Goat breeders raises hardy stock

By MINDY POEHL | Central Texas Edition

Percentage doe Boer goats relax on a wooden plank at Hillside Ranch in Robinson. The Warlick family breeds Boer goats at their ranch. Photo by Mindy Poehl

July 29, 2004 - At the top of a grassy hill, just outside of Robinson, lies a quaint ranch filled with Boer goats grazing the grasses. Hilltop Ranch is the home of Pete and Beverly Warlick and their son Justin, who are all goat breeders.

The Boer goat is the hardiest of goat breeds, with superior genetic characteristics. They have a high resistance to disease, adapt well to various climates, reproduce up to 10 years of age, become fertile at an early age, produce lean meat and have a gentle nature. They were first introduced to the United States in 1993.

In 1994, Pete and Beverly Warlick were raising White Barbadoe sheep when they first became interested in goats.

"We primarily sold the sheep to hunting ranches and it was such a small market. The goats have a bigger market," Pete Warlick explained. "After having sheep, we liked the goats and decided to stick with them. We really like to eat the goats versus sheep. The flavor is better."

Boer goats are meat producing animals and the Warlicks breed the goats for meat production. Seventy-five percent of the world eats goat meat.

"The U.S. does not even have enough goats to supply the market- they are so well-liked," Warlick said. "A carcass generally yields 40-45 percent meat and it's a good, lean red meat."

Out of beef, pork, lamb and chicken, goat meat has the least amount of fat and saturated fat, the same amount of protein as beef and contains the most iron. The younger the goat is, the more tender the meat is. Boer goats are ready to eat right after they are weaned, at around three to six months old.

The goats on Hilltop Ranch are bred naturally, by artificial insemination and by embryo transfer.

"Just last week we picked nine of our top females and bred them. We removed the embryos, which are the fertilized eggs, and planted them in Spanish or Spanish-crossed does," Warlick explained. "Instead of one year, we get six through eight years of reproduction with the embryo transfer. We can pick the best meat animals from that."

Hilltop Ranch has around 200 goats, most of which are sold.

"We only keep a few (that my wife wants to keep)," Warlick said.

The goats are sold to 4-H'ers, breeders and a few go to local slaughter markets.

The American Boer Goat Association (ABGA), promotes the Boer goat, "and gets more access to grants as well as lobbies for goats in the legislature," Warlick explained. He served as president of ABGA from 2000-2002 and he continues to be a member.

"There are 100 shows scattered throughout the United States. The association (ABGA) tries to target state fairs and major shows because that is where we can promote the goats best," Warlick said. "That is where you have your people who are involved in other areas of livestock gathered at the same time."

Warlick said a good show goat is one that is structurally correct and carries a lot of meat.

Boer goats not only produce meat, but they also make good pets. They simply browse on grass and weeds and do not need much space. A percentage goat only needs 15 square feet per animal. They are also affordable, Warlick said. A Spanish doe only costs around $60 and Show Wether's cost $150 and up.

Warlick said a good thing about goats is that people have room for goats where they do not have room for cattle. So, people with little land can still raise goats. The goats also clean up the land, eating the grass and weeds that the cattle leave behind.

Warlick will be a consignor at the Will Rogers Classic Production Sale held at the Claremore Expo Center in Oklahoma on August 27th and 28th. Following a Boer Goat 101 seminar, a Wether sale will take place.