The Kinder Goat breed began in
the late summer of 1985, when Zederkamm Farm's Nubian buck died, leaving two Nubian
does without a mate. Since they also kept pygmy goats and did not want to take
the does to another farm to be bred, they were bred with their pygmy buck. Left
to his own devices, the buck accomplished the two successful breedings, making
use of log sections and sloping land to reach the correct height. On 30 June
and 4 July 1986, the first three Kinder does were born. It was another year
before the first Kinder buck was born.
It is easily possible for a
Kinder doe weighing about 115 pounds to produce five kids who in 14 months can
weigh 80 pounds each and dress out at 50 pounds thereby producing 250 pounds of
meat each year.
Unlike many breeds, Kinder
goats are seasonal breeders, meaning they can be bred throughout the year; this
trait is inherited from their pygmy ancestors.
Also, they frequently have multiple births - There have been 7
reported births of sextuplets!
Kinder Goat milk has high
butterfat content, sometimes having higher than 7 percent butterfat; it also
has higher amounts of milk solids, yielding larger amounts of cheese.
In spite of their smaller size,
Kinders are generally more muscular than a full-size dairy goat, often yielding
dressing percentages over 60%.