# Nubian or Boer



## daisychick (Aug 26, 2011)

Hi all!  I am new to this forum, I spend all my time on BackYardChickens but I need some input.  I am in love with floppy ears.  I used to have alpine goats when I was young.   I have also owned Nigerian Dwarfs.  I am wanting to get back into goats and would love to get a few nubian or boer goats.   I know nubains are known for being LOUD, but what about Boers???   Are nubians truly loud even if all their needs are met?   What if they are raised with a quiet wether, do you think he could "teach" them to be more quiet???  My husband and neighbors are probably against me (because of possible noise issues), but darn it I really wish I could own a floppy eared cutie.


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## Pampered chicken (Aug 26, 2011)

What about a mini Nubian?  Maybe not so loud.  I have one loud Nubian and the others are only loud when they see us.


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## ksalvagno (Aug 26, 2011)

You could also look into a Nubian Boer cross.


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## daisychick (Aug 26, 2011)

I wonder if boer goats are a quieter breed?  Even though most Boers in our area are crosses that do have nubian in them.......hmmmmm.


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## 20kidsonhill (Aug 26, 2011)

We have nubian boer crosses and full-blood boers.  The boers never scream like some of the nubian crosses do. Most of the crosses are okay, but holly cow they can scream when they decide they are wanting to be noticed. Like as in peal yourself off the ceiling of the barn kind of screaming. 

we pretty much gave one doe away this summer because of how loud and obnoxiuos she was. 75% boer 25% nubian. I have never noticed one of my full-blood or non-boer goats screaming quit the same way. 

What is your goal with the goats? pets? meat? sell some breeding stock?


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## daisychick (Aug 26, 2011)

My goals for them are pets first, then possibly milk or selling offspring, so meat or milk qualities are really not first and for most in my decision.  We have a small pasture that is fenced for goats so I just really want some to graze in the pasture and enjoy.  Can Boers be  friendly if raised from weanlings???


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## 20kidsonhill (Aug 26, 2011)

boers can tame when purchased as weanlings off the dam. We sell many at around 10 weeks of age, to 4H kids and families starting out and most of them tame quit well, Occasionally you will get a stubborn one, Even though we handle ours very little after birth, they still tame pretty easily for the 4H shows. 

Although dam raised kids will tame very very easily when handled some each day for the first week of their lives. It is amazing how friendly some of our dam raised kids will get, just because our kids think that particular one is cute at birth and they carry them around a couple times a day for the first few days. 


Keep in mind boers are for meat, and some if your culls or offspring may head in that direction. 

How much space do you have? They say around 6 to 8 standard size goats per acre of good pasture.

Personally I really like the boers. But some of our nubian crosses are real sweet also.  we sell for meat, 4H show, replacement breeding stock and the occasional pet.


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## greenfamilyfarms (Aug 26, 2011)

I have both. We started with Boers with the intentions of raising goats for meat. Because of their personalities, we just couldn't bring ourselves to actually process any of them. So, we sold all of our registered Boers and got Nubians for milk production. We kept 2 Boer un-registered does that we just love so we can do Nubian-Boer crosses for 4-Hers.


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## Roll farms (Aug 27, 2011)

Some of our boers are just as loud as the nubs at feeding time, but as a general rule they're not as obnoxious as Nubs are.  Boers seem to be more about FOOD than any breed I've had.  
I mean, all goats are hogs, but Boers are x10 about it.  If I'm late to feed, they're the ones bellowing for me, while the Nubs are complaining about needing milked.

I know you want floppy ears, but if you can't have them b/c of noise and still want goats, go w/ Obs.  Never met a more quiet, polite breed of goats in my life.


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## manybirds (Aug 27, 2011)

daisychick said:
			
		

> My goals for them are pets first, then possibly milk or selling offspring, so meat or milk qualities are really not first and for most in my decision.  We have a small pasture that is fenced for goats so I just really want some to graze in the pasture and enjoy.  Can Boers be  friendly if raised from weanlings???


