Significant numbers of Kiko goats have been sent for slaughter by Goatex Group and its associated consortium members over the past fifteen years. The object of the exercise has always been to produce the maximum amount of meat for the minimum input. To this end the preferable target weight of prime slaughter animals has been a 20 kg animal at 100 days. Such an animal will deliver an average carcass of 10 kg without many costs of any significance.

The 20 kg animal has been targeted for a number of reasons:

1. The carcass is arguably the most desirable for the most number of markets which are prepared to pay better than mere commodity price throughout the world

2. The carcass is the most economic to produce since all costs terminate at slaughter and slaughter occurs at weaning. At weaning the rancher has been unable to avoid incurring the costs to date. The cost/benefit equation of those inputs expensed after weaning are incremental in that the costs are known but the benefits are not. Slaughter at a time which halts inputs was considered prudent by Goatex Group.

 3. Over time, and over markets, premiums are paid for 10   kg milk fed carcasses.

In first world markets     where there is product differentiation, the smaller carcass is the more profitable for the producer able to access those markets.

Goatex Group have sent a variety of of animals of varying ages for slaughter. They have conducted trials on selected groups of these animals. These have ranged over groups of young animals and wethers and cull males up to a year of age.

Cuting trials have indicated a killing ratio (that is, liveweight to deadweight allowing 1 kg gutfill and 3% hot shrinkage) of between 52% and 57% and a cutting ratio (that is, a head off deadweight recoverable meat to bone ratio) of up to 63%. The meat of the Kiko is characterized as lean, tender and succulent with moderate ph and with significant muscling in the rump and capacious eye muscle in the loin.