For The Love of the Kiko Meat Goat
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-by Lois Hoffman With over 200 breeds of domestic goats, folks are falling in love with the new kid on the block, Kiko meat goat. Known for their hardiness and ability to thrive under less-than-ideal conditions, they are also prized for their rapid kid growth, superb maternal nature, and excellent foraging capabilities.
Kikos originated from New Zealand in the 1980s when Garrick and Anne Batten cross-bred feral goats with imported dairy goat bucks of Anglo-Nubian, Saanan, and Toggenburg breeds. The Kiko meat goat breed gets its name from the Maori word for meat. They came to the United States in the 1990s primarily as a meat goat.
The Kiko Meat Goat is a Hardy Breed
However, it was their hardiness that attracted Clint and Stephanie Burdick of Union City, Michigan and Karen and Dale Kopf of Troy, Idaho to the breed. Since they all work full time, they all wanted a breed that could basically take care of itself. Both of their herds are thriving in completely different conditions, proving just how adaptable this breed is.
Clint grew up around Hereford cattle and wanted a herd of his own but with only four acres of pasture, that wasn’t an option. So, in 2007 he opted for goats and started his herd with five Kiko does and a buck after seeing them advertised as the hardiest meat goat. Thus, for the last 15 years, he has built his own Kiko herd and three years ago he also started managing his dad’s Herefords.
Karen, on the other hand, started out with sheep and some dairy goats when their kids were in 4-H. Later, when the kids were grown, she turned to Kikos since goats have always been her favorite animal. Her and Dale got their start with Kikos from Mary Wilson, generally recognized as being the mother of Kikos in the west.
Does the Kiko Meat Goat Need Grain?
Kikos are aggressive foragers, eating just about anything in sight. This trait fits right into Clint’s philosophy of “No domesticated ruminant such as cows, sheep, or goats should ever be grained. It’s healthier for the animal and healthier for the person eating the meat if an animal is raised solely on pasture.”
He practices the rotating pasture system. Clint explains, “You need an acre of land for every 500 pounds of animal that will be grazing on it. This is true for goats and cows. I have sandy soil which doesn’t support as much vegetation as heavier ground, so I keep mine to 400 pounds of animal per acre.”
He moves his herd every three days so they never return to the same paddock for about six weeks. In spring when vegetation grows faster, the cycle is around four weeks. He adds, “You have to be careful so they give the new growth time to grow. Kikos graze extensively for a few days then I move them so they don’t eat so selectively. The amount that they take off above ground is how much root system is below ground and the more root system you have, the better the re-growth for grazing will be.”
A Healthier Way to Raise a Meat Goat
Most meat goat herds are fed grain because it makes them gain weight faster for market, an acre of land can support more pounds with supplemental feed, and it’s a lot of work to move a herd every few days. Even so, Clint believes that the advantages of no graining outweigh the negatives, “We don’t have to raise grain or buy it which means we aren’t subject to grain prices. And consuming grains is known to cause inflammation which in turn causes disease.”
In winter, the only supplement that his herd receives are loose minerals daily. They help the goats if they are mineral deficient and, in turn, the goats excrete excess minerals which mineralizes the land.
Foraging is also the main food source for Karen’s herd. “We bought an entire canyon for them to graze. We don’t do fences; our goats go out in the morning and return at night. If we want them to come sooner, they respond to a special call.”
Clint smiled and said, “For us, it’s sunflower seeds. They would follow us anywhere for that snack.”
During winter when there is little to forage, both herds are fed hay.
The Kiko Meat Goat has Amazing Foraging Abilities
Kikos’ foraging ability is also put to use in both areas. In Idaho, it plays a big role in fire prevention. If the underbrush is not kept in check, it can reach the low tree canopy and any fire that starts can quickly spread. By Kikos keeping the underbrush eaten down, it keeps fires from reaching the trees. “We have landscape management companies for fire suppression and weed eradication that utilize Kikos for this sole purpose,” Karen explains.
Here in the Midwest, there are professional goat cleaning companies that take herds of Kikos to lots and fields to clear the brush. During the summer months, Clint takes his two bucks to his cousin’s farm to clean up the multiflora roses and mulberry bushes. “They’ll eat thistles but they won’t eat poison ivy,” Clint adds.
