This was my reaction when I browsed www.boergoats.co.za and read that following the conclusion of the 2007 Boergoat World Championship in Upington, Northern Cape, South Africa May 2 to 4 a world record price for a single goat was established.

Johnny Henderson of Eastern Cape, South Africa offered R150,000 (roughly P1 million) for Magnum, a Boer Buck which won the Grand Champion Ram Award during the show which gathered over 1,300 Boer Goat breeders all over Africa.

The buying price for Magnum, a handsome Boer buck bred by Braam Maritz was the highest ever paid for a single goat in the history of the modern goat industry.

The second highest price set during the show was R100,000 (roughly P650,000) for a buck bred by one of the world's best Boer Goat breeders Nico Botha, also of South Africa.

Dirk Louw won the Grand Champion Doe Award and the highest average points during the 2007 world championships while breeder of champions Nico Botha won the most points.

The P1 million price tag on a single Boer buck emphasizes the great value of really outstanding breeding goats in South Africa where the Boer was developed about 100 years ago.

Of course, we are still eons away from the level of Boer Goat breeding in South Africa which is the birthplace and the cradle of the real Boer Goats.

Some of the goats we consider as Boers in the Philippines, may not even meet the standards of the South African breeders for a Flock goat, which is actually a goat that has no defect but is considered not really outstanding to be brought to a competition.

In fact, many of the so-called Boer Goats shipped to the Philippines from either Australia or the United States may have already been bred to goats indigenous to those countries. This is very evident in the physical structure of the goats that I have seen locally. Legs largely disproportionate to the body, head shape and length of ears and of course, color.

You will be surprised to know that while colored boers are a fad and a craze in the US (it is very difficult to acquire a Red Boer in the US), they are largely ignored by serious Boer Breeders in South Africa.

But right now, Philippine goat breeders are primarily concerned with improving the meat production capacity of their animals. The attitude right now is: "Never mind the Boer color or structure standards. What is important is they are large and carry a lot of meat."

Maybe as we move along, the Philippines will be able to set the standards for our own version of the Boer. It may not be at par with the South African standards and our bucks may not even sell half of what Braam Maritz earned for Magnum. What is important is that we will be producing better quality goats that give our farmers a little more income from the farm.

Anyway, 200 upgraded Boer goats selling at P5,000 each would still amount to P1 million. Just kidding!