Goat Rearing

Rural economy of Jharkhand is dependable on agriculture and livestock. In Jharkhand most of the crop cultivation depends on rains and farmers earn substantial income from agriculture. The majority of available lands are undulated. Vagaries of rain due to climate change, soil erosion are major factors leading to uncertainty in crop production. In this situation importance of animal husbandry is increasing day by day and thus shall be able to provide a better and sustainable source of income for upliftment of rural economy. Under the animal husbandry sector goat and poultry rearing plays major role in the livelihood basket of farmers in Jharkhand scenario.
The goat is a multi functional animal and plays a significant role in the economy as well as in nutrition of landless, small and marginal farmers in the Jharkhand state. For this reason, Mahatma Gandhi said goat as “Poor Man’s Cow”. Goat rearing is an enterprise which is practiced by a large section of population in rural areas of Jharkhand. Goats can efficiently survive on available shrubs and trees in an adverse harsh environment in low fertile 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:

i)The initial investment needed for Goat farming is low.

ii)Due to small body size and docile nature, housing requirements and managemental problems with goats are less.

iii)Goats are friendly animals and enjoy being with the people.

iv)Goats are prolific breeders and achieve sexual maturity at the age of 8-10 months. Gestation period in goats is short and at the age of 14-16 months it starts production. Twinning and triplets are very common and quadruplets, pentavalents and hexavalent kidding have been reported in various areas..

v)Unlike large animals, both male and female goats have equal value.

vi)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.

vii)Goat rearing provides employment to the rural poor by effectively utilizing unpaid family labour. There is ample scope for establishing cottage based industries on goat meat products and value addition to skin in jaharkhand.

Strategies for the promotion of Goat Rearing

a. Increase the coverage area of vaccination against PPR & ET.

b. Follow deworming calender against internal parasites.

c. Increase awareness about inbreeding consequences and how to avoid inbreeding.

d. Capacitate farmers about the benfits of providing supplementary feed and safe potable water.

e. Increase adaptation of improved housing facility includes water turf, feed manger and fodder stand.

f. Increase availability of input materials through establishment of Integrated Livestock Development Center at block level.

Till date we have covered 5790 farmers in AAP MKSP blocks under livestock intervention.