GOAT GOSSIP: Associations not standing up for Boer breed

Fred Vandermartin

I've been writing the goat gossip for the FCGBA for over 3 years and other than using various statements from others I have pretty much did this thing myself. I received an e-mail on the Goat Gossip Group (a yahoo group) from Frank Barbee of Orient, Ohio that I would like to share with you all…..

EPD's are numbers used to designate how much better/worse the offspring of that animal will be. Going back to my Dairy roots EPD's were developed by the Holstein Association to show what a sire would improve on a dam's offspring and by how much. When taken with the classification process that had also been established where all animals could be graded on a scale of 1 to 100 with no more than 10 points per trait with the Ideal animal being a 100, (The highest an animal was ever scored to my knowledge was a 96 as a 4-year-old, was reduced to 94 as a 5-year-old) it allowed the farmer to breed his cow with a low back, rump and pins score to a bull which best improved those aspects. Unlike today's Boer AI process, which is no better than sports betting in Vegas. Some lines crossed with other lines “USUALLY” produce good outcomes but not always. Nor are those lines the best available. B-gin was ABGA's original program that was starting to do that. It does require a lot of record keeping and then a bunch of number crunching. Unlike the Boer Ennoblement, the Holstein Association's Excellent program was based on the classification process, anything over 90 was listed as Excellent. (Had a base fee and then a per animal based on the number of animals. And ALL animals on farm had to be classified, NONE could be left out so your overall farm score could not be artificially inflated by not doing the bad ones) They did have yearly champions based on the show results from the year, but those animals could not gain Excellent status unless they were classified.

Back in the late 70's and 80's the Hereford Association was on top of the world.

Herefords were winning all the shows and everyone wanted a red cow with that white face on their farm, black animals were selling below market value at the sales. A small little Angus Association was pushing what they called “Quality Angus” Beef and they targeted the consumer and commercial farms. Now every farm around has black beef cattle, and if they are red, they are calling them Red Angus. While I understand there have been studies that show that there isn't any taste difference, from a consumer's perspective so that name branding is out.

But where is the support or research showing the Boer breed produces better for the commercial producer? Buck performance testing is one thing that should be expanded and made more affordable to promote the breed. But we also need performance numbers for does. If the Boer breed can't show that it is better able to provide a profit while providing meat to the table then other breeds, Boer goats will not command the high prices they do, except in the show market. Another dirty little secret for the Beef industry is that close to 40% of all beef is actually dairy animals. The goat meat market will always have a percentage of meat coming from the dairy goats as they need a place for the unwanted males. But don't we want the Boer to make up the majority of the rest of that market?

While I do understand your comments about the differences between show and commercial animals, they will be different. But in my opinion the best show animal should be able to perform in a commercial enterprise, which isn't the case right now.

Show Steers are graded based on their ability to provide meat just like the commercial animal would do, so why shouldn't the Market Wether goat be any different? Shouldn't it be judged based on the desires of the consumer? My market buyer will not take 70-plus pound show animals because her buyers will not choose them. When they come and pick the live animal for custom butchering and say they want a goat but then when only former 4-H market wethers are left, they usually take a sheep. What does that say for the type of animals being chosen for 4-H and other wether classes? I would like to see more carcass classes for goat shows, they are a meat animal.

People don't think twice about carcass classes for steers, sheep or pigs at county and state fairs, yet I have not heard of any in Ohio for goats.

Do I expect commercial goat producers to join and register their animals with the ABGA or any other association? Nope, but I do know that the first association that starts looking out for their needs, (High rates of gains, high worm tolerance, kidding ease, twins or better, being able to raise them to market weight with little extra input.) Will be the one they turn to for help finding replacements.

Right now the ABGA, IBGA and the USBGA are all fighting over the Boer Goat Show circuits. One of them needs to start standing up for the Boer breed for the commercial market.

The Kiko's came here to do just that, they aren't as successful because of the small numbers and different environments from their native land but they are still a threat. Will any of the associations make any extra money providing services to those commercial breeders? Nope, not a single dime. BUT, unless someone starts standing up for the Boer breed and helping us produce better production animals, the only buyers for Boers will be the show people and the Boer shows will be nothing more than the AKC dog shows.

In the last 3 years I've been involved with goats, I have seen a rise in the non-boer goats at the local sale barns. I also know when I do take my animals to the market, the last few times there were not many Boers there either. According to her, there isn't any demand for the traditional Boer from her buyers so there isn't any premium paid by her for them. Size and confirmation are more important to her buyers. The classification system that Kentucky uses for its markets is the only pay scale she uses with premiums for 50 to 60 lb animals.

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Thank You, Frank! Some of you may find it surprising that this e-mail reflects the attitude of a good many Boer and commercial goat ranchers in our industry. Maybe one of the breed associations will step forward and provide the impetus to go forward. Maybe an industry-oriented association such as the AMGA or American Goat Federation can get the ball rolling. I feel that if something isn't done soon the Caprine Industry will slowly fade into obscurity as more and more breeders quit or reduce their operations and interest from new rancher's wanes. Until we look to and implement our plans for our future, we will be forever mired in our past and the present “niche” we have carved for ourselves.

That's all I have for now. Call me at 903-388-8528 or e-mail clwyer@gmail.com if you have any juicy tidbits for the Goat Gossip. Bye, for now.





FCGBA to hold open pen sale



The Freestone County Goat Breeders Association would like to announce that they will be holding their Spring Open Pen Sale on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Ike Carden Arena in Fairfield.

We invite any breeders who wish to market their stock to participate. This will be an open pen sale for everyone to participate in no matter if you are from Alpine or Arp! Come buy, sell or trade. There will be a special meat goat pen to sell your healthy meat goats for an average market price. Pens can be rented for $10 each. There will be a limit of 5 goats or one Buck per pen. The meat goat pen will be $2 per meat goat. Meat goats will be numbered and will be weighed upon sale and sold for an average market price to be determined. This will be a private treaty sale with prices agreed upon by the buyer and seller. Call our president, Garry Tugwell at 903-390-7780 or me for more information on the sale. We ask that sellers call ahead or e-mail with some numbers so that we can get a number of pens for the sellers built. Last year's Freestone County Grand and Reserve Grand show wethers were sold by Jennifer Newton of Figbar Farms (www.figbarfarms.com) at this sale!



ETGRA to hold program, meeting



The East Texas Goat Raisers Association is holding their Round Robin Educational Program and general membership meeting on Jan. 23 at the Cherokee County Expo Center in Jacksonville. The educational program will start about 9:30 a.m. with topics including medication, hoof trimming, tattooing, sonogram demonstration, 'how to tell if your goat is ill' and general goat care. Plans are being made to include a demonstration of milking a goat and information about making goat soap. Feb. 13 is the Cream of the Crop Boer Goat Show, ABGA sanctioned, to be held in Henderson. Judges will be announced later.

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Submitted by Fred Vandermartin

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