Boer Goats at Goettingen University

Improved Boer Goats at Department of Animal Sciences, University of Goettingen, Germany

...................................................................by Dr. Lok Nath Paudel
The improved Boer Goat was originated in the Eastern Cape, South Africa through selection from the indigenous goat breeds of the area. This is characterised with the red-headed large framed goat with a white body. It has short and smooth hairs. It is a non-seasonal breeder and, therefore, suits most management systems of many countries of the world. These goats are famous for their multiple kidding abilities. Triplets and quadruplets are fairly common in this breed!
There are about 200 goats in the research farm of the department of animal sciences at Albrecht-Thaer- Weg 3, Goettingen. This farm is especially managed for the research work for the animal scientists. Several researches, e.g., artificial insemination with different technologies, embryo transfer, disease and parasite investigation, etc., are being carried out in the farm. Some scenes of the goats with their stables can be seen in the photos.

Fig 1: A herd of the Boer goats (around 3 months old) in the farm
Fig. 2: Method of restraining the goats in the farm
Fig. 3: Artificial insemination in goat (keeping the frozen semen up to the both horns of the uterus- a new technology developed in the department)
Fig. 4: Adult goats inside the stable
Fig. 5: A PhD student of the department with the farm supervisor in front of the goat stable
-The Boer Goats are famous for:
-The best meat goat of the world
-Well adapted to both intensive and extensive management systems
-Excellent quality skin and white cashmere
-Good browsers that can be used to control bush and weeds
-Low fat meat which is healthy for all people!
-Tender and tasty meat at younger stage
-Multiple births-high fertility and hence high productivity
-A male can weigh up to 25 kg and female up to 22 kg within 100 days after birth
-Average adult weight could be 120 and 80 kg for male and female goats, respectively.
Goat farming is becoming popular in Nepal these days. At present, there are about 7 millions goats in Nepal. Khari goat, which is a local breed, is supposed as the best goat for Nepalese conditions. Government of Nepal with its respective department, regional directorates and district offices has been launching various programs for the income generation of the poor farmers of Nepal. It is a well known fact that men, materials and technologies are the most important resources for any kind of successful production. Khari goat can reach up to 25 kg only after one year of its birth where as Boer goat gets the same weight when it is around four months. Looking the characteristic features of the Boer Goat, keeping the man and technology constant, people can get higher profit from the goat farming if Boer Goat (material) is introduced in Nepal. So, policymakers, researchers and development authorities are humbly requested to think upon this material for the betterment of the goat farming enterprise in Nepal. Fig. 6: A less than 4 month old buck slaughtered for the Dashain festival

Fig. 7: People preparing meat from Boer buck for the Dashain festival !