One of the largest and most successful Boer goat breeding farms is based in the heart of Franklin, on a Glenbrook lifestyle farm. Anna McNaughton talks to the enterprising owners.

Boer goats - appealing to look at and a top meat breed. Photos supplied.

Stephen and Fiona Andrews first saw Boer goats while travelling in South Africa in the early 1980s and immediately recognised their potential to improve the meat producing qualities of the New Zealand goat flocks.

Goat meat – chevon  – is the most widely eaten meat worldwide and consumption in New Zealand has increased as the population has become more cosmopolitan.

The Afrikaans word “boer” translates as “farmer” and it is possible that the development of

this appealing goat breed, is the proudest achievement of the Boer farmers.

Selective breeding of these indigenous African goats with infusions of European and Asian breeds, which began in the early 1900s, has established a top meat breed. 

Boer goats are a hardy, docile, highly fertile goat with bucks reaching 135 kilograms and does, 100 kilograms.

Stephen became a foundation member of the New Zealand Boer Goat Breeders’ Association in 1989, the year Landcorp first imported Boer goats from South Africa.

Raised on a local dairy farm and working for the Ministry of Agriculture at Auckland International Airport gave him an ideal skill base for establishing an export-based breeding operation.

In that first year, Landcorp quarantined the goats to ensure freedom from scrapie and also established a major embryo transplant programme at Kerikeri utilising cashmere, angora and feral does as recipients.

Numbers rapidly increased and the first Landcorp sale at the end of the quarantine period in 1993, was a stunning success.

American and Australian buyers founded their Boer goat flocks with disease-free New Zealand stock and international sales have since underpinned the success of the Boer goat in this country.

These goats have gradually spread throughout the country with roughly equal numbers in both islands. Purebred flocks have been established and, in addition, Boer bucks are doing a great job of improving production from feral goats, Stephen says. “More recently, they have also been responsible for producing fast maturing kids from dairy goat flocks.”

Stephen and Fiona purchased two bucks and six does from the first Landcorp sale and their stud, New Zealand Boer International was consequently underway.

Goat faming fitted around their off-farm work and raising a family so a busy lifestyle followed.

The Andrews’ flock peaked as 700, including recipient does. Their old cowshed was also revamped into a spotless facility for the technical side of artificial breeding.

Local veterinarian John Crawford has been crucial to the success of the artificial breeding programme – essential for the rapid increase of purebred stock.

Semen collection and storage, insemination of does and flushing and implanting of embryos are all carried out on the farm. 

Following flushing, the elite does cycle again, are inseminated or are served by a top ram and carry these pregnancies to term. Springtime brings the hectic kidding season when Fiona’s involvement is fully hands-on too.

Today, the stud consists of a comparatively easy-care flock of 120 purebred Boers.

Selection over 23 years has focused on “type”, foot conformation and worm resistance. The Boer  goat makes a good complementary grazer for horses and cattle and they improve pasture, browsing on weeds including  gorse, blackberry, thistle and ragwort.

However, Stephen says they do require good fencing – six-strands with electric is ideal. They also need regular foot trimming, (about every three months) and worm drenching is recommended for optimum health.

Cull animals are now sought-after for the local market, fetching attractive per-kilo prices. But the meat export market is still problematic with quantities produced nationwide not yet sufficient to establish a strong market.

On the other hand, Stephen and Fiona export to 23 countries which has resulted in great travel opportunities for them and the chance to make friends worldwide.

All in all the Boer goat story has been a great success and it looks certain to add value to New Zealand’s livestock farming in the future.