Lake Fork Kikos, LLC, is owned by Suzanne and Kraig Stemme, DVM, and operates in Wood County, Texas, on the 27,000 acre Lake Fork.   The property consists of 29 acres divided into 14 paddocks of approximately two acres each. Rotational grazing is practiced over the entire 14 paddock property.  We raise 100% New Zealand Kiko goats.

A diverse mixture of forages are planted two times a year to provide year-round forage whenever possible.  However, we do not creep feed the kids while they are nursing on the does. We provide a custom mixed loose mineral free choice at all times.  Alfalfa hay is offered during the winter, when forage is not available.  Whole cotton seed is offered to the doe herd during times when forage is insufficient in order to maintain a body conditioning score of approximately 2.5 (out of 5).  Water is provided in each paddock either by access to the lake or well water provided in troughs. 

Does are expected to kid in the pasture without assistance.  We provide Quonset huts for shelter during inclement weather.  Does are checked between 7 and 7:30 a.m. each day during kidding season, and during the remainder of the day until 9 p.m.  Our expectation is that the newborn kids are vigorous and quickly suckle their mothers for colostrum. 

We vaccinate for CDT and CL using a strategic program to booster vaccinate approximately one month to six weeks prior to kidding to increase colostrum immunoglobulins.  Kids are vaccinated twice, one month apart, at weaning time.  We blood test every animal purchased for Johnes disease and CAE and quarantine new arrivals for up to one month prior to including them into the herd. We blood test the entire doe herd and herd sires once a year and have 11 years of test-negative results for both chronic wasting diseases.

We wean kids at 75-90 days by placing them in a paddock next to their mothers to decrease after-weaning stress.  Kids are provided a 14% calf-creep for supplementation during the weaning process. 

Every time an animal is handled at Lake Fork Kikos, the five-point exam is performed.  We check the FAMACHA score, body condition score, bottle jaw, hair coat condition, and dag score.  For our herd, we use three selection criteria:  maternal ability, growth, and parasite resistance.  We believe each is as important as the other, and all decisions relating to breeding stock are contingent upon improving each of these traits.

All production records begin on the farm—we also use the OSU kid-performance computer record software to monitor kid weaning weights.  In addition we weigh the doe at the time of weaning in order to compare her litter weight to her weight.  We want to maintain an efficient doe that weans 100% of her body weight.  We performance test bucklings for post-weaning growth and parasite resistance by participating in the Oklahoma Forage-Based Buck Performance Test at Eastern Oklahoma College in Wilburton, Oklahoma. Our commitment to fast growth and parasite resistance has been affirmed by our multiple Top Herdsman Award winnings.