Why Goat Farming
Goat is a multi functional animal and
plays a significant role in the economy and nutrition of landless, small and
marginal farmers in the country. Goat rearing is an enterprise which has been
practiced by a large section of population in rural areas. Goats can
efficiently survive on available shrubs and trees in adverse harsh environment
in low fertility lands where no other crop can be grown.
In pastoral and agricultural subsistence
societies in India, goats are kept as a source of additional income and as an
insurance against disaster. Goats are also used in ceremonial feastings and for
the payment of social dues.
In addition to this, goat has religious
and ritualistic importance in many societies. The advantages of goat rearing
are:
§ The initial investment needed for Goat farming is low.
§ Due to small body size and docile nature, housing requirements and
manage mental problems with goats are less.
§ Goats are friendly animals and enjoy being with the people.
§ Goats are prolific breeders and achieve sexual maturity at the age of
10-12 months gestation period in goats is short and at the age of 16-17 months
it starts giving milk. Twinning is very common and triplets and quadruplets are
rare.
§ In drought prone areas risk of goat farming is very much less as
compared to other livestock species.
§ Unlike large animals in commercial farm conditions both male and female
goats have equal value.
§ Goats are ideal for mixed species grazing. The animal can thrive well on
wide variety of thorny bushes, weeds, crop residues, agricultural by-products
unsuitable for human consumption.
§ Under proper management, goats can improve and maintain grazing land and
reduce bush encroachment (biological control) without causing harm to the environment.
§ No religious taboo against goat slaughter and meat consumption prevalent
in the country.
§ Slaughter and dressing operation and meat disposal can be carried
without much environmental problems.
§ The goat meat is more lean (low cholesterol) and relatively good for
people who prefer low energy diet especially in summer and sometimes goat meat
(chevon) is preferred over mutton because of its "chewability"
§ Goat milk is easy to digest than cow milk because of small fat globules
and is naturally homogenized. Goat milk is said to play a role in improving
appetite and digestive efficiency. Goat milk is non allergic as
compared to cow milk and it has anti-fungal and anti bacterial
properties and can be used for treating urogenital diseases of fungal origin.
§ Goats are 2.5 times more economical than sheep on free range grazing
under semi arid conditions.
§ Goat creates employment to the
rural poor besides effectively utilizing unpaid family labor. There is ample
scope for establishing cottage industries based on goat meat and milk products
and value addition to skin and fiber.
§ Goat is termed as walking refrigerator for the storage of milk and can
be milked number of times in a day.Restlessness, scratching, loss of
weight, reduction in milk yield.
Application of proper chemical as
a dust, spray or a dip.
Poisoning
Unsteadiness followed by dullness
and unconsciousness. Great pain and vomiting. Convulsion and
eventual death.
Keeping goats away from poisonous
plants and chemicals. Immediate treatment.
Bloat
Distended abdomen on left side,
respiratory difficulty, restlessness.
Too much fresh green grass should
be avoided. A cup of mineral oil may bring relief. In acute cases
removal of gas by making puncture is needed.
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