Rare breed of goat slated to headline National Convention in Bourbon County

By Jason E. Silvers

The Fort Scott Tribune

A unique breed of goat, called the Kiko, will be the featured animal in an auction that is coming to Fort Scott for the first time later this month.

The American Kiko Goat Association, the official organization of Kiko breeders and owners in North America, will sponsor and conduct the 2008 National Convention and Showcase sale on June 20-21, at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds, 2102 S. Huntington Blvd.

The event will feature a variety of guest speakers, a cooking contest, a junior AKGA member art contest, and the showcase Kiko goat sale. This is the second year that the AKGA will offer its showcase sale of top quality Kikos in an auction format, an AKGA statement said.

Registration for the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 20, with an opening ceremony scheduled for 11:30 a.m. that day A panel discussion titled "Now That I Have Goats, How in the World Do I Get Them Sold?" will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Friday. A three-part workshop concerning the control of worms and internal parasites in goats will begin at 1:15 p.m. Friday. The workshop will be presented by Steve Hart, an animal nutritionist from Oklahoma, and Ann Wells, a veterinarian from Arkansas.

The winner of a planned cooking contest will be announced at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by a catered dinner at 5 p.m., and the AKGA annual business meeting at 6 p.m. A number of vendors have donated products that will be given away as door prizes during the two-day event. On both days, Kiko goat breeders from several states will also have farm displays including their own animals set up for viewing.

Registration for the event will continue from 8 a.m. to noon, on Saturday, June 21. Bob Woods, an area extension agronomy specialist in Northeast Oklahoma, will present a program titled "Setting the Stocking Rate for Your Farm" from 9 to 9:45 a.m. Saturday. Wells will present two other programs on Saturday dealing with forage management and the overall health of Kiko goats and other livestock. A panel discussion concerning forage and health management will take place from 11:30 to noon, Saturday.

The Kiko goat auction is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m., Saturday. The purpose of the sale is to showcase the best of the Kiko breed and will be limited to about 120 animals. Entries will be made in three divisions -- New Zealand animals, purebred animals, and alternative program animals. Kiko goats in a variety of colors, ages and sizes from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Georgia and Texas will be available for sale at the auction, according to the AKGA Web site, www.kikogoats.com.

According to the AKGA, the Kiko goat originated in New Zealand in the 1980s when feral goats were crossed with dairy goats to breed a new type of meat-producing goat. Kiko is the Maori (native New Zealander) word for "flesh" or "meat." The goats were developed for fast growth, survivability, and hardiness. In the 1990s, ranchers began importing Kikos into North America and organized the AKGA, which has owned the original Kiko goat registry since 2000.

Other characteristics of Kiko goats include their low maintenance, resistance and tolerance to parasites, good maternal instincts, ease of kidding and the vigor of newborn kids, their ability to gain substantial weight and thrive in harsh conditions, and their ample milk supply. Today, more and more farmers in the United States are moving into the Kiko goat producing market, the AKGA Web site said.

More detailed information on goats that will be available and the bidding and purchasing process for the showcase sale can be found online at www.kikogoats.com. Registration for the annual convention costs $10 per person, or $25 per farm, which includes family members or staff at the farm. The cost to attend the Friday dinner is $10.50 per person.

The goal of the AKGA is to educate the public about the advantages of the Kiko goat, and assist its members in breeding, raising and registering Kiko goats. The annual conventions are held at different sites each year to allow more AKGA members the opportunity to attend the events, the AKGA Web site said.