Introduction
Goat farming involves the raising and breeding of domestic goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) as a branch of animal husbandry. People farm goats principally for their meat, milk, fibre, and skins. Goat farming can be very suited to production alongside other livestock (such as sheep and cattle) on low-quality grazing land. Goats efficiently convert sub-quality grazing matter that is less desirable for other livestock into quality lean meat. Furthermore, goats can be farmed with a relatively small area of pasture and with limited resources.
Goats are being raised commercially in almost every corner of the world. In addition, commercial goat farming is slowly becoming popular all over the world. As the world’s population grows, so does the demand for food. Goats are among the main meat-producing animals in India, whose meat (chevon) is one of the choicest meats and has huge domestic demand. Due to its good economic prospects, goat rearing under intensive and semi-intensive systems for commercial production has been gaining momentum for the past couple of years. High demand for goat and their products with the potential of good economic returns have been deriving many progressive farmers, businessmen, professionals, ex-servicemen, and educated youths to take up the goat enterprise on a commercial scale. Commercial goat farming has the potential to play an important role in meeting the rising food demand. Goats are a major source of livelihood of small farmers and the landless in rural communities. The productivity in this system is low and there is ample opportunity for goat farming improvement. Several progressive farmers have adopted commercial farming which helps in doubling productivity as well as income and also, bridging the demand-supply gap.
However, the prerequisites for successful goat farming require improved technologies, prophylaxis, superior germplasm, low-cost feed and fodder, and innovative marketing. Since goats are very well adapted to harsh environmental conditions, the portfolio can be diversified. The investment risk in goat farming is a much shorter reproduction cycle that gives them the capability to rebuild the population much faster than other livestock.
The major concern of farmers due to lack of knowledge during the initial phase of goat farming are mortality (due to PPR, diarrhea, pneumonia, tetanus, etc), nonavailability of vaccines, lack of personal attention, and poor access to veterinary aids. Age at first parturition, parturition interval, litter size, and mortality determine lifetime production as well as production efficiency. The matter is to concern with nutrition, health, and management.
Under rural areas, crop-livestock production conditions improve the farmers status economically. Even the role of women has been considered as great among many ethnic groups in the northeastern region of India, especially in Assam. Sustainable goat farming should follow entrepreneurship mode with strategic planning to mitigate the constraints.
Prospects of goat farming:
Goat farming has several advantages over the husbandry of other livestock species. They are as follows e.g.
(a) Initial investment for starting goatery is lesser than dairy, piggery, and poultry.
(b) Goat consumes less feed which is about one-fifth of the consumption in cattle and buffalo.
(c) It does not compete with human beings for grains like pigs and fowl. So the feed cost is lesser.
(d) Goat is a prolific animal that usually produces twins and some breeds even produce triples and quadruplets.
(e) Goats being hardy animals, disease incidence is very less in comparison to cattle, pig, and fowl and hence health management cost is lesser.
(f) Goat milk is rich in certain amino acids i.e. histidine, aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and threonine; certain minerals i.e. sodium, iron, copper; certain vitamins i.e., vitamin A, nicotinic acid, and choline.
(g) Goat milk is being used to produce different products such as cheese, curd, etc.
(h) Goat skin is of high value e.g. Skin from Bengal goats is of the best quality in the world.
(i) Besides meat, milk, skin, and hair is other byproducts obtained from goat, e.g. pashmina and mohair is valued high in the international market due to its several uses.
(j) Faeces and urine of goats being rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium used in the field for improving soil fertility and increasing the productivity of crops. (k) There is no prejudice about the consumption of goat meat. Above mentioned points indicate that the goat is a potential animal for economic growth and employment generation.
Deepandita Barman1, Arunoday Das2 and Pallabi Pathak3
1Assistant Professor, LPM Department, LCVSC, Assam Agricultural University
2Assistant Professor, ARGO Department, LCVSC, Assam Agricultural University
3Assistant Professor, ARGO Department, LCVSC, Assam Agricultural University
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