Kiko

The Kiko is a meat-type goat developed in New Zealand during the 1980s. Its name derives from a Maori word meaning flesh or meat, reflecting directly the breed's intended purpose. Kikos were bred to put on weight on pasture and rough scrub rather than on high-input grain rations, and to survive in wet, hilly country with little attention from their keepers.

The breed's distinguishing quality is its robustness. Selection took place under demanding conditions, with poor performers culled rather than nursed through with additional care. The outcome is an animal with notably better resistance to internal parasites than many goats, a willingness to walk long distances to graze, and an ability to kid without human assistance. Mature does typically weigh 45 to 65 kg (100 to 145 lb), whilst bucks are considerably larger.

Kikos are kept mainly for meat production and for crossbreeding programmes aimed at adding vigour to other meat lines. They are also used for scrub clearance because they browse woody vegetation that cattle and sheep will not touch.

Who the Kiko suits

The Kiko is suited to farmers and smallholders who want a goat that performs on grazing land without high inputs. It benefits from extensive or rotational management far more than from confinement. Those wanting a small pet goat or a productive dairy breed will find other types more appropriate; the Kiko was developed for meat and field hardiness, not for close companionship or milk output.

Development of the Kiko began in New Zealand in the late 1970s and continued through the 1980s. Garrick and Anne Batten, working alongside the Caprinex Genetics group on the South Island, set out to produce a meat goat adapted to the country's wet upland terrain and capable of performing with little husbandry input.

The foundation stock was feral goats already living and breeding without human assistance across New Zealand. These robust animals were crossed with imported dairy sires of Anglo-Nubian, Saanen, and Toggenburg breeding, adding size and growth rate whilst retaining the resilience of the feral base.

Selection was the engine of the programme. Animals were run on rough ground with minimal drenching, supplementary feeding, or assistance at parturition. Those that failed to maintain condition, rear their kids, or achieve adequate weight gain were removed from the breeding pool. After several generations the type bred true for robustness and growth and received the name Kiko.

Kikos were exported to the United States during the 1990s and have since spread to other countries. Small numbers have reached the United Kingdom, where interest in low-input meat breeds has grown. In North America, breed societies and the International Kiko Goat Association (IKGA) maintain records of purebred and percentage-Kiko stock; in Britain, enquiries are best directed to the British Goat Society and specialist livestock breed contacts.

The Kiko is a large, well-muscled goat with a deep body and sturdy, upright legs suited to covering varied ground. Selection centred on performance rather than a fixed conformation standard, so there is more variation in size and colour than is typical of show breeds. The general impression is of an athletic, functional animal built for working conditions.

Both sexes are horned: bucks carry heavy, sweeping horns that arch outward and back, whilst does have lighter horns. The head is of medium length and carries an alert expression. Hooves tend to be dense and hard-wearing, generally needing less frequent trimming than those of breeds managed on soft ground.

Coat and colours

White predominates and was favoured in the original selection programme, but Kikos occur in cream, tan, brown, black, and mixed patterns. The coat is fairly coarse and lies close to the body in warm weather. In colder conditions goats develop a heavier winter coat with some undercoat, which is shed as temperatures rise in spring.

Kikos are independent and self-sufficient, qualities that follow directly from their selection under hard conditions. On range they graze and browse widely, remain alert to any disturbance, and react with speed. Does show strong maternal instincts, defending and rearing their kids with little assistance from the keeper.

Towards people the breed is generally quiet, though it does not seek out contact. Kikos handled regularly since youth become easy to manage and move, whilst animals reared with minimal human contact can prove wary and difficult to catch. They are energetic and inquisitive, and they probe fences with persistence. Within a herd they are sociable and settle into a clear hierarchy. On shared grazing alongside cattle or sheep they cause no difficulty. Those wanting a goat with close attachment to its keeper should invest in consistent handling from an early age.

The Kiko was bred to require little routine attention, but good stockmanship is still necessary. The main requirements are sufficient grazing land, stock-proof fencing, shelter from extreme weather, and a consistent health programme.

Grooming

• Brush occasionally to remove loose hair during the spring moult.
• Check hooves every few months; Kiko hooves are generally dense and need less attention than those of many breeds kept on soft ground.
• Inspect the coat for ticks, lice, and skin conditions during routine handling.
• Monitor horns and any wounds, keeping them clean.

Exercise

• Provide open grazing or browse so animals can walk and forage throughout the day.
• Allow access to scrub and woody vegetation, which Kikos favour over short turf alone.
• Practise rotational grazing to maintain herbage quality and reduce internal parasite burdens.
• Confinement leads to boredom and results in pen and fence damage.

Kikos cope well with wet, hilly, and cold conditions, but they still require a dry, draught-free shelter against rain, wind, and summer heat. Stock fencing must be tall and well maintained, since Kikos are athletic and will find and exploit any weakness. Fresh water and free-choice goat minerals should always be accessible.

The Kiko is primarily a grazer and browser. Its diet should be built around good pasture, browse, and hay, with concentrates used sparingly. Adults on quality herbage often need no grain at all, whilst growing kids, late-pregnant does, and nursing does may require a supplement. Fresh water and free-choice goat minerals should always be available; goats have specific requirements for copper and selenium that cattle mineral blocks do not fulfil.

Treats and supplements

Small quantities of carrots, apples, or leafy browse make safe treats and useful handling rewards. Free-choice loose minerals and bicarbonate of soda support rumen health. In selenium-deficient areas of the United Kingdom, follow veterinary guidance on selenium and vitamin E supplementation, as both deficiency and excess can be harmful.

The Kiko is one of the hardier goat breeds as a direct result of selection under demanding conditions, with poor performers culled rather than nursed. It shows good resistance to internal parasites and typically kids without assistance from the keeper. That said, it is not immune to the diseases common in goats, and sound management is necessary to maintain herd health. With proper care a Kiko generally lives 8 to 12 years.

Preventive care

• Use faecal egg counts to administer anthelmintics only when necessary; targeted treatment preserves the breed's parasite resistance.
• Practise pasture rotation and avoid overgrazing.
• Keep vaccinations up to date, including those against clostridial diseases and tetanus.
• Provide free-choice goat minerals to prevent copper and selenium deficiency.
• Trim hooves as required and keep bedding dry.

Ease of breeding is central to the Kiko's value as a commercial and smallholder breed. Does reach sexual maturity at roughly 7 to 12 months, though many keepers prefer to wait until a doe is close to a year old and well grown before her first service. Bucks can be fertile from about 5 to 7 months of age. In common with most goats in temperate regions, Kikos are seasonal breeders, with does cycling most strongly in autumn.

Gestation lasts approximately 145 to 155 days. Kiko does are associated with straightforward parturition and strong maternal behaviour, typically delivering and rearing their kids with little assistance. Twins are the common outcome, and some does will raise triplets. Kids are vigorous and find the teat quickly, consistent with the breed's low-input design. Most keepers wean at around 2 to 3 months, depending on growth rate and availability of grazing. Retaining replacement females selected for the same robustness maintains the herd's qualities across successive generations.