Boer Goats Breeding Standards as set by Australia

[mikey]

I will list the breed standards for Boer goats starting with colour.
Colouring:white goat with a fully pigimented red head and white blaze.A full red head is permissible.Uniform shading between light and dark is permissible.Minimum requirement far a stud animal is a red patch of a least 10 cm. in diameter on both sides of the head,ears excluded.Both ears should have at least 75% red colouring and 75% pigmentation.
The Following is Permissible:
head,neck and forequarters-a total red colouring is permissible not further than the shoulder blade and on the shoulder not lower than the chest junction.
Barrel,hindquarters and belly-only 1 patch not exceeding 10 cm. in diameter is permissible.
Legs-term legs to mean that portion below an imaginary line formed by the cheast and the underline.One patch or a number of patches that do not exceed a total area of 5  cm. in diameter.
Tail-tail may be red,but the red colour may not continue onto the body for more than 2.5 cm.
Red Hair and Covering-very few red hairs in the white of the coat is permissible from the age of 2 tooth.

Does must be feminine,wedging slightly to the front.The buck demonstrates masculinity and is heavier in the head,neck forequarters and rump.
Disqualifications:
animals that display any of the following disqualification should not be used for breeding and may not be exhibited.
blue eyes
twisted or crooked face or mouth,parrot mouth
undescended single or divided testes,monorchid or cryptorcid
Provision:
where an animal is highly exceptional in its functional traits and displays an aesthetic fault its exceptional traits should be recognised.When evaluating Boer goats production traits such as confirmation, mobility and good structure should always receive priority over aesthetic traits.to this end form should always follow function.

[mikey]

Breed standards accepted by the Boer Goat Breeders Association of Australia Limited.This stardard is a guide to breeders and sets down guidelines to encourage the breeding of an improved Boer Goat with increased economic value to commercial goat meat producers.One must know and educate themselves to know the difference between PREMIUM and STANDARD GRADES before buying fullblood(s) goats of any breed.Its your money??
Confirmation:
head;a strong.broad head showing character and a quiet disposition.Large brown almond shaped hooded eyes.A strong roman nose with flared and wide nostrils with the tip of the nose in line with the lower lip and chin.A strong curved lower jaw rising to meet the upper jaw is ideal.Up to 6 tooth must show a 100% fit and at 8 tooth may show 6mm. protrusion.Permanet teeth must cut in the correct anatomical place.A prominently curved forehead linking up with the curve of nose and horns.Horns should be strong,round solid and show colour,be of moderate length and placed moderately apart with a gradual backward curve.Ears should be long,broad,smooth,set in line with the eye and hang downwards from the head.

Characteristic Faults:
concave forehead,straight,flat or wild horns,pointed jaws.ears folded (lengthwise),stiff protruding ears,overshot or undershot jaw.

[mikey]

Neck and Forequarters:
a neck of moderate length in proportion to the length of the body.In does,the neck should come out deep from the chest blending smoothly with the shoulders,be wide in its attachment and rising gracefully to the throatlatch and shows refinement in the female.In Males,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 proportation to the body and be well fitted to the withers.The withers should be broad and well-fitted (not sharp).

Characteristic Faults:
very long thin,or short neck or too loose shoulders.

Barrel:
the barrel should be long,broad and deep,The ribs must be well sprung and 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 shoulders is acceptable.

Characteristic Faults:
concave back,slab-sided,cylindrical or pinched behind the shoulder.

[mikey]

Hindquarters:
the pelvis must be large broad and deep with good length from hip to pin.Well muscled through the rump twist and inner thighs with length through the stitch particularly in bucks,The rump should be slightly sloped.The tail should be straight at the dock and be able to move freely.

Characteristics Faults:
narrow hips or thurl,rump that slopes too much,wry tail,short from hip to pin,poor muscling particularly in males,short stitch/poor inner thigh development.

Legs:
legs should be of medium length and in proportion to the depth of the body.The upper leg should be long in proportion to the cannon bone and well muscled,The legs should be strong and well placed with strong pastern and well formed,coloured hooves.Leg bone should be wide,flat and dry.

Characteristics Faults:
knock knees,bandy legs,cow or sickle hocks,post legged.Thin or fleshy legs,weak pasterns and hooves pointing outwards or inwards or too light in colour.

[mikey]

Skin and Covering:
a loose supple skin is essential.Eyelids and hairless parts must be pigmented.All hairless skin,under the tail,round the eyelids and mouth should have a minimum of 75% pigimentation.Pigmentation may range from light through to dark.Hair should be short,dense and glossy,A limited amount of cashmere will be tolerated during winter months.

Characteristic Faults:
covering too long and course 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 a side.
Bucks:-2 reasonably large well-formed healthy and equal sized testes in one scotrum.A scotrum with no larger split than 5 cm. is permissible.The scrotum must be at least 25 cm. in circumference at maturity.

Characteristic Faults:
any teat variation of more than 2 separate teats per side.calabash/bottle teats or pendulous udder.Small testes,a scotrum with more than a 5 cm. split,scotrum sack with a circumferenc of less than 25 cm. at maturity.


Size:
the ideal is a medium sized,heavy goat with maximum meat production.A desirable relationship between length of the leg and depth of the body should be achieved.Kids tend to be long in the leg.

Characteristics Faults:
goats too large or too small ( pony type).


These are the breed standards for Boer Goats,note: this is not enough information to judge if the animal is a PREMIUM OR STANDARD (commercial)
QUALITY,goats are judged on a point system.There is a big difference in price range from Premium -Standard (commercial) goats.This information here would let anyone know what to look for in a fullblood boer goat.
Educate yourself so one knows what they are looking for when buying boer breeding stock.

There are 5 types of Boer goats recognized in South Africa according to South African Boer Goat Breeders Association:
1)-Ordinary-good meat confirmation,short hair,variety of color.
2)-Long Hair-heavy coats and coarse meats.
3)-Polled-hornless with less desirable confirmation.
4)-Indigenous-long legs,variable and poor confirmation and a variety of color patterns.
5)-Improved-primary line which breeders have been selected for.