Kiko

The Kiko is a meat-type goat that was developed in New Zealand during the 1980s. Its name comes from a Maori word for flesh or meat, a nod to what the breed was built to do. Kikos were selected to put on weight on veld and scrub rather than on heavy grain rations, and to cope in wet, hilly terrain with very little handling.

Toughness is what the breed is known for. Kikos were run under hard conditions, and any doe or buck that battled to keep up was culled rather than nursed through. What remains is an animal that resists internal parasites better than most goats, will walk long distances to graze, and rarely needs help at kidding. Mature does typically weigh 45 to 65 kg (100 to 145 lb), with bucks considerably heavier.

Farmers keep Kikos mainly for meat and for crossbreeding, since a splash of Kiko blood adds hardiness to other meat lines. The breed is also put to work clearing bush, because it browses on woody growth that cattle and sheep leave untouched.

Who the Kiko suits

The Kiko suits farmers and smallholders who want a goat that earns its keep on veld with little extra feeding. It does best under extensive, camp-rotation management rather than being kept in a small pen. Anyone after a small pet goat or a serious milk producer should look elsewhere, since the Kiko was bred for meat and field toughness, not for cuddling or the dairy shed.

Development of the Kiko began in New Zealand in the late 1970s and carried on through the 1980s. Garrick and Anne Batten, working with the Caprinex Genetics group on the South Island, wanted a meat goat that could handle New Zealand's wet, hilly country without constant attention.

The starting stock was feral goats that had already been surviving and breeding on their own across the New Zealand landscape for generations. These tough animals were crossed with imported dairy bucks, among them Anglo-Nubian, Saanen, and Toggenburg, to lift size and growth rate while holding on to the hardiness of the feral base.

Selection did the real work. The goats were run on rough ground with little drenching, no extra feed, and no help at birthing. Any animal that failed to stay healthy, raise its kids, and gain weight under those conditions was taken out of the breeding herd. After a few generations the line bred true for hardiness and growth, and it was given the name Kiko.

Kikos reached the United States in the 1990s, where farmers used them both as a purebred meat goat and to cross in vigour on other meat lines. Breed societies in the United States and elsewhere now keep records of Kiko pedigrees and percentage crosses.

The Kiko is a large, well-muscled goat with a deep body and strong, upright legs built for covering long distances. Because the breed was selected for what it can do rather than how it looks, there is more variation in size and colour than you would find in a show breed. The overall picture is of a sturdy, athletic animal.

Bucks carry heavy horns that sweep outward and back, and does are horned too, though more lightly. The head is medium in length with an alert look about it. Hooves tend to be tough and need less trimming than those of goats kept on soft, wet ground.

Coat and colours

White is the most common colour and was favoured among the early breeding stock, but Kikos also come in cream, tan, brown, black, and combinations of these. The coat is fairly coarse and lies flat against the body in warm weather. In colder regions, such as the highveld in winter, the goats grow a heavier coat with some undercoat, which they shed once the weather warms up.

Kikos are independent and self-reliant, which is exactly what the breeding programme selected for. They graze and browse on their own over large areas, stay alert to danger, and react fast. Does are attentive mothers that defend and raise their kids with very little help from the farmer.

Around people the breed is generally calm but not especially affectionate. Kikos that are handled regularly become easy to manage and move, while goats raised out on open veld can stay wary of strangers and are harder to catch. They are active, curious, and will test a fence at every weak point. They get on well with other goats and settle into a stable herd order, and they share a camp comfortably with other livestock. This is not a lap-goat breed, so anyone wanting a close companion animal should handle their Kikos often from an early age.

The Kiko was bred to get by with little day-to-day fuss, but it still needs sound management. The main requirements are room to forage, strong fencing, shelter from harsh weather, and a basic health programme.

Grooming

• Brush now and then to remove loose hair during the spring moult.
• Check hooves every few months; Kiko hooves generally wear well and need less trimming than those of goats kept on soft ground.
• Check the coat for ticks, lice, and skin problems whenever you handle the animals.
• Keep horns and any wounds clean and watch them for problems.

Exercise

• Give the goats open veld or bush to move through and forage on every day.
• Let them get at scrub and woody growth, which Kikos prefer over short grass alone.
• Rotate camps to keep the grazing fresh and cut down on parasite build-up.
• Give them space; goats kept in a small camp get bored and can damage fencing and pens.

Environment

Kikos cope with wet, hilly, and cold conditions better than most goats, but they still need a dry, draft-free shelter to get out of rain, wind, and heat. Fencing needs to be high and tight, since the breed is athletic and will find any weak spot. Clean water and free-choice minerals should be available at all times.

The Kiko forages first and foremost. Its diet should be built around decent grazing, browse, and hay, with grain kept to a minimum. Adults on good veld often need no grain at all, while growing kids, does close to kidding, and nursing does may need a top-up. Always provide clean water and free-choice goat minerals, since goats have copper and selenium requirements that cattle mineral licks do not meet.

Treats and extras

Small amounts of carrot, apple, or leafy browse make safe treats and useful rewards when training. Free-choice loose minerals and bicarbonate of soda support rumen health. In areas known to be selenium-deficient, follow local veterinary advice on selenium and vitamin E supplementation, since both a shortage and an excess can cause harm.

The Kiko ranks among the hardier goat breeds because it was selected under demanding conditions, with poor performers removed from the herd. It shows better resistance to internal parasites than most goats, and it usually kids without assistance. Even so, it is not immune to the standard goat diseases, and sound management is what keeps a herd healthy. With good care a Kiko commonly lives 8 to 12 years.

Preventive care

• Use faecal egg counts to decide when drenching is actually needed, which protects the breed's natural parasite resistance.
• Rotate camps and avoid overgrazing.
• Keep vaccinations up to date, including CDT for clostridial diseases and tetanus.
• Provide free-choice goat minerals to guard against copper and selenium deficiency.
• Trim hooves as needed and keep bedding dry.

Easy breeding is central to what makes the Kiko valuable. Does reach sexual maturity at around 7 to 12 months, though many breeders hold off until a doe is closer to a year old and well grown before her first mating. Bucks can be fertile from about 5 to 7 months. Like most goats, Kikos in temperate regions tend to breed seasonally, cycling more strongly as autumn sets in.

Gestation runs about 145 to 155 days. Kiko does are known for easy kidding and strong mothering, and they usually deliver and raise their kids with very little intervention from the farmer. Twins are common, and some does raise triplets. The kids are vigorous, standing and nursing quickly, which suits the breed's low-input design. Many keepers wean kids at around 2 to 3 months, depending on growth and the state of the veld. Choosing replacement stock for the same hardy traits keeps the line strong.