|
|
|
You can get e-magazine links on WhatsApp. Click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poor Man’s Cow - Survives drought, needs minimum
|
|
Tuesday, 28 April, 2015, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
|
|
Anjila Kujur, Simson Soren,Achun Panmei,Jnyanashree Saikia and Papori Talukdar
|
|
fiogf49gjkf0d Goat is one of the earliest domesticated animals in livestock farming. It is a multifunctional animal, providing meat, milk and wool and it gains much importance among the landless, small and marginal farmers in our country due to its higher prolificacy and short generation interval. Goat rearing is a great economic support to a large section of population in rural areas. Because of this goat is known as “Poor Man’s Cow.”
The very important characteristics of goat include efficient survival in adverse harsh environment and poor quality land where very few crops can be grown. They can efficiently survive with poor quality available shrubs and trees. In many parts of our country, goat has a religious and ritualistic importance and also in ceremonial feastings and for payment of social dues.
Benefit of goat rearing
Goat farming requires minimum investment, without needing any special type of ration to the animals. They can gather their requirement from grazing land. From the management point of view, they are very friendly, easy to handle and enjoy being with people. Due to the docile nature and small body size, the housing requirement and handling problem is very less. Goats achieve sexual maturity at the age of 10-12 months, their gestation period is short, so they are known as prolific breeders. Giving birth to two kids is very common in goat, but in some breeds of goat like Assam Hill Goat, triplets is not uncommon - they can even give birth to four kids. Many good characteristics in goat are found, such as they can survive in drought prone areas, so the risk of goat farming is very less as compared to other livestock farming. Goats can thrive well on wide variety of thorny bushes, crop residue weeds, and agricultural byproducts unsuitable for human consumption. One of the economic values of goat farming is that there is no religious taboo against goat slaughter and meat consumption, slaughter and dressing operation and meat selling can be carried out without much environment restriction. Goat meat is very famous in different festival feasts, other than its nutritive value; goat meat is low in cholesterol, so, it is relatively good for people.
Speciality of goat milk
Goat milk may play a role in improving appetite and digestive efficiency. The fat globules of goat milk are small in size compared to other dairy animals and easily digestible than that of cow milk. Goat milk has antifungal and anti-bacterial properties and also non- allergic as that of cow milk. Goat milk can be used for treating urogenital disease of fungal origin. Goat is also termed as walking refrigerator for the storage of milk and can be milked more than two times in any time of the day, can be number of times in a day.
Technical help, financial aid for goat rearing
Indian government has implemented different schemes to uplift poor farmers by providing technical support as well as financial help. Different private and semi-government sectors are also working to improve livestock farming. It is a great challenge for us to fulfil the growing demand through livestock farming. Among livestock, goat farming is found to be economic, minimum requirement for housing, easy to handle and so on. So, goat farming may be great help for landless farmers and small landholder farmers. NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) plays a very important role for all matters of policy, planning and operation in the field of agricultural credit. It provides credit for agriculture and rural development, also promotes development through well organised technical services. Interested farmers can take loan for starting goat farming through proper channel. They have their centre and technical cells at different regional offices. For taking load the farmers have to make a scheme for goat farming and the scheme should be in proper prescribe form to nearest branch of a commercial or co-operative or regional rural bank. State government also provide economic and technical help to district block level.
The scheme should be made by a technical person. To make the scheme the farmers have to visit nearest animal husbandry department, the manager of the rural bank can also help for formulating the scheme. Before starting a goat farm, the interested farmer must take the technical suggestion or council from nearby goat breeding centre or from animal husbandry extension officer. It is advised the farmer to take some training programme for goat farming also should visit to well organise goat farm.
Few Indian breeds
Assam Hill Goat: This breed is famous for meat production. The body coat colour is mostly black. It is a poor milk yielder goat. This breed most often gives birth to three kids (triplets) and it is found in Assam and Meghalaya and its adjoining areas. This breed can be chosen for utilisation by poor farmers of Assam and Meghalaya, because it adapts under agro-climatic conditions of Assam and Meghalaya.
Black Bengal: This breed is also famous for production of excellent quality of meat and it is found in Assam and Bengal. Choice of meat in most parts of Assam and Bengal is Assam Hill Goat and Black Bengal, because of no religious taboos.
Kashmiri: Kashmir is famous for its natural beauty in India and this breed is no different. They are found in high hills of Kashmir and Tibet. They are also popular in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Their body is covered with fine long silky hair, beneath which is the warm fur, Pashmina.
Himalayan Breed: These breeds are white haired and famous for production of good quality fur. These breeds are named according to their locality where they are reared, e.g., Jamba, Gaddi, Kashmiri, and Chegu.
Pashmina: Pashmina breed of goat is mostly found in Ladakh region. They are raised above 3,400 m elevation in the Himalayas. They produce the softest and warmest animal fibre used for high quality fabrics. The yield of Pashmina varies from 75-150 g/goat.
Jamnapari: This breed is a dual purpose breed. It is able to produce good amount of milk and meat. It is a popular breed of goat in India. The pure Jamnapari breed is found in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. Milk yield of this breed varies from 2.25 L to 2.7 L with a fat content of 3.5%.
Barbari: Barbari is also a dual purpose breed. Mostly found in Agra and Mathura of Uttar Pradesh, triple kids and early maturity are common features of this breed of goat.
Beetal: It is a milch type breed, has a long ear and a Roman nose. The most common colour is red, heavily spotted with white. Found in Gurdaspur district of Punjab. This breed is suggested for crossing with Assam Hill Goat in Assam for economic benefit of farmers.
Kathiawari: This breed is native to Gujarat and Rajasthan. They are also dual purpose goats - provide milk and meat. The doe yields about 1.25 L of milk per day.
Surti: They are good milk yielding animals, giving 2.25 L per day. They possess white short legs. Mostly found in Bombay, Nasik and Surat.
Deccania or Osmanabadi: They are said to originate from a mixture of the goats of the plains. Colour of this breed is not unique, they are black, mixture of white and black or red. They yield 1.4 to 2.25 L of milk per day. E.g., Malabar or Tellicherry found in northern Kerala.
Sirohi: This is a dual purpose breed of goat, which is reared for both milk and meat. This breed is very famous for weight gain and better lactation even under poor rearing condition.
(Anjila is assistant professor, department of animal nutrition, Tripura; Simson is Ph. D. scholar, DCP division; Achun and Jnyanashree are Ph. D. scholars, DCB division; and Papori is Ph.D.
scholar, DCN division, NDRI, Karnal)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|