STANDARD FULLBLOOD BOER
The following is the Breed standards as drawn up and accepted by the Boer Goat Breeders’ Association of South Africa & adopted by the BGA Boer Goat Australia. Minor alterations have been approved to suit the Australian Boer Goat & approved by the SABGA. The aim of the breeding standards is to improve the breed and to increase the economic value.
BGA are proud to be members of the SABGA. Private membership of SABGA is also available & highly recommended. “Learn from the Masters”
Boer Goat Australia is using the breed standards of the South African Boer Goat Breeders Association with minor changes applicable to Australian Boer goats, appropriate guidelines are set down to encourage the breeding of a more suitable Boer Goat with increased economic value to our Australian Commercial and Stud producers alike.
We will continue to value productive traits such as conformation, good structure and mobility over aesthetic traits.
In applying the following standards there are many aspects which cannot be completely defined, in such cases a judge must use his or her discretion. The major part of the body must be white, a pigmented skin on the hairless parts i.e. under the tail, round the eyelids and mouth etc. is absolutely essential because it offers resistance to sunburn which may result in skin cancer. A pigmented skin is also more resistant to other skin diseases and a loose supple skin is for adaptability to climatic conditions.
Genetics:
Fullblood registration in this category is only open to goats that are of Standard Fullblood Boer Genetics that track back to South Africa.
Head
A strong head with large, soft brown eyes, without a wild or untamed look. A strong, slightly curved nose, wide nostrils, strong well-formed mouth with well-fitted jaws. Up to 6 teeth must show a perfect bite. Eight tooth and older may show 6mm protrusion. Permanent teeth must cut in the correct anatomical place.
The forehead must be prominently curved linking up with the curve of nose and horns. Horns should be strong, of moderate length and placed moderately apart with a gradual backward curve. Horns have to be as round and solid as possible and in dark colour. Ears are to be broad, smooth and of medium length hanging downwards from the head. Ears that are too short are undesirable.
Characteristic faults:
Concave fore-head, horns too straight or too flat: the tips of the horns must not press against the neck, pointed jaw, ears folded (lengthwise), stiff protruding ears, ears too short, over- or undershot jaw and blue eyes.
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Neck & Forequarters:
A neck of moderate length in proportion to the length of the body, full and well fleshed and well joined to the forequarter is essential.
The breastbone should be broad with a deep broad brisket. The shoulder should be fleshy, in proportion to the body and be well fitted to the withers, the withers to be broad and not sharp. In Does, the neck should come out and deep from the chest, blending smoothly with the shoulders, be wide in its attachment and rising gracefully to the throat latch, showing refinement in the female. In Bucks, the neck should be thicker and show skin folds as a sign of masculinity. The chest should be broad with a deep brisket. The shoulder should be well muscled in proportion to the body, and be well fitted to the wither.
Characteristic faults:
Very long, thin or short necks in proportion to the body or shoulders too loose.
Barrel. The barrel should be long, broad and deep. The ribs must be well sprung and fleshed, the loins well muscled, the goat should have a broad fairly straight back and must not be pinched behind the shoulders, a small dip behind the shoulder is acceptable.
Barrel:
The ideal is a long, deep broad barrel. The ribs must be well sprung and fleshed, and the loins as well filled as possible. The goat should have a broad, fairly straight back and must not be pinched behind the shoulders.
Characteristic defects:
Back too concave, too slab- sided, too cylindrical or pinched behind the shoulder.
Hindquarters:
The Boer Goat should have a broad and long rump, not sloping too much, well fleshed buttocks which are not too flat, and have fully fleshed thighs. The tail must be straight where it grows out of the dock and then may swing to either side.
Characteristic faults:
Narrow hips, rump that slopes too much or too short from hip to pin, poor muscling particularly in the bucks, short stitch/poor inner thigh development, and a wry tail. A too long shank or flat buttocks.
Legs:
Emphasis should be placed on the legs which should be strong and well placed, be of medium length and in proportion to the depth of the body. Strong legs imply hardiness and a strong constitution, which is an absolutely essential characteristic of the Boer Goat. The upper leg should be long in proportion to the cannon bone and well muscled, with strong well formed pasterns and coloured hooves. Leg bone should be wide, flat and dry.
