Emola Farm sells Boer goats at our farm in Mabank, Texas. Boers are the meat goat standard in this state, and they are the goat we are asked for most often. Call 903-880-0124 to find out what we have on the ground and we will send you a photo.
What Is a Boer Goat?
The Boer is a meat goat breed developed in South Africa — the name comes from the Afrikaans word for farmer. It was bred for one purpose: putting weight on quickly on rough forage.
The traditional Boer is white bodied with a red or brown head, though you will also see solid reds, paints, and dappled animals. They are heavy bodied, broad, deep, and noticeably more muscular than a dairy breed. The ears are long and pendulous.
Boers came to the United States in the 1990s and reshaped the American meat goat business quickly. Today, the great majority of commercial meat goats in Texas are Boer or Boer influenced.
Why Boer Goats Dominate the Texas Meat Goat Market
- Growth rate. Boer kids gain faster than the goats they replaced, which is the whole economic argument for the breed.
- Muscling and carcass yield. Broad, deep, heavily muscled animals that hang a good carcass.
- Hardiness. Bred in a hot, dry, rough country. They suit Texas conditions.
- Fertility and long breeding season. Boer does breed well and are known for raising twins.
- Good mothers. Strong maternal instincts and adequate milk for the kids.
- Docility. Boers are calmer and easier to handle than most breeds, which matters when you are working them regularly.
Who Buys Boer Goats
Commercial Meat Producers
Boer bucks over crossbred or Spanish does is the standard commercial pattern in Texas. You get the growth and muscling from the buck without paying registered prices for the whole herd. If you are building a meat operation, this is usually where to start.
4-H and FFA Show Families
Boer wethers are the standard market goat project across Texas shows. As with any show animal, the timing is what families get wrong — your goat has to hit the weight window on show day.
Call early and tell us your show date. It changes which animal we would put you on, and buying late is the most common reason a show project does not come together.
Brush Control
Goats browse rather than graze, so they work on brush, briars, and saplings that cattle leave alone. For clearing land, Boer crosses do the job and cost less than full-blood animals. Buy numbers rather than quality here.
Herd Builders
Boer does and bucks for people expanding what they already run. Come look at breeding stock in person.
Full-Blood, Purebred, or Percentage?
The terminology matters and it is where new buyers overpay.
- Full-blood — traces entirely to registered Boer stock. The most expensive, and worth it mainly if you intend to sell registered breeding animals.
- Purebred — bred up through generations of Boer crossing to a high percentage.
- Percentage or commercial — Boer crossed with other stock. This is what most working herds actually run, and for meat production or brush control the animal performs.
If you are producing meat, you are paid on pounds, not on paperwork. Buy registered stock when the registration itself is part of your business plan, and commercial stock when it is not.
Keeping Boer Goats in Texas
Fencing
Woven wire or goat panels, tight to the ground, with openings small enough that a horned goat cannot get its head through. Boers are heavy and will lean on and push through anything marginal. We build fencing, gates, and pens and do welding if you need the setup done first.
Parasites
Internal parasites are the number one health problem for goats in the wetter parts of East Texas and cause more losses than anything else. Have a plan and a vet before you need one.
Browse, Not Pasture
Goats prefer brush and weeds over grass. That is a feature if you are clearing land and a management issue if you expected them to graze like cattle.
Shelter
Goats handle cold better than wet. Give them somewhere dry to get out of the rain.
Where We Are
Emola Farm, 759 VZ CR 2704, Mabank, Texas 75147 — near Cedar Creek Lake in Van Zandt County, within a straightforward drive of Athens, Canton, Kaufman, Terrell, Gun Barrel City, Corsicana, Tyler, and the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have Boer goats for sale right now?
Availability changes weekly. Call 903-880-0124 and we will tell you what is here and send you a photo.
How much do Boer goats cost in Texas?
It depends on age, sex, quality, and whether the animal is registered. The market moves, so we quote current prices by phone.
Are your Boer goats registered?
Ask when you call and we will tell you exactly what the animal is and what paperwork, if any, comes with it.
How many goats should I start with?
At least two. Goats are herd animals and a goat kept alone does poorly.
Will Boer goats clear my brush?
Yes — goats browse brush, briars, and saplings that cattle will not eat. For clearing, numbers matter more than pedigree.
Do you buy goats as well as sell them?
Yes. Call us if you have goats to move.