Goats Unlimited began its goat farming experience on the Big Island of Hawaii in early 1985. It consisted of searching for breeding females to begin a herd and then replacement stock to maintain the herd.  Being on an island has its limiting factors (challenges), and one cannot become frustrated.  We started putting together two mobs , one of Spanish meats and one of mixed dairy breeds. The decision to maintain a closed herd was made at the initiation of the project (business) to secure a disease free status.  Because of our rigid testing procedure, the herd is clean of caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), caseous lymphadenitis (CL), brucellosis, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis and leptospirosis.  We have spot tested for campylobacter, chlamydia, bovine viral diarrhea (border disease), Johne’s disease and Q-fever, never having a case appear.  Biosecurity has always been an important criteria for our business, sometimes extreme, but disease prevention and control in the forefront. Over several years, it became obvious that the seedstock for herdsires was just not available.    What breed would be best suited to and readily adapt to the environment, twin and recycle on native vegetation, with kids having rapid growth rates on scrub vegetation and brush and  still produce a high-quality carcass for our diverse ethnic population?  And, the bucks had to be from a closed herd or from another country that was considered free of the specific diseases we had identified.
 Several years later, visiting with a close friend from New Zealand, it was mentioned that Garrick Batten (Caprinex) and a group of individuals had been breeding feral does and crossing to AngloNubian, British Toggenburg and Saanen bucks. The breeding regime was developed to take advantage of the large base population of feral goats.   Feral does are small in stature  with an amazing ability to survive adverse climatic conditions and demanding nutritional constraints without supplemental feeding.  In crossbreeding with dairy breed bucks that met the size and meat production criteria established by the New Zealand breeders, milk production of the feral does was enhanced (Goat Rancher, May 1998).
 Goats produced under extreme environmental and vegetative constraints are naturally  selected for soundness in conformation, structurally correct feet and legs,  fertility,  milk production (good udder and teat conformation)  and temperament.  Consequently, there are both polled and horned genetics in the KIKO breed as well as a range of coat colors with white being the most dominant.  Initially, there was no set breed type since the ‘breed’, now known as the KIKO was selected solely for survivability and growth rate under commercially farmed conditions.
  With selections from the F2 and F3 generations, the liveweights of the kids increased;  kid growth rate increased as did their ability to survive under New Zealand hill country pastoral conditions. The KIKO was then tested for performance under the conditions established for the breed.
 The breeding flock was farmed on steep hill country and managed  with minimal inputs such as hoof trimming and internal parasite drenching. The does were expected to twin at first kidding and rear twins at subsequent kiddings. They were pressured by a higher stocking rate and culled ruthlessly.  Five-month liveweights of kids were used as an initial selection point (weaning at 4 months) as it is a measure of  maternal ability.  At eight months, liveweights were a good indication of the weanoffs' ability to obtain growth rate from vegetation on their own accord, and at 15 months the liveweight was used to select replacement stock. By that point in time, the offspring had become environmentally adapted, they had survived and had a high growth rate , the major characteristic traits selected for  the breed. Therefore, successful completion of the performance tests under stressful conditions by four generations had  evolved the new breed , the KIKO meat goat.
 The breed seemed to offer everything that we were looking for in seedstock herdsires.  New Zealand is an extremely disease conscious country with strict import regulations.  And, Hawaii, being a Pacific island, has its own set of extremely strict importation criteria , including a federally mandated quarantine program.  There are only two federal quarantine stations in the U.S. , Florida and Hawaii.  All incoming livestock has to be admitted for the required quarantine period and pass additional testing.  I decided that I wanted to go into the New Zealand hill country, especially areas that were infested with gorse and berry vines because we were using our goats for the eradication of christmas berry, guava, thistle, indigo, wattle trees and other  noxious and invasive (and poisonous) plants.  Goats Unlimited's goal was to establish a breeding mob that could survive all of the environmental, climatic, soil diversity and plant community uniqueness imposed by the islands. This doe mob had to twin, raise twins and rebreed to a commercially managed production scenario  of three kiddings in two years. The kids had to reach 70 to 75 pounds  with minimal supplemental feed (and a loose, free choice chelated mineral mix) in six to seven months to meet our ethnic demand for quality carcasses. 
