Detailed Explanation of Key Points on Boer Goat Breeding Technology

The Boer goat is one of the most roughage-tolerant and adaptable livestock breeds. It can adapt to various climatic zones in South Africa, and performs well in inland climates, tropical and subtropical scrublands, semi-desert and desert regions.

Management in the early stage of introduction

1. Preparation before introduction: Goats love cleanliness and dryness and fear heat. Therefore, before introduction, the pens and exercise yards must be thoroughly cleaned, and the pens, feed troughs and surrounding environment disinfected with 2% caustic soda water or Lysol, after which the feed troughs should be rinsed clean with clean water. The pens are required to be well ventilated in summer, moisture-proof and shaded, and able to protect against cold and wind in winter.

2. Feeding and drinking water: Breeding goats are all very fatigued after long-distance transport, so the goats should first be allowed to rest fully and not be startled, and given water only after they have settled down. The first drink must not differ greatly in temperature from body temperature, and the water must be clean and fresh. Since the goats have been fasting for a long time, the first feeding should not be too much; they can be given high-quality dry green grass to 60-70% satiety so that gastrointestinal function can be fully conditioned, and then concentrated feed should be gradually given and increased along with free-choice forage.

3. Sorting and grouping the goats: After feeding and a short rest, all introduced goats should be counted and inspected, and grouped by sex, age, individual size and physical condition. For thinner and weaker goats, appropriately increase the amount of concentrated feed and give special care so as to restore body condition as quickly as possible.

4. Deworming and preventive inoculation: Deworming should be carried out in batches according to specific circumstances, that is, flexibly according to the flock structure, pregnancy and breeding status, and the goats' body condition. Preventive inoculation focuses on vaccinating with the triple vaccine, goat streptococcus vaccine and lamb dysentery vaccine, etc.

5. Observation and treatment: Boer goats have very strong disease resistance, and symptoms in the early stage of illness are not obvious. Their mental state, feeding, movement and drinking should be observed carefully and frequently; if anything slightly abnormal appears, it indicates the goat is already ill, and the cause should be promptly identified and treatment given. Newly introduced goats are often found to cough, have a runny nose, mild diarrhea or large clumps of feces; these are normal phenomena and generally last only 1-2 days. If they last a long time or are relatively severe, they should be isolated and treated promptly.

6. Reducing stress: Because of differences in environmental conditions, feeding methods and feeding levels between the place of introduction and the place of raising, the feeding method must not be changed all at once but should be transitioned slowly and gradually, so that the goats reduce stress-stimulus reactions as much as possible and adapt to the local environment and feeding method in a relatively short time.

Preparation before lambing

Preparation before Boer goats lamb: Before lambing, the maternity meat-goat shed should be cleaned thoroughly, and the walls and floor disinfected with 5% alkaline water or 2%-3% Lysol; whether spraying the floor or coating the walls, it must be done carefully and thoroughly. During the lambing period, disinfection should also be carried out 2-3 times. The maternity meat-goat shed must have sufficient area. During the lambing period, dryness and a constant temperature should be maintained as much as possible. Dampness in meat goats easily causes problems. Feeding and management tools, feed troughs, hay racks and other utensils must all be checked and repaired before lambing, and disinfected with alkaline water or limewater. Farrowing pens are essential utensils at lambing time. After the ewe has lambed, keeping her in the pen not only prevents interference from other meat goats but also makes it easier for the ewe to recognize her lamb. Therefore, farrowing pens should be prepared or repaired before lambing. In pastoral areas in summer and autumn, it is best for Boer goats to set aside some grassland not far from the meat-goat pen, fenced off as much as possible and not grazed. This grassland is used exclusively for grazing lambing ewes, and its area should be sufficient for grazing the lambing ewes for 1.5 months. The grassland should be sheltered from wind, face the sun, and be close to a water source. Ewes generally do not go out to graze within a few days after lambing, so there must be enough high-quality dry hay, silage and succulent feed to supplement the feeding of lambing ewes.

Postpartum management

1. As the due date approaches, pay attention to the ewe's condition and do a good job of assisting the birth. On the day the lamb is born, promptly clear the mucus around the newborn lamb's mouth and nose and the meconium at the anus, and disinfect the umbilical area with 5% iodine tincture; it must be allowed to suck colostrum to help expel meconium. If the ewe dies or lacks milk, one may manage to have it take colostrum from another ewe. A newborn lamb that is strong can suckle by itself; weak lambs, or those with first-time ewes or ewes with weak mothering ability, need manual assistance in feeding, that is, pen the ewe in a mother-lamb pen, hold the lamb up to the udder, and the lamb will suckle. Weak ones should be nursed once every 1-3 hours; after several times, they will find the ewe and suckle by themselves. When nursing lambs, ewes often sniff the lamb's tail region to identify their own lamb; therefore, when lambs are nursed by other ewes because of lack of milk, multiple births or other reasons, the lamb should be rubbed with the ewe's urine so that she accepts it.

