# Magazine article on Boer Goats



## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

Read an article about Boer Goats in SA. The article basically said South Afrikans consider it a Boer Goat if it has a white body and red head. Any other color combinations (paints, red, black, polka dots, etc) are not Boer Goats and are considered "a goat". Also, spoke a little on the export ban.

I have both % and FB's . I have a FB "paint" and FB standard color combination. To me they are "Boer Goats". I have % does that look more "boer" than my FB.


What is your opinion? Does color/patterning matter?

Should there be a "color standard"?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

It took a long time, but ABGA has finally recognized paints & other combinations.


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

I don't think there should be a color standard. I love paint and red boers! I know that Kalihari Reds are sometimes called Boers because they look just like an all red Boer. Sometimes though, I wonder just how fullblood those spotted and dappled Boers are. They might be purebred (97% Boer) but on registration certificates some people claim they are indeed Fullblood. I don't think a color standard is necessary and coloring doesn't matter.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> It took a long time, but ABGA has finally recognized paints & other combinations.


 :thumbup:

If they are registered 100% FB boer ...that is prove enough to me...whether them being paint...solid or .... polka dot.... LOL... :laugh: Boers come in a variety of colors and patterns...the south African boer standards... is basically the traditional red head ..white body.....they do not like any other colors.... 
It is nonsense... that they do not consider boers to be boers...if they are not traditional...it is just their preference.. If the boer is not 100% ... they are registered as a %... the Association will not register something... if it is not 100%... as fullblood boer....

So your colored boers.. are boers... no worries :thumb:


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

You don't eat color, so i don't see how it matters. I consider my red buck as much of a boer as my traditional doe, and they're both fullblood.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

toth boer goats said:


> > It took a long time, but ABGA has finally recognized paints & other combinations.
> 
> 
> :thumbup:
> ...


True, but sadly, I think there are a lot of people that register fullblood animals when they aren't really a fullblood. After seeing what one woman has been doing- buying goats who can't possibly be papered, and then selling them as registered animals, I think it's way too easy to 'cheat' and I think that's where a lot of the spotted/paints are coming in, I've seen some animals there is no way they are fullblood, they definitely look like they have some dairy in them, and sadly I've seen that on several websites and craigslist ads 

With that said, i think colors are great, I LOVE boers with some color. I would love to have a spotted, solid black, or nice black/white paint. Right now we just have traditionals and a red nubian/boer doe.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I wouldn't want to see a color restriction for Boers. I've seen it with other animals, when you start putting restrictions on color...sometimes that becomes a diservice to the breed. I think color should be the last thing you think about when breeding. Focus on the goat itself, forget about it's color. Putting restrictions in place could take a lot of nice animals and bloodlines out of the breed. I love the Boers...colored or not...i'd hate to see changes in the registries to where only the "traditional" patterns could be registered.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

GTAllen said:


> Read an article about Boer Goats in SA. The article basically said South Afrikans consider it a Boer Goat if it has a white body and red head. Any other color combinations (paints, red, black, polka dots, etc) are not Boer Goats and are considered "a goat". Also, spoke a little on the export ban."


Are you refering to the article in "Goat Rancher"? I read that.
The South Africans bred their breed of goat to be white with red heads, so they are still a little cranky about Boer breeders in the US allowing other colors. The SAs culled for that. The articles said all but two breeders of Kalahari Reds in SA started with traditional Boers, so they are the same breed and the same organization registers them in SA. A little hypocrisy there if you ask me. The Goat Rancher article had some pictures of show winning Boers in SA. IMO... The US has better Boer goats winning their shows than those in SA. I think Americans have taken the SA's goat to a new level. I think even if you could still export African stock into the US, you would be going backwards.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

I don't know. I think i'd rather side with jack mauldin's opinion. What's winning in the US is not the "ideal" meat goat. South Africa has focused on making their goats the "ideal" goat-animals with high production without high maintenance. They don't focus on ribbons or ennoblements, they focus on hardy, meaty animals that don't need pampering to thrive.

http://www.jackmauldin.com/show_focus.htm


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> True, but sadly, I think there are a lot of people that register fullblood animals when they aren't really a fullblood. After seeing what one woman has been doing- buying goats who can't possibly be papered, and then selling them as registered animals, I think it's way too easy to 'cheat' and I think that's where a lot of the spotted/paints are coming in, I've seen some animals there is no way they are fullblood, they definitely look like they have some dairy in them, and sadly I've seen that on several websites and craigslist ads


 Yes... I agree...there are some dishonest breeders like that out there ....  
however....the topic question is about whether or not... if colored boers are considered 100% FB..
According to South Africa ..they frown on change ...As they created traditional boers ...it is just the way they feel... which is their opinion and likes....and I respect that....

With ABGA ...it took them quite a while to accept these changes....I remember when ...the first paints appeared at a ABGA show... the Judge literally threw out a paint buck.... he was gorgeous too... Now the association accepts all colors and styles..... So we have came a long ways....

So to the question... the answer is yes ..they are 100% FB boer...... :thumb:


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## DDFN (Jul 31, 2011)

To my understanding the traditional boer color was ideal for their environment. Which makes sense as to why they want to keep it that way for them over there, but here in the states we really have no need for keeping the traditional color for the animals well being.

