Can You Breed a Pygmy Goat with a Boer Goat?

If you have a pygmy goat and a Boer goat, you may wonder if it is possible to breed them. 

It is a common question among goat owners looking to crossbreed for different purposes. 

Since there is a considerable difference in size between a Boer and a pygmy goat, it is essential to consider a few things before crossbreeding the two different kinds of goats. 

It’s possible to breed a pygmy goat with a Boer goat. Breeding a male Boer buck with a female pygmy doe is dangerous, as the kid will be much larger than a pygmy kid. Crossbreeding a female Boer with a male pygmy buck is much safer and will result in fewer complications. 

Crossbreeding different goat breeds is a great way to diversify your herd. 

Whether you intend to use the kids for meat, milk production, or companion animals, we’ll go over everything you need to know about breeding pygmy goats with Boer goats. 

can you breed a pygmy goat with a boer goat

Can Pygmy Goats Breed With Boer Goats?

If you have multiple breeds of meat and dairy goats, you may think about crossbreeding when the breeding season comes around. 

Seasonal breeders have lots of successful breeding of different types of goats. 

This is beneficial if you aim to increase milk production by breeding prolific dairy goat breeds or increasing meat by breeding the largest goat breeds to increase weight. 

Breeding pygmy goats with Boer goats yield large-bodied, docile animals. 

The size of Boer goats mixed with the pygmy size allows you to get the adorable personalities of pygmy goats with more meat and a larger size. 

There are some things to consider when breeding the two different types of goats, but with some proper care and strategy, it is relatively simple to breed pygmy goats with larger Boer goats. 

Goats reach sexual maturity at around 6-9 months of age. 

After this, their reproductive cycle allows them to mate and start breeding. 

Boer goats are predominately kept as milk and meat goats, while pygmy goats are most popular as companion animals due to their small size. 

Crossbreeding the two will produce smaller meat-producing goats but will keep the lovable personality of pygmies. 

Is It Dangerous To Breed Boer Goats With Pygmy Goats?

It is dangerous if you don’t breed the pygmies and Boers correctly. 

If the female goat is smaller than its mate, it may die during birth or require a C-section. 

For this reason, keeping the larger breed buck away from smaller breed females is crucial, especially during the heat cycle. 

During the breeding season, it is crucial to separate any large-framed male from the smaller breeding doe herd to ensure no accidental breeding while they are unsupervised. 

Size is essential to breeding, especially when the goats are of different sizes. 

If you keep goats for breeding purposes, only mate larger females with smaller males. 

The ability of goats to successfully birth a kid depends on the size of the doe’s frame. 

This is why breeding a large Boer buck with a pygmy doe is so dangerous. 

The pygmy doe’s size is not built to hold such a large pregnancy from a full-size buck. 

Often the does will die during difficult births or require a c-section which leads to other complications. 

The birth canal is simply not built to pass the birth weights of a Boer kid. 

Many seasonal breeders have a much more successful birth process by crossing larger female pygmy with smaller male Boer bucks. 

This way, size is not an issue for the birthing female. 

The goat gestation period and birth may even be easier on the mother as the kid will be smaller than the average Boer baby goat. 

We recommend crossbreeding only be done by experienced goat breeders. 

If you are not too goat savvy, we recommend leaving the breeding up to the experts to keep your females safe. 

Experts know considerably more about goat reproduction, puberty, and sexual maturity, so they know what to do if something goes wrong and, more importantly, how to prevent injury or death.  

Fun Fact: Goats have two placentas and can give birth to more than one goat kid; click the link to learn more.

What Will A Pygmy-Boer Breed Cross Look Like?

Boers are a favorite meat goat among farmers and homesteaders. 

They are generally considered to be low-maintenance goats. 

Pygmy goats are very popular for their small size. 

They are genuinely adorable animals and make excellent pet and companion goats. 

A pygmy Boer cross animal will be a medium-sized animal. 

Crossbred animals differ considerably, and it is a bit of a lottery as to what traits the kid will take from each parent. 

However, there are some common characteristics associated with crossbreeds.

Size

Many people find the kids of a pygmy-Boer cross to take much of their looks from the Boer side. 

The kids are considerably smaller than the adult males and females. 

Many farmers who have successfully bred the two types of goats find them roughly double the size of the average pygmy goat.

There are many types of pygmy goats but let’s use the African pygmy goat breed as an example. 

These goats typically weigh between 60-90 lbs for males and 50-75 lbs for females. 

This means a pygmy-Boer cross will weigh somewhere between 100-180 lbs, depending on the sex. 

On the other hand, Mature Boer goats will weigh upwards of 300 lbs. 

Ears

One significant noticeable difference between the two breeds is their ears. 

Both have adorable ears, but they fall quite differently. 

Some farmers note the ears of their Boer pygmies to be somewhere between the two. 

  • Boers have long-hanging ears.
  • Pygmies have “airplane ears” pointing out almost horizontally to the side. 

Temperament

Like other traits in breeding, the temperament of the Boer pygmies will vary. 

However, it is reasonable to expect a charming personality from the kids. 

Pygmies are lively and full of quirky and adorable personalities. 

Boers tend to be calm and relaxed. 

The mix of the two sounds like a perfect blend. 

Related: Crossbreeding pygmy and fainting goats.

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Author

Growing up amidst the sprawling farms of the South, Wesley developed a profound connection with farm animals from a young age. His childhood experiences instilled in him a deep respect for sustainable and humane farming practices. Today, through Farmpertise.com, Wesley shares his rich knowledge, aiming to inspire and educate others about the joys and intricacies of rural life.

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