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The Kiko Experience
Robert Bryant
A number of things we encounter in life seem to defy definition or
quantification. Things like love, religious faith, or the vastness of the
universe which great men have tried to define
without success. Even simple things like a child’s excitement, the discovery of
a wild flower in spring, or a breath taking scene from a mountain top tax our
ability to explain the essence of what we have observed and experienced. However
these things are just as real as a gallon of milk, the square footage of our
homes, or the number of goats we own. Why? Because our first hand experience has
convinced us of the validity of what we have observed. The following are some
first hand experiences that have convinced us of the superiority of Kikos.
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We started with a few dairy goats, then
we purchased a full blood Boer buck for breeding. The dairy goats left the farm
after a brief stay! We purchased our first Kiko, a buck, about 8 years ago.
Since then full blood and percentage Kiko
does have been added to our herd. Now we have mostly Kiko influence. Like a lot
of other breeders, we have had a chance to compare the Kiko and Boer first hand.
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The following are some of
the reasons we are Kiko enthusiasts:
Low
Maintenance – We worm our Kikos every 6 months compared to every 3-4 months
for other breeds. Kikos have better feet with less hoof trims than other breeds.
My wife insists that every mother goat needs a little extra nourishment to
remain healthy; therefore, we feed a small amount of grain during gestation and
lactation. The amount of grain for that “healthy look” is much less with Kikos
than other breeds.
Independence –
Kikos do not make good pets! They tend to be stand offish and don’t usually
bond well with humans. But I like that trait. I would be the last one to suggest
as others have that goats communicate. But when you look at Kikos, I admit they
convey a confident message that says, “we can get along without you”.
Vigor
(synonymous with hardy) –
Kikos do not make good pets! They tend to be stand offish and don’t usually
bond well with humans. But I like that trait. I would be the last one to suggest
as others have that goats communicate. But when you look at Kikos, I admit they
convey a confident message that says, “we can get along without you”.
Fast
Weight Gain –
Kiko kids tend to be smaller than other breeds at birth, but the difference
is quickly overcome. At 6 months of age thereis not an ounce of difference
between Kiko and Boer offspring.
Coloration -
Color is seldom mentioned as a positive for Kikos, but personally, I like
the color variety of Kikos. With other breeds the color can get monotonous. Our
buck is a magnificently colored animal with black cape over the shoulders and
head and a white body
perfectly and symmetrically trimmed with black legs and feet. Most does are
white or beige. This year’s crop of kids are beautifully colored with black,
white, beige, gray, and brown…some multicolored and some solid. Each Kiko birth
brings the exciting question of what color will it be.
Acquire a few of these outstanding animals and conduct the comparison as we
have. Separate the truth from the nonsense about Kikos. I’m confident the
experience will be positive. Don’t miss a chance to maximize profits in your
production of meat goats.
For additional information on MoonRidge Farm’s quality Kikos
telephone us at 865-977-4070 or email at
rdbryantpe@bellsouth.net
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