Beginners Guide to Raising Sheep:

[mikey]

doncorleone,
hi,if you could see what a purebred looks like,this is the best before buying one.Look in this forum,you will have to go back,look for a posting from Alaminos Goat Farm,go to this website,they have pictures of purebred boers.Maybe Dr. Nemo can post a picture of a purebred anglo for you.Crossbreeds,example f1 (anglo x native).The offspring may have the colour/patterns of the anglo sire (father),the head will change with the long ears of the sire,the horns of the father,may look like the father when full grown but will be smaller in size.One should always buy their foundation stock from honest breeders/producers.The good breeders/producers like Alaminos Goat Farm stand behind their product(s).If you are able to visit a goat farm and see the different goats ,one will have a better understanding.If you go to gallery look under goats there are 10 pictures,views 19,14,11,pictures of painted boers.Also some purebreds have ear tags,but not always.
Good Farming To You:
mikey

[mikey]

Tails:
almost all lambs are born with tails.The length of a lambs tail is intermediate between the length of its  mother (dam) and fathers (sire) tail.Tail length is highly affected by genetics (84% of differences).The purpose of a sheeps tail is to protect the anus,vulva and udder from weather extremes.Sheep lift their tail when they defecate and use their tail,to some extent,to scatter their feces.Under modern sheep production systems,tails are usually docked (removed) to prevent fecal material from collecting on the tail and hindquarters of the sheep,which can result in Fly Strike.Tail docking also makes it easier to shear the sheep.The tail does not interfere with breeding.It is recommended that lambs be docked at a young age to minimize the stress and pain experienced by the lamb.The dock tail should be long enough to cover the ewes valva and an equivalulent length on a male lamb.
By:Susan Schoenian

[doncorleone]

is there a purebred boer color dark brown with very big ears (2 mos. old)?  I saw the pics of alaminos goatfarm and i've noticed that their boer have the same color (brown head and the rest is white). There's a seller on our farm and they're selling the dark brown goat, i just wanna know if that is a pure boer buck. it's a dark brown with big ears and very big for 2 mos. old. 

[mikey]

doncorleone.
hi,yes there are 3 colours for the boer breed,red/brown head,and sometimes shoulders,known as a painted boer.Boers with a black head,known as a black boer and a boer that has a solid body colour of reddish/brown known as a roan.The red boer must have a solid body colour.Boers and anglos have similar looking heads with long ears and a convex nose (arched).If the seller is willing to sign a piece of paper stating that this boer is a purebred,this is better for the buyer.Our breeder in Cebu sells the red boer at 4 months old for 30,000 pesos each for a buckling,does are 5,000 pesos more,(35,000 pesos each).These are expensive goats.The breeder sells the painted boer bucklings at 4 months old for 20,000 each and the doelings for 25,000 each.Try this website,I think there is a picture of a red boer there.www.jackmauldin.com
Good Farming To You:
mikey

[mikey]

Horned vs. Polled:
While originally all rams had horns,sheep can have horns or not depending upon their breed,sex and genetics.Some sheep breeds have horns on both rams and ewes.Some have horns on only the rams.Rams have larger and more striking horns than ewes.When neither sex have horns they are known as polled, or naturally hornless.Some breeds have both horned and polled strains.Partial or underdeveloped horns are called scurs.A sheeps horns are hollow,consisting of a keratinous sheath overlying a bony core that is attached to the skull.Horns will grow throughout the sheeps lifetime.most rapid growth occurs during the first 2-3 years.Sheep horns tend to curl and spiral,goat horns grow straight out or up.Horns are useful to wild sheep,but do not serve much of a useful purpose on sheep in commercial production situations.As a result,selection has been for polled animals over the years.
By:Susan Schoenian

[mikey]

Sheep were domesticated 10,000 years ago in Central Asia,but it was not until 3,500 B.C. that man learned to spin wool.Sheep helped to make the spread of civilization possible.Sheep production was well estabkished during biblical times.There are many references to sheep in the Old Testament.Sheep farming is mans oldest organized industry.Wool was the first commodity of sufficent value to warrant international trade.

[doncorleone]

Hi Mickey,
I thought i saw a boer kid, but i noticed that the kid i saw is anglo nubian, because it has no horn and it's too big for his age. I compare the pics of boer and anglo nubian, they have the same long ears with roman nose. I do not if it's a boer or anglo nubian, it's very difficult to see the difference. Which is more expensive the boer or anglo nubian?

[mikey]

doncorleone:
hi,anglos are taller with longer legs,boers have shorter legs,goats born with no horns are known as (polls).Both anglos and boers have the same similar looking faces.I do believe the boer will cost one more money to buy.Dairy goats are taller and longer,while meat goats are shorter with more muscle on its body.Boers weigh more at full grown than a anglo.
Good Farming To You:
mikey