 Traveling to New Zealand is an adventure I highly recommend.  I was met in Nelson, on the South Island of New Zealand, by Garrick Batten and his wife, Ann. Their hospitality was greatly appreciated and the week spent looking at goats (Kiko, Cashmere, Angora), gorse and hiking (climbing) the steep hill country was what I expected (strenuous).  What was most impressive was climbing steep slopes on the station where most of the KIKOs were out performing noxious plant eradication.  It was an ugly day with rain blowing horizontal but when we came to the top of the incline, there was a mob of KIKO kids out stripping gorse , oblivious to the weather.  We stood for a long time in our ‘dry-as-a-bone’ raingear, backs to the weather, discussing the genetics of the kids and the doe mob.  Further hiking brought us to the doe mob;  they were attacking larger diameter vegetation , oblivious to the weather.  It was at that point I realized the KIKO was a breed of goat all its own. 
 We purchased  four KIKO herdsires  in 1990 that met our specific selection and performance criteria. Each buck had to be a twin from the top 1% of the kid crop, and have sturdy legs and feet. They had to exhibit a mild temperament, great depth of heart girth, spring of rib with body capacity, width across the withers and rump, length and width of back and loin and fullness of hindquarter. The bucks were from a mob that had minimal hoof trimming, a decreased rate of deworming and performance tested.  Since our initial purchase of live bucks, we have purchased semen from five unrelated lines in New Zealand. The bucks have to be health tested for semen collection for export/import requirements. Then the semen is tested and has to pass another set of export/import specifications.
 Selection decisions for replacement females from both mobs were based upon environmental effects, pedigree and progeny data, breeding values and performance, carcass data analysis, heritability and repeatability of traits along with genetic prediction(s) and the use of the sire summaries.
  Heritability is the expression of a trait in a population that is influenced by breeding values and phenotypic values.  Breeding value(s) is related to an individual's value as a genetic parent and phenotypic value (s) is the measured level of performance for a specific trait within an individual. The major maternal traits are fertility, milk production, maintenance efficiency, motherability and freedom of dystocia (kidding problems).  Major paternal traits are rate and efficiency of gain, meat quality and carcass yield.
 The production characteristic traits selected have to be carefully chosen based upon criteria for production management in meat goats. The criteria used by Goats Unlimited:  1)  adaptability to climatic, environmental and production management conditions,  2)  the reproductive efficiency of the individuals within the mob and the mob as a unit,  3)  growth rate of offspring at weaning, 8 months and 15 months of age and  4)  carcass quality , grade and yield.

Adaptability
  In selecting for environmental adaptation, Goats Unlimited selected both females and males based, as closely as possible, on natural selection.  It is a hard criteria at times because it can have negative effects on the growth rate in the kids, which eventually affects maturity, both on-set of puberty and weight gain throughout their productive life. Therefore, intensive rangeland (pastureland) and brush management is needed to be sure that the young animals are receiving quality protein from the native vegetation.  Encourage selection for the desired traits by using diversified grazing management practices.  (Goat Rancher, Oct 97 and Nov 97). 
 To encourage the expression of genetic potential of Goats Unlimited Kikos,  we use older goats  to land clean and brush reduce areas.  Nutrition plays a major role in the goats' ability to produce in a stressful  environment.  Since we expect our does to kid in the brush (Goat Rancher, Jan 2000) and raise/wean twins, our vegetation is managed so that the pregnant does have the high-quality feed the last trimester of pregnancy.  They are set-stocked at kidding on good feed and when the kids are 17-21 days (they begin ruminating), the mob is moved onto high quality feed for the kids.  We go into areas with lots of young leaves and buds (blackberries, young forbs, yellow star thistle), or into areas of oak forests previously cleaned with young, lush regrowth.  Not only do the kids have quality nutrition, they are in the beginning phase of fire mitigation.  (Goat Rancher, Mar 2000 and Aug 2000). 
 At weaning, the kids now are managed on the highest quality feed available.  Should nutrition be lacking, protein is supplied by feeding cull beans (blackeyes, limas) and energy is supplied by feeding whole corn.  Minimal amounts are fed, it is the rumen microflora that we need to keep stimulated and colonized.  Then, the digestion of cellulose and lignin (main components of forbs, dry grass, branches) can be more easily digested and utilized.  A mineral mix, based upon vegetative analysis and soil samples is balanced, chelated and  offered free choice.  Sea kelp is offered ad lib.  Mineral nutrition stimulates the immune system decreasing internal parasite loads, footrot, retained placentas, milk fever, grass tetany, etc.
