# Kiko vs Boer



## DrakesFarm

How do kiko goats do in a hobby farm situation, can someone give me an accout of their time raising tem?


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## 20kidsonhill

All I know is they need a lot of room and really good fencing. Why we decided to avoid them on our 6 acres. Plus we have children and I didn't want to deal with a wilder breed.


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## ogfabby

Pros- Kikos are a more hardy breed. They don't require as much care as the Boers. They also tend to be very good mothers. 

Cons-They tend to be much more wild, they don't pack on the meat like the boers, they also don't sell as well in my area.


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## 20kidsonhill

I honestly don't think they sell that well in our area either. With 4H being so big in our area, the Boers were the a clear choice for us. I don't even want to deal with some kiko in my boers as a cross. They do not put on the muscling that a boer goat does. If you are looking for somethign to throw out on 10 or 20 acres of well fenced property and not have to do much with them other than harvest the kids at the end of hte season for your own use or sell as meat to people who want a leaner meat goat then they would be the right breed for you. 
If you are looking for a family project, want to sell for any amount of profit other than meat for your own freezer, want to handle them on a regular bases, I would personally not bother with even a cross breed kiko. Boer/nubian cross breeds are amazing and have been pretty easy keepers for us. Can be milked, produce big kids that grow fast, are good mothers and have nice personalities. Boer goats actually have the mildest personality even more so than a nubian, nubians can be characters sometimes and a little louder than the Boer goats. if you are wanting the calmest personality with the most meat then by far it is high percentage boer goats, If you avoid the fullbloods you will get a hardier boer goat. One thing nice about the fullbloods is you can ask for a little more money for htem and the buck kids sell well also for more money. Ours are selling so well we are actually pretty much sold out for our February kidding for next year. I have one left for sale this year and she is pricier and still only 5 weeks old, so she is my last born.


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## HoosierShadow

Why not do a kiko/boer cross? They are popular, and if you get a good buck on some decent kiko does, you could add in a lot of meat.

We have a kiko/cross doe that isn't very big or meaty, but she has given us some really nice kids. In fact, my kids are showing 2 of her 3 triplets in 4-H this summer. Sure, they aren't big show stopping/fancy goats, but they'll hold their own and the kids will have fun with them.
At a BIG market goat show last weekend, the wether finished 8th in a class of almost 20. Not to shabby!
At 4 months, the wether weighed in at 75lbs, and the doe was heavier than him, but she came down sick this week and has lost a lot of weight <feed issue, not a virus/etc.>. 
The 3rd boy we sold at auction was 50lbs. at almost 3mo.


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## DrakesFarm

I was wanting to add some to my herd just for something dirferent. I need sime crazy because my girls are too tame and I am serious.I miss having to fix fence because now I have nothing to do but sit and watch my anatolian pup pull hair out Mia my other anatolian shep. cross's tail which let me tell ya is very funny, but with no babies (yet and by babies I mean nothingnot goats, cows, horses, chickens, ducks,or dogs,the only babies we have are the little rabbits that I swear smile when I try to get them


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## HoosierShadow

I'd try crossing some nice kikos with boer, they can put out some interesting kids 

Our kiko doe I don't know if she is crossed with anything, she's not real big, probably 1-65lbs. She's an easy keeper, and so very sweet, BUT, she's the boss and can be mean to the other goats. She's great with me and the kids, so very affectionate. So when I hear about wild/crazy kikos, I think huh? lol I think it just depends on how much you handle and work with them for them to be that way.

This is her with her week old triplets back in January









I love her face/ears/horns and color. I love that she's not a huge doe, but that she's typically easy maintenance.
Her kids have always been our fastest growers.

My son's very very sweet wether taken this past weekend. He was 74lbs. at weigh in for the show. Born 1-11 and again, a triplet. Sire was a nicely bred, thick Boer buck. We ♥ this guy.









His triplet sister is one of our very favorite does, needless to say, she's not going anywhere 









I don't have a pic of the other buckling since we sent him to auction in early April. He was a nice one too, long body and more slender, but I think with time his width would have caught up a little to his length.

Anyway, we have fun breeding this doe because we just never know what we'll get. Each time she kids her babies seem to be nicer, and nicer looking.


