What Are Percentage Goats?

Goats are used for meat and milk, and goat breeding and rearing is an essential part of many farmers' work. Understanding the registration, percentage terminology, cost, breed, and breeding information about the goats will make breeding and selling goats a smoother process. Percentage goats are usually meat goats, not dairy goats. Meat goat breeds include the popular Boer and Kiko goats and the less-common Tennessee meat goat and Spanish meat goat. Percentage goats are often healthier than purebred goats and have fewer health problems.

  1. Registered Goats

    • Registered goats are sold similarly to purebred animals such as dogs and cats. They sell with papers and a certificate with the ownership, birth date, color and identification specifics. Registered goats are more expensive than non-registered goats of equal quality and breeding. Only registered goats can be shown in goat shows. Goat registries exist for many goat breeds in many countries. Examples include the American Boer Goat Association, The International Boer Goat Association and the United States Boer Goat Association.

    Percentage

    • Percentage goats are goats with more than one breed in their bloodline. Usually they contain only two. The American Boer Goat Association registers goats as purebred, percentage or full-blood goats. They register 1/2, 3/4 and 7/8 does in their Percentage Registry. Other associations may allow the registration of other percentages. Each breed percentage terminology will differ slightly, so contact your registry for more information.

    Cost

    • Percentage goats usually cost less than full bloods, or goats of only one breed. Buying a percentage goat is a good way to start raising registered goats.

    Upgrading

    • A goat that is a high percentage of one breed may sometimes be upgraded to full-blood status. For example, a Kiko goat at the 15/16 level becomes an American full blood. 15/16 Boers does are considered American Boer purebreds.

    Breeding

    • For the offspring of a percentage doe to be eligible for registration, she must breed with a registered full-blood buck. Bucks between 50 percent and 96.7 percent cannot produce registered offspring and cannot show in the sanctioned show program in the American Boer Goat Association.