In search of the Mighty Boer

In Nepal, goat meat or mutton is the most common form of red meat, seeing as beef is off limits. The dairy goat industry is relatively non existant and meat goats predominate. The local breeds of goat are hardy creatures but not very productive in terms of feed conversion. One of the aims of our project is to improve the standard goat by crossing with improved breeds, inreasing the productivity of the livestock and ultimately the income of the farmer.

To do this VIVA Nepal needs good quality goats and especially breeding bucks. The Boer goat, originating from South Africa, is the gold standard in goat meat production and we have been trying to locate bucks in Nepal that have some boer lineage. But this is proving to be both difficult and tiring.....as it includes alot of trekking!

Our thinking now is, if we can't find them - breed them! We hope to purchase a pure bred Boer buck and cross him with local does to produce a hardy cross, suitable for the mountains of Nepal. Now all we have to do is find him!!!!!!

Log on to www.viva.ie to see if you can help VIVA Nepal.