Ambassador to the Breed

2017 Ambassador to the Breed The Ryals Family by Karla Blackstock

Nearly 25 years ago, Bill (Sr.) Ryals was traveling across RRDthe United States for work when he ran across a group of individuals talking about the South African Boer Goats. These “exotic” goats were being imported into the United States. While he knew the numbers were low and the prices were high, he returned home to tell his son, Bill, about the goats. “He told my husband that it was something we should consider,” said Niki Ryals. And, I remember Bill saying, “Really, Dad?” They did not realize at that time how their lives would be changed forever. Living on a family farm with a number of different species gave the Ryals the experience they needed to become successful in the American Boer Goat world. “We had experience with dairy goats,” Niki said. “We decided it was time to try the meat goats. So, we packed up and headed to Texas.”

The first sale that included Boer goats in 1993 was held just outside of Kerrville, Texas. Niki remembers that the prices were more than what they wanted to pay at the time so they waited until the time was right.

“We didn’t buy anything there,” she said, “but we quickly bought a buck and a doe and bred them to our dairy goats.”

These sold quickly so they knew they were onto something big. Soon, they invested in their first herd sire, Magnum.

Magnum was bred by John and Jackie Edwards of Stephenville, Texas. It was the beginning of their show career and their relationship with the Edwards.

“Magnum put us on the map,” said Niki. “When we got into the show goats we traveled to shows all across the country.”

She said it wasn’t unusual to be at two shows a month. This whirlwind lasted from 1999 to 2007.

The Ryals family, along with the Edwards, hosted the first sale outside the state of Texas and later the first Boer goat sale using DV Auction.

“We tried to move the goats across the U.S. to broaden their reach,” Niki said. “Our showstopper sale did just that. We hosted the sale in Tennessee and gave the Boer goats a new market.”

Since the numbers were limited and Bill had experience with line breeding in other animals, he applied the same principles to his new passion.

“We do a lot of line breeding. Maybe more than others,”

Niki said. “People would look at our registration papers and laugh, but the line breeding worked for us.”

In fact, she said, the products of their line breeding was extremely successful for those who bought bucks and does from the Ryals.

“Bill always said that breeders can take ‘my’ bloodlines, and it is going to throw true,” Niki said.

That, she said, is why they were so successful.

“They could take our stuff and win. And, that is something we are really proud of,” she said.

In 2007, Bill Sr. decided that he wanted to retire so they made the difficult decision to disperse their Boer goat herd.

“We kept some semen, but we stayed out of the Boer goats for a few years,” she said. “Now, we have a few meat goats that we sell at high-end restaurants for meat.”

The Ryals have found their market. Over the years, they have sold goats for meat and milk purposes. They traveled to farmers’ markets and developed relationships.

“We got

The Ryals Family ennobled 75 into the restaurant business

Boer goats that carried their because we

RRD herd prefix and showed were selling another 20 to ennoblement. goat cheese, and then they realized that we had goat meat,” she said. “We sold cuts of meat and did really well because we could get a premium for it.”

The Ryals still offer goat meat and goat cheese to restaurants.

These restaurants want the Boer goat meat because of the quality. And, that was something that the Ryals’ goats offered. Whether their infamous RRD Ruger T307 produced meat goats or show goats, his trademarks were worth a pretty penny.

“Ruger, in Bill’s eyes, was the epitome of what a Boer goat should be. The length of loin, muscling and level top that he put on his offspring offered a lot to the industry.”

The Boer goat industry continues to evolve with breeders entering and exiting the market every year. For the Ryals, raising their family in the agriculture industry gave their kids a sense of responsibility that many kids these days don’t get. Their daughter, Amber, sells animal medicine while Blake continues the tradition of living and working on the family farm where they still have cattle, sheep, goats, and hogs. The industry today offers a number of opportunities for breeders and Niki said the key to a successful program is understanding where to buy and sell goats. “Where can you sell?” Niki said. “You need to always look at where your market is, whether it is for 4-H, meat, or shows. You can’t make a living, or a profit, by taking them to the auction barn.”

Niki’s last advice?

“Goats are harder than they look,” she said. “They are just finicky. They are more work that they look like, but you need to treat them like goats.”

In the beginning, Niki admitted, that they treated them carefully and were there for each birth.

However, she said, it isn’t always a bad thing when nature culls genetics through survival of the fittest. Genetics for parasite resistance and birthing ease are just two of the things that need to be addressed for the industry to keep evolving.

As for the Ryals, they have enjoyed their time raising goats and other livestock. As the premier breeder and exhibitor for 3 years and reserve for 3 years, they have spent some time at the top of the industry.

But, “one of the best things about our years in the Boer goat industry was our many long lasting friendships that our family developed,” Niki said.

“Magnum really started it all for us,” Niki said. “He sired Top Brass, Remington and Gunsmoke. Top Brass sired Brass Shot who sired Ruger and Remington sired Gauge. ”

The impact of these top bucks and the Ryals family will continue to be part of the American Boer Goats legacy.