Raising Boer Goats for Show: Introduction
If you have a meat goat farm, you can also earn extra by raising Boer goats for show. You can breed show goats and sell them for those who want to show, or you can have fun at goat shows yourself.
All About Boer Show Goats: Best Tips to Raise Boer Show Goats
Boer goats originated from South Africa. They have been the most popular breed for meat since the 1900s. Traditional Boer goats have white bodies with brown heads.
A full-blood Boer can weigh 240 lbs to more than 300 lbs. their lifespan ranges from 8-13 years. If taken care of properly, they can live for up to 10 years.
If you intend to raise a show goat, you first have to invest in a good quality goat. This can cost $2500 per buck. You can then breed them with your best goats. Farmers can make a profit from show goats by maintaining a careful track record of the goats. If you have proof that your goats are from good genetics, you can sell them for a good profit.
Tips to Select the Best Goats
To choose the best breed, you can look up social media pages. Most breeders who have a good record of winning show stock have their own social media pages. Having won prizes for their goats is a good way to determine that their goats are of good quality.
If you have little knowledge about show goats, then you can hire an Ag teacher or an extension agent who will have better experience in picking the best goats.
One of the first traits you should look for is structural correctness. A goat should keep track correctly. This means that when they pick up the front foot and their back foot comes u, it should come down on the exact same spot as the front foot.
You also have to look at the muscularity of a goat. To determine this, look at its forearm. If it’s bulging, then it would most probably grow up to be muscular.
Also, look if the goat has good capacity. Its rib cage and belly should not be completely flat but have some room in them. A larger rib cage would indicate more growth potential.
Fencing for Boer Show Goats
The fencing for show goats is different from that of normal goats. Most show goat breeders use square wire fencing that is close together so that they can’t get their heads stuck in between. It is also a good idea to have a smooth electric wire fence around it. They can be trained to respect their boundaries and keep stubborn ones inside.
Housing for Boer Show Goats
It’s important to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. So have a good type of housing built for them. Keep it large enough for them to walk around and stretch their legs. A wooden barn would be ideal.
Keep the house partially open to allow enough ventilation in summer. You would also have to insulate the housing to be able to regulate the temperature. 
Building barns can be quite expensive at first, but the proper housing for show goats is crucial. You can also try many other inexpensive housing alternatives.
The nutrition requirements of Boer Show Goats.
The nutrition requirements of Boer show goats are different from that of regular goats. They require the correct amounts of Copper, Selenium and Magnesium to keep them healthy.
Boer Show Goats have to be given much better quality food than regular commercial goats. Better food goes a long way in maintaining the optimum quality of the goats and their health.
There are many food brands that cater to show goats. These include Purple Vision, Show Rite, and High Noon.
It is best to feed them thrice a day at a set schedule to have their metabolism working correctly.
Exercising Boer Show Goats
It’s important to exercise and show goats to turn fat into muscle. Run them every other day, but not for more than 10 minutes. There are goat treadmills for the job too. Do not exercise a goat until it has an adequate amount of fat on them, or it will not fill out properly.
The Health of Boer Show Goats
Boer goats develop many health issues, like urinary calculi and sore mouths. Urinary calculi is when goats get small stones in their ureter, making urination painful for them. Feeding them ammonium chloride reduces the chances of developing this.
A sore mouth, on the other hand, is a contagious virus. It causes scabs inside, outside the mouth, and in the nose. Screwworm spray will help with this, but otherwise, the virus has to run its course.
Boer Show Goats Maintenance
- Always keep the goats’ hooves trimmed neatly. This helps them walk with their feet flat on the ground. Overgrowth of the hoof wall or heel will cause them to walk incorrectly.
- If you want to show a wether goat, have the disbudded at two weeks of age.
Fitting and Grooming a Boer Show Goat
Fitting a show goat refers to getting them ready before a show. Some supplies you may need for this include clippers, clipper blades, leg adhesive (to make the leg hairs stand up), a metal comb to comb their hairs and baby oil to shine their horns and hooves. 
It is important to keep your goats clean to keep their hair and skin healthy. Clean hair also grows thicker and faster. Wash your goat twice a week with mild soap.
Use a rice root brush after you wash your goat to stimulate hair growth.
Raising Boer Goats for Show: Conclusion
Raising Boer goats for the show requires much more care and attention than regular goats. They must be given the best food, health care and grooming to maintain their optimum health and well-being. They must be carefully raised with the right amount of diet and exercise to make them worthy enough of a goat show and win a prize.
Also read: How to raise dairy goats for milk? A Complete Guide
*All pics are courtesy of Unsplash.com