It does make me think about the big deal with Friesians. Everyone thinks that there are only Black Friesians when in fact Chestnuts occur too but use to be deposed of.

The odd things that occur with what people think is right with breeds.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

We have reds, dapples, spots, traditionals and paints in our herd, many of them fullbloods. We bought the colored boers because I really enjoy seeing them, however I also love my traditional does. I expect the colored does to be every bit as nice as my traditionals though, in conformation, hardiness, and mothering skills.


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## GTAllen (Jul 22, 2012)

Tenacross said:


> GTAllen said:
> 
> 
> > Read an article about Boer Goats in SA. The article basically said South Afrikans consider it a Boer Goat if it has a white body and red head. Any other color combinations (paints, red, black, polka dots, etc) are not Boer Goats and are considered "a goat". Also, spoke a little on the export ban."
> ...


Yes, I think the article was in "Goat Rancher". I just got around to reading the first article. We have been really busy.

I think the concern was with "fade colors" and line breeding for certain colors. I have seen that with mutations in fish and birds.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Basically every thing themixedbag said I agree. I dont think color should matter just what their body is. I also agree that they are not what I thought they would be. My goats are doing better about not being cry babys but still they are not what I want them to be. Dont get me wrong I love my boers and Im sticking with them to the bitter end but was just surprised after I read so many things about boers being 'iron' goats and when I got them they were wrong. It might have to do with where they came from being so different then the life style they have here.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

My buck is what i would like to see in a commercial herd. Hardy, tough, independent, and comes from a line of tough low maintenance boers bred specifically to thrive without much help. He's not the ideal meat goat, but comes a good sight closer than many show bred boers, all while being an "off" color.

I cam understan South Africa'a desire for one color. The white body helps herdsmen to spot them for roundup, and other colors blend in to the background, making it harder to gather them up. It's their choice, just as it's ours to breed for what we want and cull on our own standards.


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## Tenacross (May 26, 2011)

TheMixedBag said:


> I don't know. I think i'd rather side with jack mauldin's opinion. What's winning in the US is not the "ideal" meat goat. South Africa has focused on making their goats the "ideal" goat-animals with high production without high maintenance. They don't focus on ribbons or ennoblements, they focus on hardy, meaty animals that don't need pampering to thrive.
> http://www.jackmauldin.com/show_focus.htm


Thanks for the link.
I have found Mauldin's site to be invaluable on many things. He has collected a lot of informantion and put it on his site. If I met him in person I would shake his hand and thank him for that. But..
I found some of his complaints to be sour grapes. I don't think he is active in a big way in showing anymore. He used to be. He did well too. A quick look at pedigrees shows he got some of his better animals from EGGS and RRD. His buck "Painted Warrior" obviously was a paint. Another look shows Jack was not opposed to line breeding on Painted Warrior. Some of the new bucks he has added recently represent what is popular in the show ring. US breed registries focus on showing because there is no money in focusing on anything else. I disagree that "show breeding Boers" are inherently less hardy because of how they look. They might be less hardy if they are not selected for hardiness. Hardy goats do well when pampered too. Coni Ross runs a large commerical herd of Boers that she has selected for hardiness and low maintainence, mothering etc. She's been doing it for years. She is also an ABGA judge that judged at Nationals this year. That tells me the Boer industry in the US does care what direction the goat is headed. Structure and function is still important. Sometimes those who are not winning look for reasons to knock those that are because those goats don't look like theirs. As a person who is seldom winning, I hope I can get away with saying that.


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## TheMixedBag (Oct 16, 2010)

I see what you mean, my main concern is that show bred goats aren't ideal, and i thought he listed some good reasons, like the horn shape, neck length and thickness, head size, bone thickness, etc. These aren't things that help.meat goats in the long run. It's the same story with horse breeds, especially quarter horses. They're bred for the highest dollar, not the meat industry.

That being said, i apologize for getting off-topic. As i said, you don't eat color, it just makes raising them more fun (plus they can make for some nice hides/leather)


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## caprine crazy (Jun 12, 2012)

> With ABGA ...it took them quite a while to accept these changes....I remember when ...the first paints appeared at a ABGA show... the Judge literally threw out a paint buck.... he was gorgeous too... Now the association accepts all colors and styles..... So we have came a long ways....
> 
> So to the question... the answer is yes ..they are 100% FB boer......


I know of a few judges you haven't got used to the "all colors and styles are accepted". One judge that was judging a county fair near me actually said in his reasons that he was against all red Boers. I also think that sometimes black/white paints and spots don't get the credit they deserve in the show ring. I have nothing against paints and spots and I believe they are beautiful!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I know of a few judges you haven't got used to the "all colors and styles are accepted". One judge that was judging a county fair near me actually said in his reasons that he was against all red Boers. I also think that sometimes black/white paints and spots don't get the credit they deserve in the show ring. I have nothing against paints and spots and I believe they are beautiful!


 :hug:

South Africa has a different climate....the mostly white body on the boers keep them cooler.... along with being able to find them at night...as mentioned...... :wink:

I see no difference in my colored boers...such as conformation ect... in comparison to my traditional boers... I do notice though... that the solid colored boers have a harder time in the heat...compared to the traditionals and paints...


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