# crossing a boer with a saanen ?? thoughts



## brokencranch (Jan 6, 2012)

so i am getting two does and they have been running with a boer buck... the does are saanen. will the kids make good meat/milkers in the furture?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

From what I've heard, BoerXSaanen make a nice cross.


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## thegoatgirl (Nov 27, 2011)

Hmmmm.....I think that the cross would probably give you both milk and meat.
The Sannen is a very heavy milk producing breed....and the Boers are really meaty. I think that it would be a good duel breed. I don't know, though. :shrug:


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## Breezy-Trail (Sep 16, 2011)

Most of the saanens I have seen have been smaller than other goats.
For instance my saanen doe was way smaller than my alpines and the Boer doe.
Boer bucks are usually huge...which could be problematic if the does are on the small side.
I have also seen some saanens that are larger and some that did that breeding with no problems.

Usually they breed large doe (Boer)to small buck (saanen) and not the other way around.
Although a lot of times it can be a good breeding.

BoerXsaanens should be a good cross. That way any males you can't sell you can use for meat and you could keep any doe kids and the doe still would produce a bit of milk.


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## Goat Song (May 4, 2011)

BoerxSannens are a good cross. :thumb: I like 'em a lot. I have a Saanen/ La Mancha doe who was bred to a whopping Boer last year. The kids were awesome! I got one doe, and one buck. The buck was really meaty, and quite the hunk. Whereas the doe was still quite "dairy", albeit slightly chunkier, and she's a really good milker.


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## Plumbago (Jan 21, 2008)

I've crossed the same and good results.
Offspring are stocky and shorter and the does retain the excellent milking line


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## naturalgoats (Jan 3, 2011)

I think that'd be a great cross... and if you come out with a baby boy that is so cute you can't stand to butcher him you have a fantastic working goat 
M.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Can't wait to see the kids. Jesse is right that a larger buck bred to a smaller doe may have kidding difficulty so just try and be there for kidding.


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## brokencranch (Jan 6, 2012)

Well that eases the mind a tad... But i was not the one doin the breeding the saanen does i am gettin have been exposed to a boer buck...but the does are about a year old so they are not tiny but they are not huge by any means... I just kinda wondered what the offspring might be like... Thanks for the info guys!!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

The biggest issue will be that the Saanen head is finer, more pointed than the Boer. In first timers the blunt Boer head may make them harder to kid. Lot of people do this with no issues at all, I think I would want to be at the birth though.


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