Kinder goat facts for kids
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Standard | Kinder Goat Breeders Association |
| Use | milk, meat |
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The Kinder is a special type of domestic goat from America. It was created to be good for both milk and meat. These goats are known for being strong and having a good body shape.
History of the Kinder Goat
The Kinder goat breed started around 1985. This happened on a farm in Snohomish, Washington, in the United States. A farmer decided to breed two different types of goats together.
They used an American Pygmy male goat and Nubian female goats. This mixing of breeds is called cross-breeding. The goal was to create a new goat that was sturdy and had good muscles.
The new goats were then selectively bred. This means only the best goats with the desired traits were chosen to have babies. This helped make the Kinder goat good for both milk and meat production.
In 1988, a group called the Kinder Goat Breeders Association was formed. They started a special record book for the breed. By 2006, about three thousand Kinder goats were officially registered.
The Kinder goat breed has become popular in the United States. It is now found in about thirteen states. You can also find Kinder goats in countries like Brazil and Canada.
In 2007, a group called the FAO said the Kinder goat was an endangered breed. This means there were not many of them left. However, by 2020, its status was listed as unknown.
What Does a Kinder Goat Look Like?
Kinder goats are a medium-sized breed. They get their strong body from the American Pygmy goat. They also have longer legs, which they get from the Nubian goat.
Female Kinder goats, called does, are about 20–26 in (51–66 cm) tall. They weigh around 115 lb (52 kg). Male Kinder goats, called bucks, are about 20–28 in (51–71 cm) tall. They weigh around 135 lb (61 kg).
Both male and female Kinder goats naturally have horns. However, in the United States, their horns are often removed when they are young. This process is called disbudding. Kinder goats have a short coat of hair. Their coat can be many different colors.
Why Are Kinder Goats Useful?
Kinder goats are very useful because they produce both milk and meat. A female Kinder goat can give about 680 kg (1500 lb) of milk in about 305 days. This is a lot of milk!
The milk from Kinder goats is special. It has a high amount of butterfat, which is the creamy part of milk. This makes their milk great for making cheese.
Kinder goats can have babies at any time of the year. This is because they are an aseasonal breeder. They are also very good at having many babies at once. It is common for them to have twins or even triplets!
Their babies, called kids, grow very quickly. When they are ready for meat production, about 60% of their body weight can be used as meat. This makes them a good choice for farmers who want both milk and meat.