2. Lambing should generally take place in a lambing room or specially made lambing pen. For 3-7 days after birth, the mother and lamb live here to ensure the lamb can take colostrum and to promote bonding between mother and lamb; at the same time, care should be taken that the ewe does not crush the lamb while resting at night. On the 7th day after birth, the ewe may appropriately go outside the shed to graze, and at noon the ewe should be brought back to the shed to nurse the lamb. In the evening when they return, care should be taken to let each lamb find its own ewe; if conditions permit, it is best to house the mother and lamb together for 15-20 days.

3. When lambs are 15-20 days old, they should be trained to eat grass. At half a month of age, supplement with mixed feed at 50-75 grams/day; at 1-2 months of age, supplement at 100 grams/day; at 2-3 months of age, supplement at 200 grams/day; at 3-4 months of age, supplement at 250 grams/day. The mixed feed should preferably be composed of beans, bean cake, corn, etc.; it is best not to use cottonseed cake. Dry hay should preferably be alfalfa, peanut vines, willow leaves, etc., and the dry hay should be chopped. Feed concentrated feed first, then roughage, and also appropriately add green feed; at the same time ensure enough drinking water, and let the lambs exercise in the exercise yard for a certain time every afternoon.

4. The method of weaning lambs is that they must be weaned at 3-4 months of age. The single weaning method is mostly used, that is, separating the mother and lambs into groups and no longer keeping them together. After weaning, move the ewes away and manage the lambs in groups by sex and strength.

5. Timely castration and tail docking: Non-breeding lambs can be castrated at about 4 weeks of age, commonly by the surgical method and the ligation method. Tail docking can be carried out within two weeks after birth, commonly by the cautery docking method and the ligation docking method.

6. Strengthening supplementary feeding of lactating ewes is very beneficial to the growth and development of lambs. Within 8 weeks after birth, lambs mainly rely on mother's milk for growth. Supplementary feeding of ewes is mainly in late gestation and lactation, about four months in total. For supplementary feeding, choose good-quality dry hay and concentrated feed; each day one may supplement 1.5 kg of dry hay (preferably alfalfa or wild dry grass), 1.5 kg of silage, and 0.45 kg of concentrated feed. Within 3 days after lambing, if the ewe is in good body condition, concentrated feed may be temporarily withheld and only high-quality dry hay fed, to prevent indigestion or mastitis.

7. Do a good job of shed hygiene; keep it dry, clean and warm, maintain the temperature at 0-5°C, and prevent drafts. Frequently add bedding grass, or dry soil, dry manure, etc., to keep the floor dry; promptly remove shed hair, wire and other debris to prevent lamb intestinal blockage or perforation leading to death. Feed troughs must be clean and hygienic.

Origin of Boer goat generations

First-generation Boer goat

The first-generation Boer goat is produced by mating a purebred Boer goat stud ram with our country's local goats; the resulting lamb is called a first-generation Boer goat cross, abbreviated as cross one. Its body-type characteristics are clearly better than those of local goats, and its weight-gain speed is clearly higher than that of the mother. In addition, its ears are not erect like the mother's but flat or slightly drooping.

Second-generation Boer goat

The second-generation Boer goat is produced by mating a purebred Boer goat stud ram with a first-generation Boer goat; the resulting lamb is abbreviated as cross two. Its body-type characteristics, weight-gain speed and body weight are clearly superior to those of first-generation Boer goat crossbred goats. Its head begins to show a slightly red characteristic, though some do not show this characteristic. Its most important characteristic is that the ears clearly droop and a rounded appearance appears.

Third-generation Boer goat

The third-generation Boer goat is produced by mating a purebred Boer goat stud ram with a second-generation Boer goat; the resulting lamb is abbreviated as cross three. Its external characteristics are already relatively close to those of a purebred goat. Its males can be kept for breeding use; the head is red or black, the body is full, the limbs are proper, the tail is upturned, and the hair is smooth.

Fourth-generation Boer goat

The fourth-generation Boer goat is produced by mating a purebred Boer goat stud ram with a third-generation Boer goat; the resulting lamb is abbreviated as cross three. Its characteristics are clearly superior to those of third-generation Boer goat crossbred goats and it is already close to a purebred Boer goat.

By the same reasoning, fifth-generation and sixth-generation Boer goat crosses are bred. First, remember one point: to breed excellent Boer goats, a purebred stud ram must be used, and the same purebred Boer goat stud ram must not be used; if purebred stud rams are used for close breeding, crossbreeding and the like, it cannot be called improved crossbreeding, and high-quality breeding goats can never be produced.