CrossRoads Goat Farm, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Carolina Kiko Goats

Kikos originated in New Zealand. In 1769, New Zealand was discovered and colonized by Europeans who brought with them “milch” goats. Some “milch” goats eventualyy escaped into the wild, and having no natural predators, they bred and thrived despite weather, parasites, and disease.

In the 1970’s, some New Zealand ranchers organized to develope a new meat goat. This group of breeders and developers of Kiko goats was known as Goatex Group Limited of Christchurch, New Zealand.

The New Zealand ranchers originally isolated several thousand feral goats and subjected them to stringent selection for specific traits; the two main criteria were survivability and weight gain. Other factors they included in the selection process were:

- No Shelter

- No Assistance during kidding

- No supplemental feeding

- No hoof trimming

- Minimal parasite control

In 1986, the herd was closed to outside bucks. Outside does were slowly added if they met the criteria set by the ranchers.

Information provided by the American Kiko Goat Association