The Purpose of the IKGA Farm Certification Program is to:
–
To promote the use of IKGA accepted "Best Practices" of herd and farm business management.– To maintain the integrity of the Kiko Goat breed while improving the quality of Kiko breeding stock.
RATIONALE
A goat farmer may want to participate in the IKGA Farm Certification Program to:
Learn about "good practices" developed by experienced goat farmers
Demonstrate they are using "good practices" (especially useful for an inexperienced goat farmer)
Use the accomplishment in their advertising or marketing program
Measure progress in applying "good practices"
The IKGA believes the program will:
Encourage use of "good practices"
Recognize those that are formally and consistently using "good practices"
Provide marketing support to members by "certifying" those that use "good practices"
Support the overall development of the goat industry
Encourage the preservation and further development of the Kiko breed
IKGA CERTIFIED KIKO BREEDING STOCK PRODUCTION FARM
The goal of this program is to encourage and recognize breeders of Kiko Goat "Seed Stock" who strive to maintain the integrity of the breed while improving the meat production value of the breed.
Success Criteria:
Maintaining a proven breeding plan/program that increases the meat production value of the breed through an improvement of selected performance characteristics including parasite resistance / tolerance, overall health / growth with minimum human assistance, meat quality / quantity, and mothering skills. These characteristics lead to a sound business.
Relationship to Breed Advancement Program:
The Breed Advancement Program will be the scientific basis from which the Certified Kiko Breeding Stock Production Farm will be derived. As new ideas emerge that are included in the Breed Advancement Program they will be included in the certification process for farms as well. These programs should be complementary and supportive of each. Since the certification process will accept any format for data, there will not be any duplication of record keeping when using either or both programs.
Bronze (25 points required including mandatory items)
| Demonstrates positive results in breeding program over time by selling at least 5 goats annually as breeding stock for 2 years (mandatory) |
5 points. |
| Adherence to IKGA code of Ethics, written sales contract used, and breeding stock guarantee provided. |
4 points. |
| A Written Herd Health
Plan including; health records kept FAMACHA evaluation records Fecal testing records vaccination program records vet inspection biannually facilities meet certain standards for goats including shelter from rain and wind, clean water available, adequate fencing for farm situation, and adequate space consistent with farm situation any forage improvement program |
3 points
2 points 3 points 2 points 1 point 3 points
2 points |
| Production expense and sales records |
3 Points |
| Herd Production records kept including culling criteria records, kidding rate and doe production rate records |
5 points |
| Attends KikoFest at least once every two years |
3 points |
| Herd is represented in KikoFest Auction at least every other year with a minimum of 3 goats |
3 points |
Silver (40 points required including mandatory items)
| Participates in IKGA Certified Kiko Breeding Stock Production Farm program at the Bronze level a minimal of 12 months immediately preceding application for this level of certification (mandatory) |
2 Points |
| Herd is represented in
KikoFest Auction at least every other year with a minimum of 5 goats,
more than 5 goats earns additional |
4 points
2 points |
| Participates in IKGA sponsored research or study project |
3 points |
| Participates in IKGA sponsored educational event |
1 point |
| Annual production calendar including a monthly schedule of activities such as herd breeding time, herd kidding time, vaccination period, etc. |
2 points |
| Use of less than ¼ pound of commercial feed per day on an annual basis per goat |
3 Points |
| Attends KikoFest at least two of every three years |
4 points |
| Participates either in local, state, regional, or national professional goat association |
2 points |
| Participates in buck/doe testing programs at university |
5 points |
| Participates in IKGA
Breed Advancement program for at least 12 months
– Bronze level (level 1) ---- Silver level additional (level 2) ---- Gold level additional (level 3) |
2 points 3 points 4 points |
Gold (70 points required including mandatory items)
| Participates in Farm Certification program of IKGA at least at Silver level a minimal of 12 months immediately preceding application for this level of certification (mandatory). |
3 points |
| IKGA Review Committee visits farm to review practices at least once (announced) tri-annually (mandatory). | up to 10 points at discretion of reviewers |
| Attends KikoFest at least once every two years (mandatory) |
4 Points |
| Participates in documented on-farm research program of some type |
4 points |
| Officer in professional goat association at local, regional, or national level |
4 points |
| Publishes article in local newspaper or other publication (to promote goat industry) at least once annually |
4 points |
| Uses DNA testing for verification of parentage |
2 Points |
| Herd is represented in
KikoFest Auction at least every other year with a minimum of 8 goats, more than 8 goats earns additional |
5 points 2 points |
| Held or sponsored educational event for local goat farmers at your farm |
5 points |
Following is a table that indicates what points are available for the Breeding Stock Production Farm Certification.
|
Breeding Stock Production Farm |
|||||
| Possible Points This level |
Accumulative Possible Points |
Required Points This level |
Mandatory Points This level |
Acumulative Mandatory Points |
|
| GOLD |
43 |
119 |
70 |
17 |
24 |
| SILVER |
37 |
76 |
40 |
2 |
7 |
| BRONZE |
39 |
39 |
25 |
5 |
5 |
IKGA CERTIFIED GOAT MEAT PRODUCTION FARM
The goal of this program is to encourage and recognize industry leading "best practices" in a goat meat production farm/ranch using Kiko genetics.
