Breed · Goat breed
Kiko
Capra hircus
The Kiko is a meat goat developed in New Zealand from feral goats selected for hardiness, growth, and survivability under low-input hill-country conditions. It is widely used in extensive and pasture-based meat systems.
Record
Livestock breed- Breed of
- Goats
- Species
- Goat (Capra hircus)
- Type
- Meat
- Origin
- New Zealand
- Recognition
- Registered
- Conservation status
- Not establishedReported per source and date (e.g. FAO DAD-IS); not a fixed property of the breed.
- Registries
- FAO DAD-IS · Global · as of 2026-07-12Breed recorded in the global inventory of livestock breeds.
- Adaptation
- Bred for demanding, low-input pasture and hill conditions, and adaptable to a range of extensive and pasture-based environments with appropriate management.
- Primary uses
- Meat production, Meat-goat crossbreeding
Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.
The Kiko is a meat-goat breed developed in New Zealand in the late twentieth century. Breeders selected hardy feral goats, crossed them with dairy bucks, and then bred for animals that performed and survived under demanding, low-input hill-country conditions with minimal intervention.
The result is a robust, fast-growing meat goat prized for hardiness and good foraging ability. The name derives from a Māori word for meat or flesh. The breed has since become popular in extensive and pasture-based meat production, particularly in the United States.
Origin and development
The Kiko was created by selecting feral New Zealand goats and crossing them with dairy bucks, then applying strong selection for growth and survivability under extensive hill-country management. The goal was a low-maintenance meat goat that required minimal intervention, and dedicated breed associations now register the breed in New Zealand and the United States.
Physical characteristics
- Medium-to-large, well-muscled frame suited to meat production.
- Frequently white or cream, though other colours occur; often horned.
- Selected for a robust constitution and good mobility on rough terrain.
Production and management
The Kiko is valued for rapid growth, good maternal ability, and strong performance under extensive, low-input conditions, and is often used in meat-goat crossbreeding to add hardiness and foraging ability. It is well suited to pasture- and browse-based systems.
Relationships
Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.
Adapted to climate
Farming systems
Scope & limitations
Geographic scope: Global; a New Zealand meat breed now prominent in the United States. Husbandry and regulation vary by country.
Climate context: Developed for demanding, low-input pasture and hill conditions; adaptable across extensive systems.
- This is a breed characterisation, not husbandry, breeding, or veterinary guidance.
- Performance figures are highly system- and management-dependent and are described only qualitatively here.
- Conservation status is left as unknown: as a recent composite breed its populations are expanding and are not assigned a risk category here.
Sources
This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.
- [1]DAD-IS — Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (opens in a new tab)Authoritative
FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
Cited for: Breed record and characterisation in the global inventory
- Type:
- Official registry
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12
- Moderate
Cited for: General background on the Kiko goat
- Type:
- Reference database
- Jurisdiction:
- Global
- Accessed:
- 2026-07-12