Boer Goat
and Data Coordinator
Vacant
Changing the American Meat Goat Industry
Boer goats are noted for being docile, fast growing, having high fertility rates, and excellent carcass qualities, making it one of the most popular breeds of meat goat in the world. Through the subsequent decades of selective breeding, the Boer goat gained its genetic superiority and nobility, laying the foundation for what is today’s American Boer goat.
The demand for high quality, lean, healthy red meat is the one of the underlining forces behind the development of the American meat goat industry. With an eager base of ethnic consumers, the demand for goat meat continues to grow in the United States each year.
Through the subsequent decades of selective breeding, the Boer goat gained its genetic superiority and nobility…
The American Boer Goat Association offers a variety of opportunities in marketing, education, commercial industry and youth. The American Boer Goat Association is the largest Boer association in the world with membership over 7,000 annually. The association registers over 45,000 head annually. The total meat goat industry value is estimated between 150 million to 400 million dollars annually. From a small beginning in 1993, the impact of the Boer goat has significantly changed the American meat goat industry.
History
The development of the Boer goat in the early 1900’s can be traced to the Dutch farmers of South Africa. Boer is a Dutch word meaning farmer. With meat production setting the selection criteria, the Dutch farmers developed the Boer goat as a unique breed of livestock. The Boer goat has a rapid growth rate, excellent carcass qualities and is highly adapted to different environments. Through the subsequent decades of selective breeding, the Boer goat gained its genetic superiority and nobility, laying the foundation for what is today’s American Boer goat. The first full-blood Boers were brought into the United States in 1993, the same year the American Boer Goat Association was formed. Since that time a tremendous amount of interest in breeding Boer and Boer influence goats has exploded in the United States.