boer goats

Hi all,
This is my first post. I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the boer goats? I have a LaMancha and Nubian and have had them for 10 years. I will be getting two boers in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone knows if they are any different than other goats. What do you all worm your goats with? I am planning on breeding these goats and using them for meat. Is it true that they eat weeds and things that other goats won't eat? Thanks any info on them would be greatly appreciated! I have looked at sites on them but would like first hand info. Karen

Welcome, Karen! I don't know anything about goats, but just wanted to welcome you! Hope you enjoy it here!

I had boers until they kept getting out and eating my garden. If they have horns then you need to reenforce your fence. They killed the bottom side of mine and the electric wire never stayed up. We wormed with the bag of wormer in the feed. They will eat anything and everything. They cleaned out our pasture land that had been grown up for over 30 years. Hubby took out some trees (Cherry)and they did the rest. The only thing else I can add is DO NOT let them eat wilted cherry leaves or peach leaves they are toxic.

What would be the minimum age for slaughter of a boer goat be?

can't say for goats, but cattle (our anyway) are 10 to 18 months when we sell at auction, the ones we fatten for the family are 14 to 16 months, and have 6 weeks on grain

12acrehome wrote:can't say for goats, but cattle (our anyway) are 10 to 18 months when we sell at auction, the ones we fatten for the family are 14 to 16 months, and have 6 weeks on grain

Your lucky to have your own beef, wish I had room to keep a few. I figure I have room for a couple goats and would like to raise a couple for meat. The price of beef here is a bit crazy, so a couple goats could save me a lot of money.

Well, don't be too envious, it's my grandfathers place that the family raises cattle. I don't have room either.

12acrehome wrote:Well, don't be too envious, it's my grandfathers place that the family raises cattle. I don't have room either.

Access to the family farm is better than access to the over priced grocery store lol
There is not much beef farming here in NB, not sure why?... but it makes for very pricey meat at the grocery store.

Ok consider this, yes I eat steak that cost $7.00 a pound, but so does the roasts and hamburger. Feed costs are about $250 / ton, it takes 3 to 5 tons to fatten 4 cows. An 1,800 pound steer will give you around 750 to 850 pounds of meat, but the processor charges you for 1,800 pound weight. That 850 pounds of meat is 70% hamburger, 20% roasts, and 10% steaks, that is including minute and flank steak. So do we save any money, not when you look at fence maintenance, pasture and hay maintenance, and the costs of cutting, raking, and baling hay. What we do end up with is a freezer full of beef once a year, and no worries about where it came from, what it was fed, or what is in it.