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## MsScamp

20kidsonhill said:


> ...want to handle them on a regular bases, I would personally not bother with even a cross breed kiko.


This is all news to me! Having talked to quite a few Kiko breeders back when I decided the Boers had to go, I've never heard a word about them being difficult to handle, wild, crazy, etc. In my own personal experience, the more I breed out the Boer, the easier my girls are to handle. Interesting.


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## HoosierShadow

GoatCrazy said:


> This is all news to me! Having talked to quite a few Kiko breeders back when I decided the Boers had to go, I've never heard a word about them being difficult to handle, wild, crazy, etc. In my own personal experience, the more I breed out the Boer, the easier my girls are to handle. Interesting.


Hmmm.. I think that would have to be said about a lot of breeds if you don't mess with them very often. Our kiko doe was pretty skittish and afraid of us when we got her, but she instantly fell in love with my youngest daughter, then started warming up to us. Now all you have to do is walk up to her, and she's rubbing on you, giving you 'hugs' and 'kisses.' She's the most affectionate goat I've ever known


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## Dani-1995

Candice, you don't have the average kiko doe... at least not for my area. Here kikos are small (no bigger than 90lbs), bony, dairy looking and just not a pleasant looking goat at all. I'm not sure how most are considered meat goats here. I call them brush goats. You kiko on the hand is nice! Shes not at all like our kikos.

I have seen some nice kikos but not here. If you can find the nice ones then go for it but be very selective. Boers may be easier to find. 

Ive worked with both and the boers have always been the sweeter, easier to handle. Kikos were always wild... good luck catching most on pasture.


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## MsScamp

Guess I got lucky. When I first got them, yeah, they were skittish but they settled down pretty quickly. I would not say that I mess with them a lot, either. I feed them, I walk through them and check them once a day except at kidding time, of course. Now and then when I have the time I will go out and sit with them. That's it. No brushing, none of them are halter broke or broke to lead. Most of them are either born friendly, or some switch flips about 3-4 months of age and they decide they want to be friends with me. Allowing me to pet them is not a requirement around here - all I require is that they not throw up their head and stampede the herd when I walk in the pen, or go totally nuts in the kidding pen.


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## GTAllen

Dani-1995 said:


> Candice, you don't have the average kiko doe... at least not for my area. Here kikos are small (no bigger than 90lbs), bony, dairy looking and just not a pleasant looking goat at all. I'm not sure how most are considered meat goats here. I call them brush goats. You kiko on the hand is nice! Shes not at all like our kikos.
> 
> I have seen some nice kikos but not here. If you can find the nice ones then go for it but be very selective. Boers may be easier to find.
> 
> Ive worked with both and the boers have always been the sweeter, easier to handle. Kikos were always wild... good luck catching most on pasture.


Same here. It would take 2 kikos to equal the meat on one boer goat of mine. I would cross a boer with a nubian before I would with a kiko, unless I could get meaty crosses like Candice.


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## Dani-1995

GoatCrazy said:


> Guess I got lucky. When I first got them, yeah, they were skittish but they settled down pretty quickly. I would not say that I mess with them a lot, either. I feed them, I walk through them and check them once a day except at kidding time, of course. Now and then when I have the time I will go out and sit with them. That's it. No brushing, none of them are halter broke or broke to lead. Most of them are either born friendly, or some switch flips about 3-4 months of age and they decide they want to be friends with me. Allowing me to pet them is not a requirement around here - all I require is that they not throw up their head and stampede the herd when I walk in the pen, or go totally nuts in the kidding pen.


At my place friendly goats are a must. If I can't work with them then I don't want them. My wethers do come a little crazy but its mostly due to just be weaned and not alot of one on one contact as kids. They calm down and friendly up in a couple weeks though


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## MsScamp

Dani-1995 said:


> At my place friendly goats are a must. If I can't work with them then I don't want them.


I don't have any problems working with mine but, by the same token, I don't want a bunch of "pets".


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## jnelson1232

We have a cross Nubian and a cross kiko. Then we have several fullblooded Boer. The Nubian cross kids are extremely friendly and Momma is a full Nubian and is quiet and calm. Raises amazing kids. Our kiko Momma is loud, talks non stop, her kids have been stout but a little more on the wild side even though we handle them allot.


