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Debra Myers of
Myers Boer Goats in Randolph, Utah
Myers Boer Goats in Randolph, Utah
MSMGA
Myers Boer Goats is in one of the coldest parts of the United States, we are in a small town in Northern Utah called Randolph. Our 2 legged herd consists of me, Debra, my husband Steve , and 4 boys, Cody , Clayson, Lukas and Chalis. We have a beautiful 2 year old granddaughter with another granddaughter on the way in Sept.
I am always asked how Myers Boer Goats began, well to make a long story a bit shorter, my husband’s brother told him about these white goats with brown heads from South Africa. He said everyone one was raising them and you could make a lot of money with them!
So my husband Steve dragged me to the Utah State Fair in 2003. I could not figure out why he would want me to look at goats, because when we got married in 1988 I asked him if I could have a little pet goat to eat the weeds, his reply then was “You will NEVER see a goat on our place”, he at that time, as with most people, had and still have the wrong vision of goats. Anyways... back to the fair, we looked and looked in each barn until we came across these beautiful white and brown headed goats!
I was amazed at how beautiful and friendly they were. We talked to a few breeders and then went home. The next day I researched breeders, bloodlines, diseases and anything else I could find about Boer goats.
Next we were off to Chalk Creek Boer Goats, where we met Tom and Carrie Boyer. We asked tons of questions and bought our first 4 breeding does, but they were only about 5 months old, I told Steve we will never have any goats at this rate, so with more research I found another wonderful breeder in Washington, Leaning Tree Boer Goats, we headed up there looking for some different bloodline. We came home with 6 bred does due in a month, and 2 open does.
Now we were up to 12! At first because of fencing problems, we found ourselves chasing one of the Boyer goats in my car cause she got into my neighbors hay field, taking pregnant goats from Washington State home and taking over 3 hours literally carrying each girl through the snow at home (because they had not seen snow like ours) and worrying they would abort if we stressed them too bad ( I am smiling right know just thinking what idiots we were) and not really knowing what the heck we were doing and I started to think did we do the right thing?
Then on a VERY cold day in March 2004 my first babies hit the ground! Needless to say I was totally IN LOVE and wanted as many as we could afford.
Of course at first we only could see the good, and didn’t realize that something might go wrong during kidding, or one of your most expensive, favorite goats could get sick, or even die! Although we had bought healthy animals ( which is key) and did our best to keep them vaccinated and wormed, we still had our share of problems and found out it was a lot of hard work, not to mention all the laughs and teasing we got for raising GOATS?
A few years ago we had over 90 kids hit the ground in 4 days! Some may not think that was a big deal, but with only Steve and I and a bit of help from our boys believe me it was CRAZY!!
At one time we had over 200 Boer goats here on 15 acres ( How did we go from 4 to 200??), and of course at that time goat price had gone down, feed cost went up, and we were basically giving away our goats. Times were tough, due to health issues and being just plain being tired, we downsized back to a more manageable herd.
Myers Boer Goats has worked VERY hard to keep a clean healthy herd, we have tried to stay up to date with the best bloodlines, we have learned to Artificial Inseminate to improve our herd, get our name out by hitting some of the Boer Goats shows, we made it through some tough times and are still producing what we think are some great additions to the Boer Goat Industry.
We have made a lot of wonderful friends along the way, and have learned a lot and are still learning. I can’t imagine my life with out Boer Goats running around.
When I am asked advice about getting in the Boer Goat Biz, I say, first
1.Make sure you buy from a reputable breeder that has healthy goats, you can go to the auction and get a goat next to nothing but I can almost guarantee you just bought trouble.
2. Keep your herd at a manageable size so you can keep your animals vaccinated, wormed and their feet trimmed.
3. Have goat fencing, to keep them in and out of trouble.
4. Remember when buying goats from another climate area they may not adapt to your area easily, (Research)
5.Don’t get caught up in the pretty pictures in the magazines, and all the fuss of one bloodline, look for quality, and hardy animals that are easy keepers, believe me some of the most pricey goats are the worst headaches.
6. If you buy bucks, remember they are half your herd, you want quality, correct, healthy, easy to handle boys that are consistent in what they are producing, most bucks should have been wethers!
7. HAVE A SENSE of humor! It takes a special person to raise Goats, most of us are just down right crazy, there is not a lot of glamour in raising them, if you can’t handle being tired, dirty and mostly breaking even, then this may not be the thing for you.
I truly have to say I Love these animals, all though there has been bumps in the road, there is nothing like holding a newborn kid, or watching the bond it has with it mother and siblings. Or watching them learning all the new things in life. Or Helping a doe give birth and having her tenderly lick you as if she was saying “Thank You”. Or after a long stressful day going out in the middle of the field and just watching your herd thrive, but best of all is seeing the smile on a new buyers face taking their goats home to start their own herd.
