Goat Husbandry Practices in Mewar Region of the Southern Rajasthan
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Date
2006
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MPUAT, Udaipur
Abstract
The study revealed that majority of goat rearers (95.05%) belong to Hindu religion, further 58.61 per cent goat rearers belongs to backward caste and 56.94 per cent respondents live in nuclear families. The family size of surveyed respondents was mostly more than 5 members (53.06%). The overall literacy rate of family head was 35.28 per cent and were mostly (67.22%) in 35-60 years age group. Open well was used as an irrigation source by most of the goat rearers (60.28%). Overall 67.22 per cent goat rearers were did not get media information on scientific goat husbandry practices.
Majority of goat rearers (64.44%) depends on Agriculture + Animal Husbandry as an occupation. Survey results showed that 46.94 per cent respondents had less than 0.8 ha land and 4.44 per cent were landless. In the surveyed area maximum irrigated land was in Chittorgarh district. The average pasture land in the experimental area was recorded as 0.34±0.22 ha. The average goat holding size was observed as 17.46±1.18 goats and the average annual income from goat rearing occupation was recorded as Rs. 6973.33±290.01.
Women were found involved in many goat husbandry practices. Various practices like, cleaning, milking, care of young stock and feeding were carried out at 83.33, 63.33, 53.33 and 47.50, per cent by women, respectively whereas, sale of animals, sale of milk, control of endo-parasites breeding, control of ecto-parasites, grazing and care of sick animals were performed at 92.50, 92.22, 77.78, 67.22, 60.83, 60.00 and 51.39 per cent, by men, respectively. Children usually assist in these practices.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬* Research Scholar, Department of Animal production, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur (Raj.)
** Associate Professor, Department of Animal production, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, MPUAT, Udaipur (Raj.)
Maximum respondents (86.39%) housed their goats in one shed attached to their residence and have Kaccha shed with Kaccha boundary wall and Kaccha floor with thatched roof. Most of the goat rearers did not had feeding manger (87.50%), urine drainage (83.61%) and ventilation in goat sheds. Majority of goat rearers (93.98%) did not use bedding material for goats but 97.78 per cent respondents provided protection against cold through different methods. Significant effect of flock size was observed on site of housing, boundary wall, type of floor and housing of breeding buck.
Eighty seven per cent goat keepers adopted semi stall feeding system and goats were usually grazed on community pasture land for more than 5 hours daily. Most of the goat rearers neither protected pasture land nor preserve the tree leaves. The green fodder was fed by 60.28 per cent goat rearers. Lopping of trees was a routine practice for grazing. Majority of goat keepers provided 100-200 gm. concentrate prior to milking to their goats and 79.72 per cent respondents used single ingredient concentrate, further, 71.93 per cent respondents used to provide concentrate to their male kids for early maturity. Sixty nine per cent goat rearers provided common salt while only 3.61 per cent provided mineral mixture to their goats. Significant effect of goat flock size was observed on grazing site, protection of pasture land, green fodder provided to different category of animals, type of green fodder and feeding of common salt.
The most common symptoms observed by goat rearers for heat detection were bellowing and tail vibration. The age at first matting was recorded as 16.05±2.22 months. Only natural service was used for breeding due to non-availability of artificial insemination services in goats 62.25 per cent goat rearers did not possess their own breeding buck. Maximum respondents (64.70%) reported heat during rainy season. The average number of breedable goats per buck was observed as 43.06±0.046.
Maximum goat rearers (91.67%) confirm the pregnancy in goats by enlargement of abdomen, pregnant goats were also housed with other animals and send for grazing in pasture with the flock. Castration of male kids was not practiced by 63.33 per cent respondents. Physical appearance was used as a criterion for selection of breeding buck by 79.29 per cent goat rearers.
The association of flock size with keeping own breeding buck, selection of breeding buck and castration of male kids was highly significant whereas, association with rest of the breeding was non-significant.
Majority of goat rearers practiced deworming (64.17), vaccination (35.28%) and control of ecto-parasites (49.72%) through scientific measures. The effect of flock size on health care practices viz. use of veterinary facility, isolation of sick animals, vaccination, sanitization of shed and control of external parasites was non-significant whereas, flock size had significant affect on deworming.
Most of goat rearers preferred to sale their animals in own village round the year on the basis of physical appearance and maximum goat milk was used by owners for their home consumption. Significant effect of flock size was observed on marketing of animals and use of goat milk whereas, on time of sale and selling criteria used by respondents, it was non-significant.
Cleaning of kids after birth was practiced by 46.94 per cent goat rearers and 19.44 per cent were well aware about disinfection of naval cord. Colostrum feeding to kids and deworming of kids were practiced by 97.22 and 65.00 per cent goat rearers, respectively. 60.22 per cent respondents were not aware about control of external parasites. Isolation of kids was not followed by 96.11 per cent respondents. Flock size had significant effect on deworming and grazing stage of kids while, non-significant effect on rest of the kid rearing practices.
The most common constraints perceived by the goat rearers in the experimental area were lack of grazing area and lack of improved breeding buck, having RBQ values 82.55 and 81.66, respectively.
Description
Goat Husbandry Practices in Mewar Region of the Southern Rajasthan
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Citation
Gurgar and Pathodia, 2006