Boer & Kalahari

The (Standard/Classical) Boer Goat originated in South Africa. A group of largely Dutch migrants, settled and farming in South Africa in the late 1800s, commenced selecting from the goats that were roaming wild in the veld.  These were animals  derived from local, indigenous goats crossed with those imported from Europe by the early settlers, to establish a source of meat on their early travels. The settlers, known as Boers (farmers) were knowledgeable and insightful and developed an outstanding breed of meat goat, known firstly as ‘the Boer Goat’ and then later, ‘the Improved Boer Goat’.  Boers were imported into Australia in the early 1990’s. From there, a healthy export industry has been developed in Australia, with both the live animals and genetic material (semen and embryos) being exported far and wide throughout the world.   

The South African Kalahari Goat, more commonly known to have derived from Namibia and subsequently crossed with the South African goats (via common borders), has gained in popularity in recent times.  A number of forward thinking South African breeders identified the colour differential in the red Boers (Kalaharis) and crossed them with red trending Boers from South Africa.  As a result, a new meat goat was developed, red in colour, with all the traits and benefits of the SA Boer Goat.  By 1998, a group of SA breeders worked on establishing a separate breed (Standard SA Boer Goats vs SA/Namibian red goats, i.e. the Kalahari breed).  Their scientific findings allowed them to make a distinction between the  Standard and the Kalahari Goat breeds, and so a ‘new breed’ was born.   Kalaharis were imported into Australia in the 1990s, and these red goats, along with Red Boers, “Aussie Reds” and Black Boers, are gaining popularity amongst meat goat breeders.