New Zealand Boer goat breeder selling up after nearly 20 years

Owen Booth walks down a track with a mob of some his Boer goats for the final time in Milton as he prepares to load them on a truck after selling his stud Whitestone Boers last month. Photo / Supplied

Is South Otago man Owen Booth the G.O.A.T of New Zealand Boer goat breeding in New Zealand?

The acronym G.O.A.T. stands for "greatest of all time".

Booth (75) has called time on a nearly 20-year career of improving Boer goat genetics after selling his stud Whitestone Boers.

Although he had sold up, he vowed to continue to champion the breed until it reached its full potential in New Zealand.

Boer goats had been "a huge part of my life", he said, and he had worked tirelessly targeting commercial farmers to run the animal.

Now was the right time to sell and "take life a bit easier".

He established the stud in North Otago in 2005 but a lack of consistent rainfall made him move it to Milton, about 25km northeast of Balclutha, about five years ago.

At its peak, the stud ran 65 breeding does.

Breeding quality goats had always been the focus, rather than targeting quantity.

Christchurch business Hedley John Exporters bought the stud last month.

The goats would be run on a 380ha farm in Sheffield, Canterbury by Mark Willis and Dean Harper, Booth said.

The feeling when loading the 50 goats, a mix of does and mixed-age hoggets, was pride in what he had achieved.

"I thoroughly enjoyed working with the great animals. They all have their own personality."

Booth would mentor the Canterbury farmers.

"They are reasonably new to goats."

He was "thrilled" to have been able to sell his stud as a complete unit so the genetics could continue to be improved.

The goats would thrive on a bigger farm and would require less management than on his 10ha block.

"Goats do like scope."

Whitestone Boers owner Owen Booth, of Milton, and his supreme champion goat at the Wanaka A&P Show last year. Photo / Southern Rural Life file

He remained a member of the Southern Goat Group and New Zealand Boer Goats Breeders Association and would continue to promote the breed.

The biggest hurdle for the breed to reach its potential was getting a return on its meat.

When lamb prices were good, it was hard to convince farmers they should run some goats and take a lower price at market.

International Boer goat farmers realised the quality of the meat of the animal in New Zealand.

He had exported live animals, semen and embryos to countries including Argentina, Japan, New Caledonia and South Korea.

Demand for goat meat was growing in New Zealand as it became more multicultural, but that could not be met.

"We know we can get more for our meat but can't get it until we get volume and supply the marketplace."

Australian goat farmers were getting twice the price for meat.

"Goats have gone absolutely crazy in Australia - demand is huge - they are getting $10/kg on the hook."

To have an outlet to remain active after selling the stud, he established a Wiltshire sheep stud in Milton about three years ago.

It was started by buying sheep from Tim Gow, of Mangapiri Downs Organic Stud Farm in Western Southland.

Booth put nearly 40 ewes to the ram in Milton this year.

His aim was to build a flock of up to 60 sheep.

The sheep required considerably less work than the goats.

Internal parasites were a problem in the goats but had never affected his sheep, despite the flock being run on contaminated paddocks and never being drenched.

"I've never put a gun down their throat - they are so resistant to worms."

Although he now ran a sheep stud, he said farmers should still consider running some goats.

The reason for the change was Boer goats required more work and time than Wiltshire sheep.

"When I do anything, I believe in giving it 100 per cent and I did that with goats. I believe we had the top stud in New Zealand and our animals performed incredibly in the showring."