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## HoosierShadow

Wow sorry to hear that Kiko's aren't as great in your area Dani. Snow White isn't real wide/meaty herself, her kids aren't super meaty either, but they are big and long and I know we'd get plenty off of them.
I am guessing she's only about 150lbs. and she is about 4yo now. 
I think we must have gotten lucky with having her, because it feels that way. She's such a sweetheart. 
Her kids have all inherited her friendliness too. Her doe kid last year was a little shy, but she was perfect with my 5yo, they were like 'peas in a pod.' Broke our hearts when we sold her, and that's one I will always regret selling.
We are enjoying the kids this year so much. My son and his wether are a great pair. The wether is very affectionate with my son. 
All of her kids have always been the easiest for my kids to work with.


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## jagged-d

I'm not a big goat breeder but from what I can see is yeah an adult Kiko won't get to the size an adult boer does. But the kids seem to me to grow at the same rate. They don't seem to me from birth to forty fifty pounds to be that much different in body frame. I've seen skin on boer kids be a little more loose but that doesn't mean it has filled up with meat yet haha. So for me I would rather feed a smaller adult doe that takes less inputs to get the same weight and body count that you will get out of a bigger heavier doe that needs more attention and feed. I'm not raising goats for 4-h either I'm wanting slaughter kids and breeding stock. So for the operation for me I don't care so much what my 2 year old doe or bucks size is (necicarly) I'm wanting fast growing good body count kids that didn't take more to raise them than I got selling them. But also I'm far from a professional goat breeder haha.


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## Goats Rock

I have some Kiko x Nubian wethers that are as gentle as can be. Their moms were 75% Kiko 25% Nubian, supposedly the daddy was 95% Kiko. (I have my doubts...) I have never seen does that attentive to their kids. They were not handled much when I got them, but they settled right down and were as friendly as the Alpines in my milk string. I don't think there is as much opportunity to show Kikos as there is for the Boers, but 
as they get more popular, hopefully there will be more shows and awareness of the breed. 

Kikos are a finer boned animal than the Boers, they also don't have that "beefy" look about them, but they can produce just as much meat. If the big breeders don't ruin them, they will stay the hardy meat 
producing animal that they are meant to be!


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## DrakesFarm

You guys were right about them being wild, I bought one doe toniht, within five min of her being home I had run half a mile and I mean run. Se is heading to my uncles goats hope she makes it


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## MsScamp

That has nothing with her being a Kiko, Boer, Nubian, or any other breed for that matter. That has to do with being in strange surroundings, being scared, and flipping out. I don't care what the species or breed is, 9 times out of 10, a new animal will head for the hills - going over, under, or through any fence in their way - if possible. Never, never turn a new animal out until they have had time to acclimate themselves to their new surroundings - at least 2 weeks, usually.


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## DrakesFarm

I know it has nothing to do with her breed I was just stating what happened last night, and for the record, shes still gone


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## bullyboers

Kiko Boer corss..


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## bbellhbl

*kiko meat goat*

What is often overlooked when "looking" at a Kiko is the smaller bone structure of the Kiko vs. Boer. 
When a 50# Boer and a 50# Kiko are dressed out and deboned they produce the same amount of edible meat. 
I've culled all the Boer's out of my meat operation because they eat too much to produce the same amount or less of kid on hoof at weaning.


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## bbellhbl

I agree that the breeders are responsible for maintaining the integrity of any breed. Someone tried to sell me a registered Boer buck that was two years old and at the withers was only 18" tall!!!!


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## Cedar Point Kikos

My doe (cross something, I think Kiko) is SO sweet, little kids can ride her. She is small, but her kid filled out nicely. I have a PB Kiko doeling, she was a little wild when I got her, but with a little handling(and treats) She now comes up to me... Wild Kikos are Kikos that are not handled. I love the breed! I also milk the KikoX doe. Personally,I think Kikos are good for Family Farms, as they do not need so much maintenance...but for fencing, get movable stuff. Goats get bored, too!


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## CAjerseychick

Well now that I have a worm infestation on my hands (Oh that Free wether sure is costing me plenty!!!!) -- those Kikos are looking better all the time-- now, that guy selling the expensive (500 unregistered- 1400 for papered) Kikos might be someone I need to talk to in the spring (he handles and tames all his goats and also tests for CAE/CL which is not all that common in Kiko breeders around here)....