If you want milk get a nubian (or a nubian/boer cross if you don't care if it's a mutt). You can milk a boer (i asked the same question but i cant find the thread) but nubians will give more milk longer and sweeter milk.


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## manybirds (Aug 27, 2011)

Roll farms said:
			
		

> Some of our boers are just as loud as the nubs at feeding time, but as a general rule they're not as obnoxious as Nubs are.  Boers seem to be more about FOOD than any breed I've had.
> I mean, all goats are hogs, but Boers are x10 about it.  If I'm late to feed, they're the ones bellowing for me, while the Nubs are complaining about needing milked.
> 
> I know you want floppy ears, but if you can't have them b/c of noise and still want goats, go w/ Obs.  Never met a more quiet, polite breed of goats in my life.


OOOOOOO i'm bottle raising two boers and MMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA BBBBBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAA all the time. (P.S my nubian is really really loud all the time too just cry cry cry cry cry)


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## Ms. Research (Aug 27, 2011)

manybirds said:
			
		

> daisychick said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for posting your opinion manybirds.  Thinking of a nubian/boer cross myself.  Don't really care if purebred or not.  Mutts can do the job very well.   Sweet milk and cheese are what I'm looking into for my future farm.  Along with eggs and possibly veal and wool.


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## daisychick (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks for all the help on deciding you guys are all great!  

The prices around here are crazy for boer goats and even the boer crosses as this is a serious 4H area.   Sooooo because I just want them for enjoyment and hanging out in the pasture, I have decided to take the chance and get 2 nubians.  They are twin girls who were raised on their mom and have been handled quite a bit.  The breeder is really nice and let me ask tons of questions and she even told me if I have any problems with them being too noisy that she would buy them back if I needed her to!!!    I am sure after a few weeks it will be too late as I will be totally in love with them and they will stay no matter what.      I am picking them up on Sunday!!!       They already have names Stella and Luna !!!!  So excited to have goats again!


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## Ms. Research (Aug 27, 2011)

daisychick said:
			
		

> Thanks for all the help on deciding you guys are all great!
> 
> The prices around here are crazy for boer goats and even the boer crosses as this is a serious 4H area.   Sooooo because I just want them for enjoyment and hanging out in the pasture, I have decided to take the chance and get 2 nubians.  They are twin girls who were raised on their mom and have been handled quite a bit.  The breeder is really nice and let me ask tons of questions and she even told me if I have any problems with them being too noisy that she would buy them back if I needed her to!!!    I am sure after a few weeks it will be too late as I will be totally in love with them and they will stay no matter what.      I am picking them up on Sunday!!!       They already have names Stella and Luna !!!!  So excited to have goats again!


Congratulations on your new Nubiens.  Love the names.  Wishing you all the best.  Hope you post pictures once you get them settled in.


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## freemotion (Aug 27, 2011)

I love the talkative ones, personally....the gal in my avatar is a Nubian/Boer/Alpine (all grown up now) and her daughter is half La Mancha....both are talkers and I LOVE it.  I can shout their names from a distance and they will ALWAYS reply with a big, loud wail.  Or two.  Or eight.  I get a huge kick out of it.  And they don't have much Nubian in them, especially  the daughter.  My two Alpine does are quiet and when they try to shout, it comes out as a soft little feminine squeak, barely audible from any distance.  So lady-like.

Congrats on your new  girls.  Post pics when you get them!


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## daisychick (Aug 29, 2011)

I got my new girls yesterday!   Here are pics! 

There names are Stella and Luna.  They were too busy eating to pose for good pics, but at least you can see the size of their ears.   

Stella:






Luna:


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## 20kidsonhill (Aug 29, 2011)

their ears seem a little short to me.    Just kidding.  They are adorable.


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## jodief100 (Aug 29, 2011)




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## daisychick (Aug 29, 2011)

I may have to make some ear socks for them for winter time.


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## Roll farms (Aug 29, 2011)

Beautiful!  Congrats~!


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## kstaven (Aug 29, 2011)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> their ears seem a little short to me.    Just kidding.  They are adorable.


Sooner the rest of the nubian may catch up with those ears. In the meantime watch out for high winds.


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