Characteristic faults:
Knock knees, bandy legs, cow or sickle hocks, post legged, thin or fleshy legs, weak pasterns and hooves pointed outwards or inwards, or lacking good pigmentation colour.
Skin & Covering:
A loose supple skin with sufficient chest and neck skin folds, especially in the case of a buck. Eyelids and hairless parts must be pigmented. All hairless skin (i.e. under the tail, around the mouth and eyelids) should have a minimum pigmentation of 75%. Pigmentation may range from light through to dark. Hair should be short, dense and glossy, a limited amount of cashmere will be tolerated with a winter coat.
Characteristic faults:
Hair too long, coarse or sparse, fine and open. Pigmentation less than 75%.
Sexual Organs – Does:
Well formed udder firmly attached with no more than 2 separate teats on either side. The ideal for stud registration purposes are 1 each side, 2 each side or 2 + 1 teats.
Characteristic faults:
Any teat variation of more than 2 separate teats per side. calabash/bottle teats or pendulous udder.
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Sexual Organs – Bucks:
Two reasonably large, well formed, healthy and of equal size testes in one scrotum. A scrotum with no larger split than 2.5cm is permissible. The scrotum must be at least 25 cm. at maturity.
Teats must be either 1 each side, 2 each side or 2 + 1.
Characteristic faults:
Small testes, a scrotum sac with a circumference of less than 25 cm at maturity. Bunched, calabash or split teats
Size:
The ideal is a medium sized, heavy goat with maximum meat production. A desirable ratio between length of leg and depth of body should be achieved at all ages. Kids tend to be longer in the leg.
Characteristic faults:
Goats that are too large or too small (Pony Type).
Colouring:
The ideal Standard Boer goat is a white goat with a red head and ears, with either a white blaze or with full red colouring. Uniform shading between light and dark is permissible. The minimum requirement for a stud animal is a red patch of at least 10 cm. in diameter on both sides of the head, ears excluded. Both ears should have at least 75% red colouring.
The following is permissible for Stud Quality:
Head, neck and forequarters
a complete red colouring is permissible not further than the shoulder blade and on the shoulder not lower than level with the chest junction.
Barrel, hindquarters and belly
only one patch is permissible not exceeding 10 cm.
Legs
the term ‘legs’ is taken to mean that portion below an imaginary line formed by the chest and the underline, patch or a number of patches that do not exceed a total area of 5 cm. in diameter.
Tail
the tail may be red, but the red colour cannot continue onto the body for more than 2.5 cm.
Red hair and covering
very few red hairs in the white of the coat are permissible from the age of 2 tooth.
General Appearance:
The Boer Goat is an animal of quality showing balance and symmetry and a strong vigorous appearance. a goat with a fine head, round horns that bend backwards, a loose supple skin with folds, especially in the Bucks and with body parts well fleshed and in perfect balance..
The Doe must be feminine, the body wedging slightly to the front, which is said to be a sign of fertility.
The Buck must demonstrate masculinity and strength and is heavier in the head, neck, forequarters and rump.
The South African Boer Goat is an animal with symmetry, with a strong, vigorous appearance and fine quality, above all the Doe must be feminine and the Buck masculine.
Flock/Commercial Goat: A Flock goat is a Boer Goat which does not comply with the stud standards but has no cull defects. The red colour of the commercial goat must not create the impression of being motley. Under the tail the flock goat must be at least 25% pigmented.
Structural correctness always remains more important than cosmetic issues.
Explanation of Breed Standards
In applying these standards there are many aspects which cannot be completely defined. In such cases the inspector or judge must use his discretion. In spite of the breed standards being clear and to the point, it is never the less necessary to supply additional information in respect of certain descriptions. The major part of the body of the goat must be white to make it conspicuous and to facilitate the rounding up of goats in dense terrain. A pigmented skin on the hairless parts, e.g. under the tail, round the eyelids and mouth etc., is absolutely essential, because it offers resistance to sunburn which may result in cancer. A pigmented skin is also more resistant to skin disease. A loose, supple skin is essential for adaptability to climatic conditions. In addition, skin of this kind provides additional resistance to external parasites.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
WHERE AN ANIMAL IS HIGHLY EXCEPTIONAL IN ITS FUNCTIONAL TRAITS AND DISPLAYS AN AESTHETIC FAULT, ITS EXCEPTIONAL TRAITS SHOULD BE RECOGNISED.