Ranch Happenings

Thursday, 30 April 2009 18:31


Crave in a groove
Click to enlarge
This was quite a show weekend this past weekend.  To say my favorite color was BLUE by the end of the weekend was an understatement.  Simply put, that was the color I collected.  With 3 class First place ribbons, 2 division Championships, and 1 Reserve Grand Champion and 1 Grand Champion Fullblood Buck, it was a great weekend for scoring some serious points for Crave. 
 
 The folks at Glenwood AR really put on a great welcome to Arkansas surprise with beans and rice, and other awesome treats, drinks and everything so when we pulled up late, everything was there waiting for us and we didn't have to hustle to take care of animals and get ourselves fed as well.  One of the other awesome things about the show was it was the first one I've attended that had a Sunday Devotional service available for all the competitors.  It put things in perspective of who we should think of first before all else.  When the shows start at 9am and you cant get to church, its nice that they brought church to us.  Needless to say that one of my prayers was answered when I won Grand Champion that day.  I owe all things to Him and I don't for a second forget it.  

Another round of good news was Marks 17th place finish at Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia.  It's a great feeling when you and your sweetie both do a good job in their competitions.  Meanwhile, back home on the ranch Cheech (the little squirrel I'm raising as a wildlife rehabilitator) escaped before I left on Friday so I had to put out food for him and prayed he would be safe all weekend.  When I got home, I managed to capture him and return him to his brother Chong and they were reunited happily and began to play and chase each other around their big cage.  As soon as this wet stormy weather passes, it will be time for them to go out to the wild again.  Although I'll miss them, this is what rehabilitators do.  I'm sure they'll make themselves known from time to time as the deer we released last fall come home daily seeking treats.  Well, I'll be writing more soon enough!  Take care everyone!

What is a Boer Goat?

The Boer goat was developed in South Africa in the early 1900s for meat production. Their name is derived from the Dutch word "Boer" meaning farmer. The Boer goat was probably bred from the indigenous goats of the Namaqua Bushmen and the Fooku tribes, with some crossing of Indian and European bloodlines being possible. They were selected for meat rather than milk production; due to selective breeding and improvement, the Boer goat has a fast growth rate and excellent carcass qualities, making it one of the most popular breeds of meat goat in the world. Boer goats have a high resistance to disease and adapt well to hot, dry semi-deserts. U.S. production is centered in west-central Texas, particularly in and around San Angelo. The original US breeding stock came from herds located in New Zealand. Only later were they imported directly from South Africa.

Boer goats commonly have white bodies and distinctive brown heads. Like the Nubian goat, they possess long, pendulous ears. They are noted for being docile, fast growing, and having high fertility rates. Does are reported to have superior mothering skills as compared to other goats. Mature Boer bucks weigh between 110-135 kg (240-300 lb), and mature does between 90-100 kg (200-220 lb).