# Are spotted boer crossbreds registerable?  And other questions....



## farmgirljen (Jul 19, 2011)

We are beginning to look into meat goats for a 4H project. We have lots of goat experience and have a few pet/brush eater goats- but no experience wiht meat goats. Do 4H meat goats need to be registered?  Is it ok to use a percentage goat for a meat goat project? If we are only looking to raise goats for 4H or private meat sale, are papers all that important? I LOVE spots- but how well would a spotted meat goat do at the 4H level, does color matter?


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## 20kidsonhill (Jul 19, 2011)

At this time spotted meat goats are not doing all that well at the show,  But if you do spotted you have to pick through a lot of trash to make sure you get a good body shape and a nice long loin.

They do not have to be papered for meat shows, unless you are referring to breeding stock shows. Then they may need to be papered for that.

You can show any kind of goat in a meat goat show, but of course a pygmy or nubian isn't going to stand a chance. You need a boer or boer cross.

87.5% boer cross nubians do pretty well,

I hear high percentage boer alpine do very well, also. 

But you can do any percentage boer you want or full-blood if you choose.

I am in a hurry, I will get back with you a little later. 

Where are you located?


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## farmgirljen (Jul 19, 2011)

We are in Oregon. Only looking to show in 4H level shows, and do a meat goat project for a 5th grade kid. We have 7acres though, and there is a large market for goat meat in our area-and we love spotted goats.


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## Roll farms (Jul 19, 2011)

I registered an 88% spotted boy (in my avi) w/ USBGA.

I have had kiko kids win meat shows...it just depends on if it's a BOER-loving judge, or one who acutally judges for market quality / meat. 
I say, the BEST goat should win...but if a judge raises trads....who do you think he's going to pick???


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## farmgirljen (Jul 19, 2011)

HeeHee, we experience the same thing with our Clydesdales at open horse shows,lol... Many judges are not familiar with clyde conformation,so therefore do not know how to judge us... Thanks for the answers so far.


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## M.R. Lops (Jul 19, 2011)

I show in 4-H, we have purebred Boers that are ABGA registered and some mix breed dairy goats.  No, for all the shows I've shown at they do not have to be purebred or registered.  In Dairy Goats and I think meat goats to, different breeds are judged separately.  At my shows they even judge cross breeds separately, which is nice because not many people show cross breed dairy goats.  Everyone in the 2 shows I show in have boers or boer cross meat goats, so they're all judged together.  They don't have to be purebred and you can even register percentage meat goats.  I've had some boer and nubian crosses that have really well.  I actually am looking into getting some spotted goats or more colorful boers to add to our herd, but there aren't many in my area.  And I think someone said before they don't usually show as well though.  Well, good luck!


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## 20kidsonhill (Jul 19, 2011)

They often don't show as well, because there is such a demand for them, breeders are selling stock that should not be used for breeding.  The overall quality of registered spotted boer is lower than the traditional colors.  People are pickier about the traditional boer goat and the ones that aren't good quality are often butchered. Just about all spotted boer goats are sold right now for breeding. NOt saying there aren't some good quality spotted boer out there, but you are going to pay for them. You are even going to pay plenty for the not so good spotted boer.


you have to really now what you are looking for and pick out good onse and be prepared to pay for them.  Kids buying whether goats, don't have an endless supply of money to pay for them, and often pick the colors because they are cute and over look structure, therefore the onse I have seen often don't do very well. It could be different in different areas depending on how popular spotted/colored boer are and how much good quality stock is available.  


There are a lot of years behind breeding good quality traditional boers, it is going to take some more time for the reds and spotted to catch up to this. In my mind it really isn't the same as comparing two different breeds with in a species.


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