How do Kikos handle Parasites?
Kikos rarely need medical attention and are known to be more parasite resistant than other breeds. Karen and Dale do health checks once a year, vaccinate annually, and supplement with selenium. With 150 in their core breeding herd, requiring less medical care is a big plus.
Clint would like to capitalize on the parasite resistant attribute. “I have always thought that if I could run cows and goats together one day, they would each eat each other’s parasites from the grass and it would eradicate the parasites from both breeds since each has different strains.”
Are Kiko Goats Good Mothers?
The Kiko meat goat are also known for ease of birthing and good mothering instincts. Karen relates, “Most of the time we don’t even know when they birth; they just show up with their kids. We don’t even have a barn, only three-sided structures that provide shelter in the winter.”
Kiko’s breeding cycle is polygestrum (they are in heat most of the time). “I tried having more than one litter in a year just once,” Clint says as he shakes his head. “Some of the kids came in December when it was cold and icy. I learned my lesson. Now I keep the bucks away so they only kid in spring. Much easier for them and me.”
Although they can be bred when they are younger, he waits until the doelings are one year old. “They are still growing themselves and, if they try to grow young at the same time, it usually means smaller offspring with lower birth weights,” he adds.
This year is one of the rare times that one of their doe’s had trouble birthing. “She had triplets and if we hadn’t been home, we would have lost all four of them. It’s lucky Stephanie was here because she has smaller arms so she could grab the back legs and pull it out backward.”
Kiko’s excellent mothering traits are displayed when there are a lot of kids born at the same time. With so many kids running around, it is common to see one going up to any mother that happens to be near to nurse.
Keeping Track of the Genetics is Important when Raising Kikos
Both couples belong to the American Kiko Goat Association. Burdick’s herd is 100% registered and the Kopf herd is also registered and is primarily purebred. To be registered as 100% New Zealand means the lineage can be traced back to the original herd. Purebreds need to have at least 15/16 lineage to New Zealand and percentage goats need at least 50% Kiko.
Both couples are diligent about keeping good records and knowing which buck sired which does to make sure they keep their lineage, which really comes into play when they sell breeding stock.
What is the Temperament of the Kiko Meat Goat?
When asked if there are any negatives to raising the Kiko meat goat, Karen laughs, “Their intelligence! They mostly manage themselves but they are hard to keep confined, especially when they are foraging. They are also inquisitive and want to know what’s going on.”
Clint is adamant that temperament is a big factor to which ones they keep and which ones he sells. “Naturally, we want the best possible herd. To do that, we pay close attention to not only genetics, but also temperament. We had a doe who would nurse the first twin but not the second. She got culled. A buck was in a pen by himself and got out. He got culled. You don’t want to keep bad characteristics breeding down the line.”
More than Just Money
Karen and Dale name all their goats and they know their names by the time they are two years old. Clint and Stephanie only name the ones they plan to keep. All the goats that are sold are for breeding purposes or they go to market as a meat goat.
Being a smaller herd, Clint and Stephanie take advantage to do a “meet and greet” in the spring so folks can cuddle baby goats and learn about the breed. Sometimes a runt will be sold as a family pet. “The more people that learn about the breed, the better for everyone,” is his philosophy.
Although each herd is on a different size scale and is raised in different environments, all four agree that raising Kikos provides satisfaction that goes beyond monetary compensation. They all echo the same sentiment about their Kiko meat goat experience, “What’s not to love!”
Lois Hoffman has contributed to various publications for over 30 years as a writer/photographer. Everyone and everything has a story, and she likes writing about all things country. Lois is especially passionate about gardening and preserving food for self-sufficiency and sustainability. You can find her at Timberwinds Creations, Country Tidbits, and on Facebook.
For more information on Kikos, contact:
American Kiko Goat Association
- 305 Lincoln St.
- PO Box 231
- Wamego, KS 66547
- 785-456-8500
- registrar@kikogoats.com
Clint and Stephanie Burdick
- cburdi@hotmail.com
Karen and Dale Kopf
- Kopf Canyon Ranch
- Website: www.kikogoats.org
- Find them on Facebook, Kopf Canyon Ranch, LLC
Originally published in the September/October 2023 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.