 During adverse weather conditions, the goats are rotated into areas with lots of mature trees, downed timber, and rock outcroppings so they can protect themselves.   If inclement weather persists, then portable shelters are provided as the severity can affect reproduction and growth rate.
 The goats are segregated into various groups according to sex and age.  They are easier to monitor for body condition score, social status  interactions are less pronounced, health maintenance program easier, and the potential for genetic expression increased.
 It is less stressful on all involved (man, livestock and land)  to work in harmony with mother nature.  Goats Unlimited firmly believes in and practices HRM.  Environmental adaptation is one of many facets of production.

Reproduction 
 Reproduction is a trait closely related to income.  We want to give the Goats Unlimited Kiko does and doelings all possible chances of breeding and rebreeding.  To fulfill kidding rate and optimize profit, our breeding season for doelings is 45 days and for the does, 36 days.  I select replacement individuals that fit into this schedule as it makes feed management easier, the kids are more uniform at birth and there are less light weight kids. The doelings must be more than 85% of their mature body weight and between 12 to 14 months of age.  Breeding the doelings older gives them a chance to get more bone (structural) growth and will decrease chances of dystocia.  Under our native vegetation management scheme, we expect the females to kid a minimum of 3 times in two years.  To meet this criteria, nutrition plays a vital role.  We have to be sure that their energy requirements are met as that is the major nutrient needed at this time.  Without the correct energy balance, physiological priorities begin to change and reproduction is compromised.  The amount of nutrition needed depends upon body size, body weight, milk production and activity level.
 Body condition score (BCS) is monitored before breeding, after kidding and again before rebreeding. The higher the score (1-emaciated through 9-obese), the sooner the does will recycle and decrease the breeding season.  We like our does to be in a BCS of 6.5 before breeding. The kids will have a higher birthweight and gain weight faster after parturition.  Kidding in the brush, it is important that our kids are born strong, aggressive and double their birthweight in 5 to 7 days.  As the kids reach 7 to 8 weeks of age, the BSC of the doe will begin dropping to 5.  Our kids are weaned at 12 weeks of age and the BCS on the does is 4.5 to 5.  If the does drop below a 4, it takes both energy and protein supplement along with high quality forage to get them back to a 6.5.  It takes about 2 to 3 months and that means  losing out on a breeding season.  If this happens continuously over a period of 3 years, then the birthweight and growth rate of the kids is greatly compromised.  Therefore, maintain body condition as it saves money over the long haul.
 Reproduction is also affected by the readiness of the bucks to breed.  The does can be ‘flushed’ and ready to breed but if the bucks have not been hot synchronized, then it will lengthen the breeding season, or, there will be less does bred.  Reproduction efficiency increases ease of kidding management.  If the bucks and does are ready to breed,  about 80% of the does will kid during the first 21 day heat cycle with the other 20% kidding in 20 to 24 days.   We begin checking heat three weeks before we want to put the bucks out.  It is important to know what does are ovulating and how many.

Growth Rate
 Growth rate of the kids and weanoffs is a very important selection criteria.  We weigh the kids at birth, at weaning (3 months), 8 months and again at 12-15 months of age.  Birth weight is affected by nutrition the last trimester as 80% of the fetal growth takes place. The weaning weight is a measure of the dam's ability to mother and produce milk.  At 8 months, the young goat has survived the initial weaning stress, foraging for itself, and re-structuring of its social acceptance within a mob.  It is a better indication of an individual's potential.  And, the 12-15 month weight gives you a good indication of mature weight as this weight is approximately 80% to 85% of the mature weight of a Goats Unlimited Kiko. This weight is a good indication of genetic expression. We are cautious not to select replacement stock from the extreme range of weight gain post-weaning.  Our goal is to have a moderately sized goat that grows rapidly, carrying a high percentage of lean red meat but is not an expense to feed.
