Goat

2010 Kidding Season (click here for more photos)

We've completed our kidding season with new kids that hit the ground in January & February. As bitter cold as the Winter was, we had no difficulties in kidding. Kids were strong hitting the ground, and as usual with these Kikos, big steps are required to catch them to obtain their birth weight.

2010 Kid-Tracking stats: Kidding Performance Data

Kikofest 2008 - Some of the Kiko doelings we picked up at the annual sale associated with the IKGA's annual Kikofest, held in Gray, TN.

TSU #6126 - American BoKi (Boer X Kiko) F1 Doeling
IKGA #06 03783TSU W6*50% Born - March 20, 2006 Kiko X Boer F1. Ranked 24 of 52 contemporaries. Sire: 100% NZ son of "Nick". 90-day adjusted weight = 37.5 lbs. Weaning Weight Ratio = 99. Purchased at KikoFest 2006 auction in Gray, TN from Tennessee State University; Richard Browning Jr.; PhD

TSU #5197 - Spanish X Kiko (left)
Born - May 6, 2005 (single); F1 Doeling. Sire is TSU #614, 100% Spanish. Dam is TSU #409, a 100% New Zealand Kiko daughter of Lightnin. 90-day adjusted weaning weight = 43.4 lbs. Weaning weight Ratio = 121. Ranked 4th of 25 for weaning weight among her May-born contemporary group. Purchased at KikoFest 2005 auction in Gray, TN from Tennessee State University; Richard Browning Jr.; PhD. She was sold in 2009.

TSU #5237 - Boer X Kiko (right)
Born - May 15, 2005 (single); Sire is TSU #27, 100% Red Boer that is a line bred grandson of Almond Acres Fudge. Dam is TSU #415 a foundation purebred Kiko. 90-day adjusted weaning weight = 46 lbs. Weaning weight Ratio = 128. Top ranked (1st of 25 doe kids) for weaning weight among her May-born contemporary group. Purchased at KikoFest 2005 auction in Gray, TN from Tennessee State University; Richard Browning Jr.; PhD. She was sold in 2009.

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70 lbs. in 90 days! BAR Silver King
Born - November 25, 2006 (single); minimal grain supplement. Sire: Hop-A-Long (above); Dam: TSU #5197 - Spanish X Kiko (above).

Black Jack (Kiko/Spanish) Twin Does - Born March 10, 2007 out of Hop-A-Long (SA Boer - above) Birth Weight 7.0 & 7.5 lbs

Checkers & Checkmate (Kiko/Boer) Twin Does are IBGA registered as 50% Boer. Black Jack (Dam) is a registered 50% Kiko with Spanish bloodline as well.

Meat Goat Production "Goat is the most highly consumed meat in the world; and more goat’s milk is consumed worldwide than cow’s milk.
In the United States, meat goat production is increasing because of goats’ economic value as efficient converters of low-quality forages into quality meat, milk, and hide products for specialty markets.
There are several reasons for goats’ growing popularity in this country. A big factor is the larger number of ethnic groups who have settled in this country and who have a preference for goat meat, milk, and cheese products."
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Editorial on the Goat Industry "...and ever-more meat goat herds are established across the country. This surprises me as keeping meat goats successfully requires fences and equipment specific to the species. There is also a serious learning curve. But that's probably a good thing, over the long term, as these factors will limit the number of people raising meat goats 5 years from now-and ensure that prices will remain higher than they otherwise might. Nonetheless, I expect the economic forces to stay in place that will allow sheep and goat to remain high..." - Stan Potratz - Premier1supplies.com

Roger's Ridge Ranch - Herd Sire Swap June 27, 2010 Theodus was temporarily traded for Target of Roger's Ridge Ranch, LLC in Smyrna, SC. Target is a 100% Kiko. Our goal in this swap is simply to diversify our herd's genetics. According to Benjy James, the owner, "Theodus arrived (at his new temporary assignment) in good spirits. When he saw all the Does, it became obvious that he would not be able to confine him in his corral (without an electric wire). When he arrived, the entire herd bunched up around him like he was a rock-star. Within minutes, he was making the rounds sniffing all of his new girlfriends. A pop-up thunderstorm forced all of them into the shelter and Theodus took the dominant position by the entrance. It looked as he had been in charge forever."

Mike McCarthy - a native of Margam, Whales after recently preparing a goat from Baker's Acres Ranch, LLC

"The best lamb in the world- Welsh. The second best is New Zealand, and then Australia. When we ate that goat meat, it was the nearest and closest to Welsh-lamb,... it was almost identical!"

