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Hancock Kiko Farm
By John and Lori Hancock Reprinted from Goat Rancher, May 2008 Hancock Kiko Farm is nestled in the small town of Irwinville, Ga. Irwinville has one caution light and its claim to fame is the capture of Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy. The day-to-day operation of Hancock Kiko Farm is done by Papa (Jerry Hancock), Daddy (John Hancock), and the boys (Guy, Ben and James). On the sideline are Grandmo (Pat, who is Jerry’s wife), Mama (Lori, who is John’s wife), and Sara and Jarrett (John and Lori’s youngest two). Our goat venture began in 2000. At first we wanted cows, but we decided on goats instead. What was a goat but a small cow anyway? Or so it seemed. I found and bought a small, unregistered herd of Boer goats. I was soon to find out that raising goats was not the same as raising cows. Not knowing how easily goats got parasite infested, I soon became disheartened as I lost several goats to worms. I would come in and see that the goats had the runs again. Didn’t I just deworm them a few weeks ago? I talked to my vet, who told me that the Southeast is the worst place in the country for goat parasites. My limited experience was telling me that what he was saying was very true. I was not yet ready to give up on the goat business, so when I heard of a local farmer who was selling his commercial herd of 83 goats, I bought them. These goats were hardier than my first bunch, but still not great. To make matters worse, I ignorantly bred them to kid in August. What a mistake! August is not the time to kid in South Georgia. I soon had even more experience at burying goats. While reading and studying about goats, I found out about Kikos. I didn’t know if they were pronounced “Keeko” or “Kyko”, but they sounded good either way. I read that Kikos were parasite resistant, great mothers, had less hoof problems, and so on. Was it all sales hype, or had I found the ideal goat? I went to JT Farms in Valdosta, Ga., and bought a nice, unregistered Kiko buck. Five months later, I was amazed. Those kids were up and looking for mama very soon after birth. They had a will to live! I was now sold on the Kiko, even before ever experiencing the improved motherability that I would see in a year and a half or so. I had indeed found the ideal goat. A short while later, I read of a Kiko herd dispersal an hour away, in Albany, Ga. Mrs. Suzanne Fowler, who I later found out was sister-in-law to Jim Fowler (the guy who wrestled alligators and such on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom), was selling due to sickness. I made an appointment with the man who was handling the sales to see the goats. He turned out to be Graham Culliford, the man who brought the Kikos to America. Unfortunately, I never got to meet Mrs. Fowler face to face before she passed away. There were some fine animals at Mrs. Fowler’s place. I saw several beautiful Kiko bucks, including Goatex Goliath, who was now pretty old. I picked out and bought a son of Goliath named “Goliath’s Genie.” The next thing I knew, my daddy, whose dually we were traveling in, and who didn’t even own any goats, was asked to haul a load of goats halfway or so to Missouri. In the process, he wound up buying five weaning age Kikos. Little did we know that buck, now called “Big Boy”, would become such an integral part of our goat business. That little buck grew into one of the best Kiko bucks out there.  Additionally, three of the does were daughters of Goatex Goliath. I would guess that these were probably the last daughters he had. We were now in the registered goat business. Not long afterwards, I ran into a friend who told me of another Kiko herd that was for sale. Mrs. Mary Chastain, of Moultrie, Ga., was selling her goats. We bought her seven does, which like the first ones we bought, all turned out to be 100% New Zealand. That means that they had no other blood introduced. Three of these were actual offspring of parents who came over on the boat. From that time until now, we have acquired “Sport” from Bill and Brenda Moore, “Warrior” from Sky and Debora Shivers, and half interest in El Negro’, with Scott Johnson. These bucks are used as outcrosses on “Big Boy” daughters. “Warrior” placed fifth out of 53 on the 2007 buck performance test in Oklahoma. I was more impressed with his parasite resistance. Not only did he not have to be dewormed, but during the test his fecal egg count went DOWN from 400 to 100. Wow! At Hancock Kiko Farm we believe in being as forage-based as possible. That said, we do supplement when needed. During the time of the year when there is plenty of forage, they live on forage. During the winter we feed free-choice hay, and small amounts of feed (half a pound or so). We don’t pamper our goats, but we do take care of them. We try to do business by the Golden Rule — Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Jerry always tells folks, “If you are happy with your goat, tell your friends. If you are not, tell us and we will make it right.” Raising goats is definitely a three-generation endeavor at Hancock Kiko Farm. The three generations work together as they move goats to other pens, tattoo, tag, weigh, and yes, deworm a couple of times a year. This has probably been the biggest reward — seeing the family bond as they work and travel together in the goat business. The youngest generation is learning responsibility, the value of hard work, and how you should treat others in business dealings. They have seen fractions in the real world as they have crossed their percentage goats with fullblooded goats, and they have also learned about the birds and bees. They are learning to make business decisions — when to sell and for how much, and who should be bred to whom. When faced with these decisions, the boys say they have to have a business meeting. They each hold an office in what they call the Hancock Brothers. Guy (12) has been elected president, Ben (10) is vice president, and James (7 ½) is chief of staff. As Sara (4 ½) and Jarrett (2 ½) get older, they will also get involved. All five children are homeschooled by John and Lori, so they are able to adjust their schedule and take their holidays when Papa and Daddy are going on goat trips. This has also been wonderful for Jerry. He is retired from the railroad, and he is not the type to sit in the chair and watch TV. So, the goats give him something to do that he enjoys. We enjoy raising goats, and we have made many lasting friendships as we have bought, sold and traded with other goat farmers. We invite you to visit our farm. We enjoy talking about goats and showing people our herd. Jerry is retired, so he is available most of the time. Give us a call if you are passing through South Georgia or if you just want to come and visit. You can also visit our website at www.hancockkikofarm.com. |
