Function over form:  Kikos the "Production" goat for the Southeastern US

By Kerrel Ard
Reprinted from Goat Rancher, May 2005
   
    All "farm" animals were developed to produce something (meat, milk, both, eggs, or work). You get the idea. In time past, and even today, the development of this production animal was greatly influence by its environment, primarily climate and plant life of its home range. The amount of human input or lack there of was also a major influence on the development of any animal (breed).
    The goal of our ancestors who were developing these animals was usually to achieve a quality end product with as little human input/assistance as possible. As this process has move forward in history goals sometimes changed. The drive to achieve some new or different end product or higher monetary value often caused less importance has been placed on the need for "little or no human input". In my judgment that is where we stand in today's Meat Goat industry in American. More value has been placed on big, even huge goats than goats that can produce quantities of meat with little or no human invention. We stopped valuing meat production in favor of huge, beautiful, impressive goats.
    There are a few producers throughout the country who are raising goats with meat production in mind. If you visit with those folks there are some common thoughts and practices. When you ask about breed of goat the answers begin to differ mostly based on what part to the county the producer lives. It seems this is because of the country of origin of their chosen breed. Humidity seems to be a major factor in the discussion of country of origin. This is because of how moisture affects plants (forage), and how moisture affects the life cycle of parasites and bacteria.
    Let's look first at bacteria and parasites. I am combining these two very different organisms, because they need the same things to thrive, warmth and moisture. In my part of the world we have plenty of both. Because of that our goats are exposed, almost year round, to a multitude of parasites and bacteria. Anyone who has ever raised goats knows what parasites cost producers. It seems to me that most foot problems in goats are due to bacteria growth in or around the hoof.
    This relates to country of origin in that a goat, which was developed in a warm humid climate, will have a hoof adapted to that climate. That would likely mean the hoof grows slower, has less hair around and between the hoofs, and is in general less affected by the wet weather. From this position let's begin to compare the two most widely used meat breeds in America, Boers and Kikos. Boers, which originated in South Africa, have rapid hoof growth to accommodate the constant hoof ware in their native land. Kikos, which originated in New Zealand, has much slower hoof growth because the ware is much less in the much more humid and less rocky country. They also seem to have less hair around and between hoofs that would hold moisture at the hoof. 
    Much has been said about the Kikos' parasite resistance. There is little scientific research to substantiate this claim, yet there is a great deal of anecdotal information. Looking again to country of origin, South Africa is dry and hot, which is not optimal for parasite growth. Because of this Boers had little need to develop parasite resistance as the breed developed. Kikos, on the other hand, had to develop much stronger parasite resistance to survive on the open range of warm and wet New Zealand.
    When comparing the forage available, in South Africa and New Zealand, it seems that the difference is that the majority of forage plants in a humid environment is a much higher lignin content. Lignin is a complex polymer used by plants to bind cellulose fibers, there by allowing the plant with high moisture content to stand more erect. The higher lignin content also lowers the forage quality, digestibility, and availability of energy. The lower the lignin content the more like feed concentrates (grain) the forage is. This likely accounts for the Boer's greater success in feedlot type arrangements and in dry climates. It also accounts for the Kikos superior performance on southeastern range settings. Simply put the forage in New Zealand, the forage the breed development was based on, is much more like the native forage of the southeastern US. 
    If your goal is to produce goat meat in a warm humid climate with as little human input as possible look to country of origin when choosing a breed. 
    The recent research done by Dr. Browning and his team at Tennessee State University certainly supports this and suggest that the Kiko is more productive on southeastern range. This can be seen in the research done evaluating Boer and Kiko goats for doe-kid performance (presented in Tulsa, OK - Small Ruminant Production I - Genetics and Breed Evaluation):  litter size at weaning was lower and litter weaning weight was lower for Boer than for Kiko dams. The ratio of litter weight weaned to doe weight at weaning was greater for Kiko compared to Boer dams. Preweaning ADG and weaning weights were greater for Kiko kids compared to Boer kids. Kiko does tended to wean a higher kid crop percent and more kids when compared to Boers in the study group. 
    A clear Kiko advantage can also be seen in TSU's work on the influence of maternal breed on meat goat carcass characteristics (presented at Joint Annual Meeting of American Society of Animal Science - July, 2004 - St. Louis, Missouri): Kiko kid hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and dressing percentage tended to be greater. Carcass grade scores for Kiko tended to be better than those for Boer kids. Live conformation scores were similar for Kiko and Boer kids. This suggest that breed of dam may affect carcass traits from commonly sired crossbred kids. If you are unsure or unfamiliar with the origins of the Kiko, get your hands on a copy of Where did the Kiko come from? an article derived from the proceedings of the IV International Conference on Goats 1987, volume II, p. 1330, Brasilia, Brazil - by G. J. Batten.
    In your search for a production goat or breed there are many things to consider. Country of origin should be high on the list. There are at least a couple of other things to think about. One is very simple: the way you raise/manage your goats can enhance or destroy the natural tendencies of a breed. For example, the best production goats in the world will not produce if you crowd them on a range. Another consideration is "hybrid vigor" scientifically know as heterosis. Most livestock producers know that often production can be enhanced by cross breeding. That can be true of goats as well. As you design your breeding program try and maximize heterosis without compromising the value of country of origin. Consider local breeds and strains to take advantage of what already works in your area. Remember the common Stiff Leg developed in east Tennessee, your area likely has a strain of goats that has been there for 200 years or more.
    Remember, a "Production" goat maximizes output with minimum input. Which would you rather have, a kid you get $60 for when you have $50.00 worth of feed, drugs/vaccines, wormer, and labor in it, or $45.00 from a kid you only have $15 worth of input. (These numbers are just an example, not real market figures.)     For now, Kiko slaughter kids will likely bring less than Boers (expect that to change as processors become more familiar with the breed) but you will have a far greater profit margin.
    We have a long way to go in this country to have a productive meat goat industry. While in conversation with another goat producer who favors Kikos, I was reminded that the production of goat meat in the U.S. is a relatively new agricultural enterprise. It has been done for years but has only in the last 10 years gained widespread attention. Except for the larger ranches in the Southwest, the majority of goats have been pen raised with maximum input and intervention or raised in a manner equal to being pen raised even if allowed to forage.
    The economical production of goat meat must be done from a forge base, and the goal of every goat meat producer should be developing a meat goat able to produce on forage with minimal input or intervention. The forage based meat goat will likely not be the "big" goat so many are used to seeing or think of when thinking of meat goats. It will be one that can make money for the producer of goat meat.