Mike and Pauline, his wife, now reside in Clemson, SC

The Bakers' Acres Ranch, LLC

Our management goal is to produce a hardy, high weaning weight, commercial meat goat, requiring minimal intervention.

While our goats are primarily sold locally for meat consumption, we also produce a limited quantity of Kiko seed stock. A significant market also exists for goats as pets.

We produce IKGA American Premier Purebred and Percentage Kikos. We maintain up to 45 does, with a single Purebred Kiko buck as herd sire.

Realizing the value of hybrid vigor, our herd consists of both Kiko goats and Boer goats; including pure-bred stock down to 50% bred stock. The resulting wean weights and average daily gain consistently outperform our typical purebred stock kids.

Our ranch consists of more than 60 acres of both pasture and woods, which provides numerous sources of browse and forage for our goat herd. Supplemental feed for our herd is kept to a minimum, just enough to keep them conditioned when we say "whoo - c'mon goats!"

Our goats are all natural, forage/pasture raised, with minimal feed supplementation during pre- and post-parturition (kidding). Annual CD/T vaccinations for all, de-worming, and hoof trimming only as needed.

Our tattoo herd prefix is "BAKE" for both the IKGA and the IBGA goat registries.

Theodus (WR51) - at 22 months. The 100% Purebred Kiko Sire for all 2009/2010 Kids. (See Kid-Tracking stats) ALL 25 kids, including triplets, in the Spring of 2009 were like rabbits trying to catch to get their birth weight. Unbelievable! More info on him below.

Theodus, our American Premiere Purebred Kiko (100%) Buck; born Apr-16-2007. Purchased Sept 2007, performance data reported a 90-day Adjusted Wean Weight of 38lbs. a 90-day Performance Weight of 41 lbs. He is a grandson of "Titan", and a son of "MGR Titan's Twister" (full brother to Hammer, top buck ever tested at Fort Valley Forage Test).

He has grown to be a massive goat, often mistaken as a miniature horse from a distance. We have never had to trim his hooves, nor de-worm him.

Bakers' Acres Ranch, LLC is Certified SC Grown!

The Certified South Carolina program is a cooperative effort among producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture (SCDA) to brand and promote South Carolina products. The goal is for consumers to be able to easily identify, find and buy South Carolina products.

Certified South Carolina is a call to action for South Carolina citizens as we ask you to Buy South Carolina because Nothing's Fresher. Nothing's Finer.

Goat Meat For Sale - 2011 pricing

Triplets! 2 down 1 still to come! This Doe delivered 2 does and a buck 6.7, 6.8, and 7.0 lbs respectively.

The IKGA's KikoFest - Frank Baker Sr. and Dave loaded up and headed home from Kikofest in September 2008. This annual event in is the southeast region's best opportunity to acquire quality Kiko breed stock at auction. This year was clearly a buyer's market, as quality stock was obtained for up to 30% less than in year's past. Although 2 New Zealand does went for more than $2,000 each, we took advantage of the opportunity to purchase several high percentage Kiko does, rather than waiting to "breed up". Watch for the Kikofest event summaries in subsequent issues of Goat Rancher magazine.

Goat Meat Nutritional Value Click here Compare Goat meat to other popular meats.

Snow Creek Meat Processing - Seneca, SC

Our goats are processed at this USDA facility. Judy and her team do an exceptional job. Follow this link to see examples of hanging carcass' prior to being butchered. read more

Kidding video Watch a video of pulling a breech kid – Tommy Leavell; Luling, TX; LGFBoergoats.com Not intended for use as instruction, but a real, live, on-farm experience from a working goat ranch.

Breech kid video

(viewer discretion advised)

Meat Goat Production

Below are the best current publications seen in a while. Published in Aug 2006, data is current and addresses contemporary issues such as breeds, marketing, stocking rate, sample budgets, multi-species grazing, and more. These are worth a read for both the beginner and experienced goat producer.

There are many opportunities across the country to learn about goat farming.

Onion Creek Ranch in Texas and Oklahoma State U. both offer seemingly very credible goat camps. Dave picked up a few pointers by attending a local technical college workshop. (here's proof!) KikoFest, sponsored by the IKGA is another excellent source for information. We look forward to a presentation every year by Dr. Richard Browning of Tennessee State U. each year.

Goats for sale On farm sales by appointment only. Delivery available for a fee.