Boer Goat - Crossbreeding

Crossbreeding

While purebred bucks are usually preferred for breeding purposes, it is common to use crossbred does for kid production, with the resulting offspring being 7/8 or more Boer. Common crosses are Boer x Spanish goat, Boer x Angora goat, Boer x Kiko goat, and Boer x Nubian goat, Boer x Sirohi, Boer x Osmanabadi, and Boer x Jamnapari.

Percentage Boer goats are very common in commercial meat herds, and with those just starting out in the Boer goat business due to ease of acquisition and affordability. Over time, percentage animals can be bred up to American purebred status. An American purebred is a Boer goat of 15/16ths Boer blood (F4) for does and 31/32nds blood (F5) for Boer bucks. Bucks must be one generation of Boer breeding higher than does to achieve this status because they have the potential to spread their genetic pool much further than any single doe; a higher level of Boer blood lessens the chances of other breed qualities in the offspring. Although American purebreds can never be registered as Fullblood (FB), many breeders will still use a good American purebred buck with excellent results.

Many producers still prefer purebred or fullblood bucks and does, and intentional crossbreeding is far from universal.

Note: The 'F' designation is the commonly used shorthand for indicating the percentage of pure blood (Boer in this case) resulting from crossbreeding of a Pureblood boer buck with does of other breeds:

  • F1 : 1/2 boer blood (Pureblood buck sire, other breed doe)
  • F2 : 3/4 boer blood (Pureblood buck sire, F1 doe)
  • F3 : 7/8 boer blood (Pureblood buck sire, F2 doe)
  • F4 : 15/16 boer blood (Pureblood buck sire, F3 doe)
  • F5 : 31/32 boer blood (Pureblood buck sire, F4 doe)

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