Kiko EPD Program Summary
Prepared for the IKGA Business Meeting
KikoFest, 2005

      It is the intent of the Kiko EPD Program to contract with the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) for analysis of EPDs for the Kiko breed. This EPD initiative is modeled after the Boer Goat Information  Network (BGIN) EPD program that has been collecting and analyzing EPDs for the past two years. Data for the following EPDs will be collected for the Kiko EPD Program:

1) Birth Weight EPD - The birth weight EPD can be used to identify animals that are genetically predisposed to produce either excessively heavy or excessively light kids.

2) Maternal Birth Weight EPD - This EPD provides a measure of the maternal genetic effect on birth weight. It can be used to identify does whose daughters have the capacity to limit the birth weight of their kids.

3) 90-Day Weaning Weight EPD - The 90-day weaning weight EPD provides a genetic estimate of preweaning growth potential.

 4) 150-Day Postweaning Weight EPD - This EPD combines the information on preweaning and postweaning growth. It can be used to predict the genetic differences that effect market weights when marketing is done at a consistent age.

5) Maternal Milk EPD - This EPD provides an indication of mothering ability. It reflects genetic differences in doe milk production as expressed in pounds of kids weaned, not pounds of milk. Does that have faster growing kids than predicted are assumed to be better milk producers. Selection for high maternal milk EPDs is used to improve milk production and mothering ability in the herd.

6) Milk Plus Growth EPD - This EPD is calculated by combining information on weaning weight and the maternal milk EPD. It can be used to predict the future genetic contribution of an animal's daughters to the weaning weights of the kids they produce.

7) % Kid Crop EPD - The genetic potential of an animal's daughters for prolificacy is evaluated by the % Kid Crop EPD. It is reported as the number of kids expected to be born compared to the average number of kids born per 100 does kidding. The % Kid Crop EPD is very useful in helping the breeder select the best replacement doelings for their breeding program.

      The Kiko EPD Program Committee [John Smith (chair), Warren Barnes, Richard Mayer II, Daniel Jenkins, and Jeanne Dietz-Band) will provide the administrative and infrastructure function for the program. John Smith is the program coordinator for breeders participating through the AKGA and Jeanne Dietz-Band is the program coordinator for breeders participating through IKGA, Pedigree International, or The Kiko Pedigree. It has not been finalized how the 'Breed Coordinator' function will be handled. The Breed Coordinator is the point person through which NSIP receives data and disseminates results. The Committee is in negotiation with a paid independent Breed Coordinator recommended by NSIP. The other option is for John Smith to act as the Breed Coordinator for AKGA and Jeanne Dietz-Band to act as the Breed Coordinator for all other Kiko groups.

     The Kiko EPD Program Committee will accept contributions from all the Kiko registries to support the formation of the Kiko EPD Program and the payment of the one-time $2,500 initiation fee required by NSIP to set up the Kiko EPD database and analysis program. Please contact your program coordinator regarding financial support for the Kiko EPD Program.

     The Kiko EPD Program Committee requests that each breeder pay a $50 per year herd fee to participate in the EPD program. This fee is to be used to help cover the annual cost to NSIP for running the EPD analysis. The EPD Program Committee may recommend this fee be reduced in the future as the number of participating farms increases. The $50 fee will be paid to the Kiko registry through which each breeder is requesting participation in the EPD Program. It is the responsibility of each participating Kiko registry to pay the portion of the annual NSIP analysis fee that corresponds to the number of Kikos from their registry represented in the total number of Kikos in the EPD test group. The Kiko EPD Program Committee will publish the number of participating Kikos from each registry and the total number of Kikos in the EPD analysis to the Kiko breeder community every year.

    The annual analysis fee for NSIP is likely to be $1,500 although a final contract with NSIP has not been negotiated. Once the requested $50 herd participation fee is collected, each registry has the option to further support its breeders as they see fit to insure payment of the fees required for the NSIP analysis.

     The Kiko EPD Program is designed for Kiko breeders that are breeding up to purebred Kikos or breeding 100% NZ Kikos. Only purebred or 100% NZ herdsires will be in the program. Kiko does of 50%, 75%, 87.5%, and purebred or NZ  (93.75% and above) will be eligible for participation.

Program Coordinator Contact Information:

John D. Smith (AKGA)
25110 Elmwood Drive, Petersburg VA 23803
804-861-8836, jvms1@aol.com

Jeanne Dietz-Band (IKGA, Pedigree International, The Kiko Pedigree)
5127 Mt. Briar Rd., Keedysville, MD 21756
301-432-7296, manyrocksfarm@myactv.net

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