees. Now that this is forever long my question is what can I do to get them to grow taller. They have not had worms so I don't know what has stunted their growth. If you have made it this far I thank you for reading my lengthy question.


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

110lbs for a doe thats 11 months isn't that bad. You don't want them too heavy too young. Its good that they have a body of an adult. Are they long? are they wide? If so then they shouldn't have a problem kidding. I always heard though that it was 100lbs to be breeding age...for meat goats.

110lbs isn't bad for the buck either. It could be he was a little bit stunted from breeding that early too. He should grow fine.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Ok good. I knew I was freaking out over nothing. I am still new to goats and this is the first year we have kept any kids after the fair, and bought a young buck so this is all knew to me. I guess I was just thinking they would be as big as the dams by a year old like our pigs always were when I showed them. This is a whole new ball game for me. I am used to pigs and cattle.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I've not been around many Boers, but I do think that a general rule to follow would be that most goats don't reach their full adult size until they are around 3 years old. It sounds as though you have some healthy yearlings and they'll only take off from this point in growth.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Thanks liz I sure hope so.


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## Desert Viking Ranch (Jan 17, 2011)

Your buck may be a bit small compared to champion Boers, but he is most likely right on track based on averages. Liz is right, they most likely won't stop growing till around 3 years of age (although I think I have heard up to 5 before). Either way they will all get bigger still.

I am not sure where the 80lbs at 8 months comes from. Boers should be bred when they reach 70-75% of their estimated mature weight and should be at least 8 months old.

When calculating feed rations for Boers, they are considered growing until 18 months old (see ration balancer "class of goat" field http://www2.luresext.edu/goats/research/nutritionmodule1.htm ).

You can also use this ration balancer to help calculate your feed rations based off your does pregnancy. They should be on some type of grain or shelled corn ration in addition to whatever hay they are eating. I use a mix of Bermuda grass hay, alfalfa, goat feed concentrate and cracked corn. The amounts and mixes are based off of feed availability (prices) and the ration balancer factors. Every herd (goat even) could be different.

I don't know if your goats growth was stunted or not, I have 2 does that developed shorter legs and are overall a bit smaller, I think that's just their body type. They may have been bred a bit early but hard to say as I am not familiar with your goats, hehe. Not all Boers are ginormous


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

Well I went out and took some photos with my blackberry so they are not to good and the goats were not cooperating 
This is Joy she is the larger of the 2 does and she is super thick and deep just not tall.








This is Sky (she is the one in the front) she has always been smaller then Joy and is more of a tubular goat then a square doe.








Then this is paintball the buck. He is still in rut a little and looks shorter bodied then he really is. This boy is loaded with muscle under all that hair he looks awesome. He has a really nice big butt. He is who those 2 does would be bred to.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Roger I think all of them look just fine size wise for their age. Keep in mind that some lines grow quicker than others even with the same rations.
I had a buck that at 5 mos looked like a one year old. One the other hand another never did look like a real buck and they had the same dam but different sires. 
Joy is wonderfully wide & deep from what I can tell. Paintball is no diminutive creature either!
Now this is just how we feed here; free choice 3rd cut alfalfa yr round for all does, only during the last month of preg do they get 17% grain until weaning, then again "flush" feeding a couple weeks before breeding & a couple weeks after. 
The boys are all on grass hay.


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## RPC (Nov 6, 2009)

I have always liked Joy better then Sky. Joy has kind of the traditional square meat boer apperance and Sky is more of a show goat. Well the judge didn't like Joy at all and placed Sky way above her.


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