By the way my crazy brother-in-law never bought any Boer Goats and we never did make TONS of money as of yet, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything, it has been a great ride so far.
Thanks to all my new goat friends and fellow breeders that have helped me and taught me all I know, I love this crazy Goat life!
I am always asked how Myers Boer Goats began, well to make a long story a bit shorter, my husband’s brother told him about these white goats with brown heads from South Africa. He said everyone one was raising them and you could make a lot of money with them!
So my husband Steve dragged me to the Utah State Fair in 2003. I could not figure out why he would want me to look at goats, because when we got married in 1988 I asked him if I could have a little pet goat to eat the weeds, his reply then was “You will NEVER see a goat on our place”, he at that time, as with most people, had and still have the wrong vision of goats. Anyways... back to the fair, we looked and looked in each barn until we came across these beautiful white and brown headed goats!
I was amazed at how beautiful and friendly they were. We talked to a few breeders and then went home. The next day I researched breeders, bloodlines, diseases and anything else I could find about Boer goats.
Next we were off to Chalk Creek Boer Goats, where we met Tom and Carrie Boyer. We asked tons of questions and bought our first 4 breeding does, but they were only about 5 months old, I told Steve we will never have any goats at this rate, so with more research I found another wonderful breeder in Washington, Leaning Tree Boer Goats, we headed up there looking for some different bloodline. We came home with 6 bred does due in a month, and 2 open does.
Now we were up to 12! At first because of fencing problems, we found ourselves chasing one of the Boyer goats in my car cause she got into my neighbors hay field, taking pregnant goats from Washington State home and taking over 3 hours literally carrying each girl through the snow at home (because they had not seen snow like ours) and worrying they would abort if we stressed them too bad ( I am smiling right know just thinking what idiots we were) and not really knowing what the heck we were doing and I started to think did we do the right thing?
Then on a VERY cold day in March 2004 my first babies hit the ground! Needless to say I was totally IN LOVE and wanted as many as we could afford.
Of course at first we only could see the good, and didn’t realize that something might go wrong during kidding, or one of your most expensive, favorite goats could get sick, or even die! Although we had bought healthy animals ( which is key) and did our best to keep them vaccinated and wormed, we still had our share of problems and found out it was a lot of hard work, not to mention all the laughs and teasing we got for raising GOATS?
A few years ago we had over 90 kids hit the ground in 4 days! Some may not think that was a big deal, but with only Steve and I and a bit of help from our boys believe me it was CRAZY!!
At one time we had over 200 Boer goats here on 15 acres ( How did we go from 4 to 200??), and of course at that time goat price had gone down, feed cost went up, and we were basically giving away our goats. Times were tough, due to health issues and being just plain being tired, we downsized back to a more manageable herd.
Myers Boer Goats has worked VERY hard to keep a clean healthy herd, we have tried to stay up to date with the best bloodlines, we have learned to Artificial Inseminate to improve our herd, get our name out by hitting some of the Boer Goats shows, we made it through some tough times and are still producing what we think are some great additions to the Boer Goat Industry.
We have made a lot of wonderful friends along the way, and have learned a lot and are still learning. I can’t imagine my life with out Boer Goats running around.
When I am asked advice about getting in the Boer Goat Biz, I say, first
1.Make sure you buy from a reputable breeder that has healthy goats, you can go to the auction and get a goat next to nothing but I can almost guarantee you just bought trouble.
2. Keep your herd at a manageable size so you can keep your animals vaccinated, wormed and their feet trimmed.
3. Have goat fencing, to keep them in and out of trouble.
4. Remember when buying goats from another climate area they may not adapt to your area easily, (Research)
5.Don’t get caught up in the pretty pictures in the magazines, and all the fuss of one bloodline, look for quality, and hardy animals that are easy keepers, believe me some of the most pricey goats are the worst headaches.
6. If you buy bucks, remember they are half your herd, you want quality, correct, healthy, easy to handle boys that are consistent in what they are producing, most bucks should have been wethers!
7. HAVE A SENSE of humor! It takes a special person to raise Goats, most of us are just down right crazy, there is not a lot of glamour in raising them, if you can’t handle being tired, dirty and mostly breaking even, then this may not be the thing for you.
I truly have to say I Love these animals, all though there has been bumps in the road, there is nothing like holding a newborn kid, or watching the bond it has with it mother and siblings. Or watching them learning all the new things in life. Or Helping a doe give birth and having her tenderly lick you as if she was saying “Thank You”. Or after a long stressful day going out in the middle of the field and just watching your herd thrive, but best of all is seeing the smile on a new buyers face taking their goats home to start their own herd.
By the way my crazy brother-in-law never bought any Boer Goats and we never did make TONS of money as of yet, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything, it has been a great ride so far.
Thanks to all my new goat friends and fellow breeders that have helped me and taught me all I know, I love this crazy Goat life!