Boer Goat

Looks how to spot one

Short, glossy hair

The Boer goat has a short, glossy coat that lies close to the body. The breed standard calls for a white body with a reddish-brown head that often has a white blaze, and the skin should be pigmented. The ears are broad, pendulous and smooth, and the horns are dark, backward-curving, round and solid.1

Personality what they are like

Boer goats are generally calm, docile and easy to handle, which makes them popular with smallholders and hobby keepers. They are social animals that thrive in a herd. However, mature bucks can become territorial and more aggressive during the breeding season, so they need careful management and secure housing.3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Boer goats are browsers, not grazers, and need space to roam and forage. They are efficient walkers and can navigate mountainous areas and dense shrubbery. They benefit from rotational grazing or access to good-quality pasture, and they can be used for vegetation management in thornveld areas.13

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Routine care includes regular deworming and parasite monitoring, vaccinations, and hoof trimming. They need a dry, well-ventilated shelter with protection from extreme weather, and secure fencing is especially important for bucks. Their short coat requires minimal grooming.3

Home where they are happiest

Boer goats need a dry, well-ventilated shelter that protects them from extreme weather. Secure fencing is essential, especially for bucks. They are adaptable to a wide range of climates and can thrive in arid, semi-desert conditions where other livestock struggle. They do not require large amounts of land but benefit from good-quality forage and rotational grazing.34

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Boer goats are browsers and thrive on high-quality forage such as pasture and hay. They also need supplemental grain for growth and breeding, as well as mineral supplementation. They can graze on thorn trees, bushes and shrubs, and are able to exploit low-quality scrubland.31

Company who they like around

Boer goats are social animals that do best in a herd environment. They should not be kept alone. Mature bucks can become territorial during breeding season and may need to be separated from other goats for safety. Does are generally easier to handle and more consistent in temperament.3

The story where it all began

The Boer goat was developed in the Eastern Cape of South Africa from about 1920 onwards. European settlers in the 17th century found goats kept by the Khoikhoi people, and later Boer farmers crossed these with Bantu stock, possibly with some influence from Angora, European or Indian goats. The name 'Boer' is the Dutch word for farmer and was used to distinguish these short-haired goats from the Angora goats imported in the 19th century. Selective breeding for meat qualities, foraging ability and the distinctive white body with red-brown head began in earnest in the 1920s. A breed society was formed in 1959, and the breed has since been exported worldwide and used to improve other meat goat breeds.12

Recognised by the official bits

SA Boer Goat Breeders' Association

Breed society established in 1959 in Somerset East, South Africa1