(thinking of switching out my Nigerian buckling for a kiko buckling..... I would just wether the first little guy)...


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## robin4

HoosierShadow said:


> I'd try crossing some nice kikos with boer, they can put out some interesting kids
> 
> Our kiko doe I don't know if she is crossed with anything, she's not real big, probably 1-65lbs. She's an easy keeper, and so very sweet, BUT, she's the boss and can be mean to the other goats. She's great with me and the kids, so very affectionate. So when I hear about wild/crazy kikos, I think huh? lol I think it just depends on how much you handle and work with them for them to be that way.
> 
> This is her with her week old triplets back in January
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> I love her face/ears/horns and color. I love that she's not a huge doe, but that she's typically easy maintenance.
> Her kids have always been our fastest growers.
> 
> My son's very very sweet wether taken this past weekend. He was 74lbs. at weigh in for the show. Born 1-11 and again, a triplet. Sire was a nicely bred, thick Boer buck. We ♥ this guy.
> 
> 
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> His triplet sister is one of our very favorite does, needless to say, she's not going anywhere
> 
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> 
> I don't have a pic of the other buckling since we sent him to auction in early April. He was a nice one too, long body and more slender, but I think with time his width would have caught up a little to his length.
> 
> Anyway, we have fun breeding this doe because we just never know what we'll get. Each time she kids her babies seem to be nicer, and nicer looking.


 Cute, Cute jacket on thoes kids. Beautiful baby goats, and one handsome boy!!!


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## DrakesFarm

Well we finialy found her and got her caught on september 13 she wa sa mile from the barn but only seen once between June and september, she was then tied in the barn by her horns but she had something wrong woth, I dont know if ahe was beat or what, but if we so much as looked at her she would start to shake, we figured she wouldnt stay with our goats now so we sent her to the sale in october


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## Cedar Point Kikos

CAjerseychick said:


> Well now that I have a worm infestation on my hands (Oh that Free wether sure is costing me plenty!!!!) -- those Kikos are looking better all the time-- now, that guy selling the expensive (500 unregistered- 1400 for papered) Kikos might be someone I need to talk to in the spring (he handles and tames all his goats and also tests for CAE/CL which is not all that common in Kiko breeders around here)....
> 
> (thinking of switching out my Nigerian buckling for a kiko buckling..... I would just wether the first little guy)...


Yes, Kikos are NOT the cheapest goats. But you need to be careful they are not fed and raised so that they Look Great, but do not perform as the Kiko Breed is supposed to. A great website for info on Kikos is: Lookout Point Ranch.


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## ksalvagno

CAjerseychick said:


> (thinking of switching out my Nigerian buckling for a kiko buckling..... I would just wether the first little guy)...


Don't breed your Nigerian girls to a Kiko. You always want the female to be the bigger one of the breeds.


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## CAjerseychick

ksalvagno said:


> Don't breed your Nigerian girls to a Kiko. You always want the female to be the bigger one of the breeds.


I was thinking of the 2 Oberhasli does I had.... (this is beginning to feel like a 2 buck situation....)...that Kiko guy has a really nice webpage, and the herd is pretty sweet looking with bloodlines straight from the Old country.... and he does all the testing...
And the bucks are def cheaper then the does....


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## CAjerseychick

LLNkikos said:


> Yes, Kikos are NOT the cheapest goats. But you need to be careful they are not fed and raised so that they Look Great, but do not perform as the Kiko Breed is supposed to. A great website for info on Kikos is: Lookout Point Ranch.


Here is the website I have been looking at--

http://www.bellranchkikos.com/

Goats are not far from me(!!!) on acreage in the mountains, and they run an internship program as well as part of a national sustainable/natural farming methods network...
They are pretty serious about their breeding and raising (? forgot the word) practices for their goats....

I like to drool at the website.... maybe in the spring...
I sure like my goats, but I would like to move towards goats that are inherently hardy and viable on less intervention.... (although my little Nigie mixes are pretty hearty so far)...


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## CAjerseychick

Oh, one more thing, I like the Bell Ranch site in that for a novice like me, they make a point of handling their goats, which for small hobby enthusiast like me is something I really really need....
(the lookout ranch site was a good read as well, but I think for more serious commercial producers)...


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