Success Criteria
The effective production of goat meat with Kiko based genetics including minimal human interference and the careful documentation of herd production records
.
Bronze (20 points required including mandatory items)
| Demonstrates positive results in goat meat production program over time by selling at least 10 goats annually for 2 years (mandatory) | 5 points |
| A Written Herd Health
Plan including; health records kept FAMACHA evaluation records Fecal testing records vaccination program records facilities meet certain standards for housing goats (see above) any forage improvement program |
5 points 2 Points 3 points 2 points 2 point
3 points |
| Production expense and sales records |
5 points |
| Herd Production records kept including; culling criteria records, kidding rate and doe production rate records |
5 points |
| Attends KikoFest at least once every two years |
2 points |
Silver (45 points required including mandatory items)
| Participates in IKGA Certified Goat Meat Production Farm program at the Bronze level a minimal of 12 months immediately preceding application for this level of certification. (mandatory). |
2 Points |
| A Written Herd Health
Plan including as required in Bronze certification level with the
addition of vet inspection tri-annually
and point change as follows; FAMACHA evaluation records Fecal testing records vaccination program records facilities meet certain standards (listed above) for goats |
1 point
2 points 3 points 4 points 3 points |
| Participates either in local, state, regional, or national professional association |
1 point |
| Use of annual production calendar (as listed above) |
2 points |
| Use of less than ¼ pound of commercial feed per day on an annual basis per goat |
3 Points |
| Written sales contract used with any breeding goat sold |
4 points |
| Attends KikoFest at least once every three years |
2 points |
| Herd Production records as in Bronze level with the following changes; culling criteria records, kidding rate and doe production rate records |
5 points |
| Herd is represented in
KikoFest Auction at least every other year with a minimum of 5
replacement does,
more than 5 goats earns additional |
5 points2 points |
Gold (70 points required including mandatory items)
| Participates in IKGA Certified Goat Meat Production Farm program at the Bronze level a minimal of 12 months immediately preceding the application for this level of certification (mandatory). |
2 Points |
| IKGA Review Committee visits farm to review practices (mandatory) | up to 8 points at discretion of review committee |
| Attends KikoFest at least once every two years (mandatory) |
3 points |
| Demonstrates positive results in goat meat production program over time by selling at least 20 goats annually for 2 years (mandatory) |
5 points |
| Participates in buck/doe testing programs at universities |
2 points |
| Held educational event for local goat farmers at your farm |
1 point |
| Participates in IKGA sponsored research or study project |
3 points |
| Participates in IKGA sponsored educational event |
1 point |
| Herd is represented in
KikoFest Auction at least every other year with a minimum of 5
replacement does,
more than 10 goats earns additional |
5 points2 points |
| Publishes article in local newspaper or other publication (to promote goat industry) periodically. |
3 points |
| Officer in professional goat association at local, regional, or national level. |
2 points |
| Demonstrates positive results in goat meat production program over time by selling at least 30 goats annually for 2 years (mandatory) |
5 points |
| Participates in Breed
Advancement Program of IKGA
– Bronze level (level 1) – Silver Level additional (level 2) – Gold level additional. (level 3) |
2 points 4 Points 6 Points |
Following is a table that indicates what points are available for the Goat Meat Production Farm Certification.
|
Goat Meat Production Farm |
|||||
| Possible Points This level |
Accumulative Possible Points |
Required Points This level |
Mandatory Points This level |
Acumulative Mandatory Points |
|
| GOLD |
54 |
137 |
70 |
18 |
25 |
| SILVER |
39 |
83 |
45 |
2 |
7 |
| BRONZE |
34 |
34 |
20 |
5 |
5 |
IKGA Farm Certification Procedures
Procedures for application and award of IKGA Farm Certification Program certificates will be developed, maintained, and revised as needed by the IKGA Board of Directors.
Procedures include:
Certificates will be approved by the IKGA Board
The "Review Committee" outlined above will be appointed by the IKGA Board and must include three people , at least two of which must be non-officers or Board members selected at random from membership
All reviewers must be non-paid volunteers
No redundant records should be required. Applications may include copies of documents used for other purposes and in any reasonable format. The intent is to minimize or eliminate duplication of effort by the goat farmer.
Applications must be in writing and submitted to the IKGA office.
This program is completely voluntary
A farm can participate as either a "breeder" or a "goat meat production" … or both
As new "best practices" are identified or old ones revised, the program will change accordingly
The program has three certification levels (Bronze, Silver, and Gold) in each of two categories (breeder or goat meat production) … participants proceed only as far as they wish over time
Some activities at each level are identified as "mandatory" … most are optional
Completion of an activity will add the specified number of "points" to the total achieved
Each certification level has a minimum point requirement for certification
There are many more possible points than is required for certification thus giving alternative ways for member farms to gain certification (recognizing that each farm and each situation is different)
The program focuses on "process" more than "content". For example, you get points for having a vaccination program of any kind. You are not required to use any specific vaccination but rather must have decided that for your farm the recorded vaccinations are appropriate at this time. There are a few cases in which exceptions are made to this principle when it was believed the item was critical to the integrity of the program. For example, the FAMACHA method is specifically indicated as a "good practice"
Please contact Barry Arnett if you have any questions about this program at (606) 549-8010 or sharpe.farm@starband.net
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