# Kiko-nubian-saanen



## SLFdairy (Mar 12, 2013)

I'm scheming on an idea and I'd like some input. I've had the idea of breeding a "homestead breed" of goat that would be good for meat and milk. Homesteading and self sufficiency, come rain or shine, is a way of life for many of us, but culturally in America right now it is very popular. I'd like to develop a mix from registered stock that the does could be milked, and bucks not needed for breeding could be butchered. With crossing the boundaries of meat and milk I know I can't register them, but documentation increases value. I already have a registered Saanen buck that is from incredible bloodlines. I'd like to cross him to a registered Nubian doe, then cross that offspring (hopefully a doe) to a full blood Kiko. I think the milk genetics would be good enough that I could loose a little to the meat bloodlines, and I'd gain the parasite resistance, rapid growth, and foraging ability if the Kikos. If I'm careful with my documentation, I think marketing will take work and salesmanship of course but be manageable. The biggest challenge I see is, once I have a herd that is 1/4 Saanen, 1/4 Nubian, and 1/2 Kiko, is after a few years managing to have a replacement breeder buck that is that same mixture. Anyway, I'm open to thoughts and opinions. Thanks


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds good. I would think for the homesteading bunch, they really wouldn't care about registration or documentation. Maybe documentation proof of how much milk and meat you can get from that cross.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I think that would be a good cross, you may even get a good cross just from a Saanen/Kiko. Saanens grow pretty fast too and with their milking abilities you should get some really meaty kids that grow fast and will milk themselves. I have seen pictures of some Saanen/Savanna crosses and they look really nice. Savannas are a really neat meat breed too, they are heavier than the Kiko's but still have the superior mothering abilities, hardiness and parasite resistance.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Kiko x Nubians make a nice cross- throw in a 1/4 Boer and you have a nice meaty, milky doe that 
tend to throw strong twins!


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

My homesteader doe is boer/alpine. I get close to a gallon a day of the most delicious milk out of her, she milks like that for 10 months, and I breed her to meat breed buck for freezer kids. 

I plan in the future to cross my Nubian doe with a Boer for replacement homesteaders. The important things for me are having high producing milk genetics coming from the dairy side and good teat structure as well as meat to bone ratio on the meat side. Depending on the meat lines it can be easy to drag poor teat structure into your dual purpose does.

My current meat buck is 50% Boer, 25% Kiko and 25% Nubian. he has excellent teat structure on top and bottom of his pedigree, and while he leans toward the meat breeding he has enough dairy that I can use him on my homesteaders and possibly keep replacement doelings from the cross. I have a doeling for sale (but not trying hard to sell her) by him out of a Togg doe. I will sell her if I get my overly high asking price, but i really want to freshen her once and see how she milks and what her kids look like.

I think your cross sounds like a pretty decent one. Different choices than my mine, but with very similar goals and I think you should get close to what you want with that.


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