Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 2.3
Kalahari Red (Meat Goat). For color
detail, see Appendix A.
Figure 2.2
Boer (Meat Goat). For color detail,
see Appendix A.
South Africa although some genes were derived from
goats from India and Europe (Casey and Niekerk, 1988).
The name Boer means “farmer” in Afrikaans. The South
African Boer goats have a white body with a red head
and a blaze. This breed is suited for mixed grazing
with cattle due to its browsing skills with little impact on
grass cover. The adult males weigh between 110 and
135 kg (240 and 300 lb), and females weigh about 90-
100 kg (200 - 225 lb), with an average daily gain of 0.2 kg
(0.44 lb) in feedlots and 0.14 - 0.18 kg (0.3 - 0.4 lb) on a
standard farm.
The Boer goat is a horned breed with lopped ears. The
breeding season is extended with does often producing
three kid crops every two years. A kidding rate of 200%
and weaning rate of 160% is common for this breed. The
breed is very prolifi c with potential for high growth rate
and excellent carcass traits.
The Boer goats are distributed widely throughout the
world being used to upgrade indigenous goats and improve
meat production. They are found in more than 48 countries
(FAO, 2004). This breed has been registered in herdbooks
in Germany since 1980 with Boer breed societies being
recognized in many countries. See Figure 2.2.
head Boer goat while the other line was developed from
unimproved indigenous breeds. Kalahari Red breeders
claim that this breed is tougher and more robust than red-
headed Boer goats.
This breed is well suited to semidesert and arid condi-
tions because of its hardiness and color that serve as a
camoufl age from predators. This breed thrives in very
harsh conditions. Kalahari Red is very productive, has
good mothering abilities, strong teeth, excellent growth
rates, large frames, immense goat meat conformation, and
a carcass with uniform color. It was imported by Australia
in 2000 and crossed with their feral goats. Demand for this
breed is increasing in other countries and is prized by
North and South American goat breeders (Campbell,
2003 ). See Figure 2.3 .
S
AVANNA
Found throughout the African continent, this breed is
raised by pastoralists for both milk and meat (Shrestha and
Fahmy, 2007). This breed also was developed in South
Africa from the crossbreeding of indigenous goats with
white Boer goats. Its white coat is a dominant trait over
other colors in goats. Demand for these white goats,
despite their higher price, has been high for religious cer-
emonies, for celebration of the birth of a son, and based
on the belief that white goats have superior carcass quali-
ties. This breed has high productivity, high muscular
development, and strong bones, legs, and hooves. Also,
natural selection has resulted in bare skin, horns, and
hooves that are totally black and well pigmented (Campbell,
2003 ). See Figure 2.4 .
K
ALAHARI
R
ED
These goats are considered as feral goats of South Africa
with the breed being a result of successful crossbreeding
programs started in 1990 between feral and African breeds
including the Red Boer, the African Boer, and the Nubians.
Two improved lines of the Kalahari Red breed exist in
South Africa. One line developed exclusively from the red