  We have been selecting for growth rate as our niche market demands a young (6 to 7 month old) 75 pound goat.  All of that weight gain comes from foraging unless weather conditions are severe and supplementation is needed to maintain basal metabolism or body condition.  Our Goats Unlimited Kiko herdsires have increased our rate of gain weight, from weaning to 7 months of age, by 20 pounds.  Selecting for growth rate is a long-term genetic process.

Carcass quality
 Over the past 10 years, one characteristic trait that kept surfacing in need of enhancement was carcass quality with predicatble consistency.  In other words, all carcasses at a designated weight, whether 45 or 75 pounds, had to be consistent in dressing percentage, cooler shrink weight, ribeye size,  cutability, muscling, leg circumference and conformation score. Those traits are important in our niche marketing as we supply chefs with whole carcasses and sell cut/wrapped/boxed meat cuts. The chef has to know how many carcasses to order, the exact weight of each cut they plan to prepare, how to cut and serve the desire cuts of meat , constancy of known high-quality are their demands. Those requests became our goals as niche marketing offers a higher price per pound than any other mode of carcass sales. We are able to offer organically produced goat meat because we do not use deworming drenches, the goats consume native vegetation and the goats fertilize naturally through their dung and urine.  Our herd vaccination program differs for individuals selected for replacement breeding stock and wethers or cull females for our meat market. The replacement stock are vaccinated for clostridium perfringens C and D with tetanus and leptospirosis (carried by deer, wild pigs, etc.) and the wethers are not vaccinated. To get around the tetanus situation, the does are vaccinated 3 weeks before kidding and antibodies are passed to the kids from the colostrum.
 Goat meat has always been a lean red (ethnic) meat dish.  The goat is not genetically coded for a ‘fat’ finish and the ethnic consumers do not like to eat fat.  I consider that advantageous for Goats Unlimited.  It costs more to put on fat than muscle. But the true value of grassfed goat meat is that it is lower in fat and has fewer calories.   Grassfed goat meat is richer in omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) ,  human nutritional advantages along with higher levels of an essential vitamin, beta-carotene (Vitamin A).
 Carcass merit is a difficult trait to select for as there are also within breed differences.   For identifying sires that produce offspring expressing desirable carcass characteristics, we use a single-sire mating breeding program.  Increasing the percentage of lean has to be done early in life as muscle cell numbers increase inutero to about three months of age, and muscle fiber bundles increase in size from weaning to about 12 months of age. Nutrition plays a role in carcass quality as it affects the birth weight of the kids, the health of the offspring, sparks the kids immune system, uniformity of weanoffs (predictability), time to puberty,  and maintaining a high body condition score.  Stress has to be minimal as it increases the amount of energy expended, decreases water consumption and intensifies hormonal effects. To minimize stress, we use livestock guardian dogs (Goat Rancher, Dec. 99), modified behavioral management techniques, quiet working facilities and peaceful labor.
   To help guarantee carcass quality to clients, we deliver our goats to the slaughter facility in the early A.M. and they are processed as soon as we arrive.  There is no pre- or post-slaughter stress which affects the quality (tenderness, color) of the meat. 
 In the past 10 years, after lots of record keeping and analyzing, we are slowly making progress toward out initial goal. Upon completion of this year's data, we have increased our dressing percentage by 6% with only a 0.01% hot:chill weight loss, the ribeye area has increased by 0.3 square inches, the conformation score has gone from an 8 to 11 (based upon 1 to 15) and carcass length increased 2.25 inches.
 Had we not started using some linear measurements when we did, we would not have had an initial starting point , a base , you have to know where you are in production management, the environmental effect on production, and the market demands that you service to determine the direction you need to go.
 It has taken a lot of effort and determination (perseverance) to get to where we are in production management with Goats Unlimited Kikos today.  Sometimes  I do look back and am amazed at how far the breed has come.  One of my favorite past-times is sitting in a pasture with my friend from Maui and a ham and cheese on rye watching the does kidding.  We start reminiscing about 0.63 kids per doe per kidding in the 1980’s, progressing each kidding season until now, for the past four seasons, averaging over  2.1 kids per doe per kidding. Goats Unlimited Kikos, as a breed, are here to stay.

 Dr. An Peischel, PhD, is a Small Ruminant Extension Specialist,
Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee. She can be
contacted at .