Does anyone milk their Boers?

[chickenrunnin]

I was told that for a dual purpose goat these were great. I dont want alot of milk but some and we are raising them for meat. IF you do, how much do you get and what are your thoughts.

kelly

 

[houndit]

I do not have Boers but I see no reason why not. I am surprised that they were recommended for a dual purpose. I know people who always complain that their boers never give enough milk. One lady even crossed hers with Nubians because her does did not have enough milk to feed their kids. Try it out and tell me how it works!

 

[ksalvagno]

No reason why you can't milk Boers but they really aren't a dual purpose breed. They really are a meat breed. Most people cross a Nubian with a Boer for a dual purpose breed.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

i talked with a lady locally who milked her boer....but i'm also wondering why someone would say they are dual purpose??? maybe they had a cross (nubi x boer)????

my neighbors have boers and even on their best day they dont have half the milk that my lamancha has....and since they are shorter i think they'd be 'less easy' than a standard milker to handle everyday.... and if i think about it, their boers dont have very nice udders = small and not well shaped.

hum.. wonder why someone would say dual purpose.... hum....

sorry thinking out loud. i guess that any goat could be dual purpose but some breeds are better than others just for dairy or just for meat.

i'm breeding my lamancha to their buck to see if i can get a meaty enough kid that will be good for butchering.. but i never considered keeping a female kid to try and milk. hum. i'll letcha know what i come up with.

good luck and let us know how it turns out

 

[Roll farms]

I know this is old but just in case anyone else 'wonders' about milking boers...

Their milk is good, as rich as my Nubians.

I didn't 'set out' to milk them on purpose, but all of our kids are trained to get on the stanchion as youngsters, so I can easily trim their hooves, etc.

The boer does decided they WANTED to be milkers, they'd start coming in and hopping on the stanchion when they saw the dairy girls getting milked (and extra food) and since I needed the milk, I thought, "Why not?"

Most don't give as much, and do have a shorter lactation than the dairy, but I have one Boer X Kiko who's a solid 10# a day milker.

I wouldn't call them 'dual purpose' at all, though....but if mine are willing and lactating, I will milk them if I need it.

 

[animalsRawsome]

I've never milked a full boer before, but my half alpine, half boer milks about a gallon a day!!!

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

I've milked one of ours that was engorged and pretty miserable, but not like you would a dairy breed.