Importance of goat farming in India

Introduction

India occupies first position in terms of goat population and milk production. Chevon (goat meat) is most preferred and widely consumed meat in the country. Since ancient times goat milk has traditionally been known for its medicinal properties and has recently gained importance in human health due to its proximity to human milk for easy digestibility and it’s all round health promoting traits. Still research is needed to explore and validate medicinal properties of goat milk for projecting it as therapeutic milk for human health. Demand for goat milk and milk products for internal consumption and export is expected to rise in coming years. Goat husbandry provides glimpses of future hope for employment generation, nutritional security and prosperity to the millions of small and marginal farmers in the country.

Role in Rural Economy

Among all species of farm animals, Goats have the widest ecological range and have been poor people’s most reliable livelihood resource since their domestication during Neolithic Revolution about 10 millennia ago. Goat plays a significant role in providing supplementary income and livelihood to millions of resource poor farmers and landless laborers of rural India. Small ruminant rearing ensures self-employment and acts as a cushion in distress situations like drought and famine.

Role in entrepreneurship

In last few years, goat production in the country gained momentum in the form of a commercially viable enterprise as evidenced by increasing interest of young entrepreneurs to develop knowledge and skill in this species. In many small-herd dairy goat enterprises, not all does must be milked, so meat is often the main product. Along with meat, the sale of breeding stock from small herds of dairy goats may be an important income source. This versatility allows the producer to plan and operate a more stable economic production unit. In some parts of the world, all breeds may be raised for fiber, meat, and milk and cheese production. Kids of all breeds can be used for meat. However, meat goat carcasses are generally leaner and more muscular than dairy goat carcasses.

Role in global scenario

India ranks on top in goat population. The demand for meat, milk and fiber is increasing progressively and expected to further rise in future in view of sizable increase in per capita income and health consciousness of people. Worldwide consumers are preferring products that are “clean, green and ethical”. As such goat producers are shifting to husbandry practices that do not compromise the welfare of animals. Medicinal properties of goat milk increased the interest of society to use it as therapeutic health food neutraceutical; moreover, biotechnologists are focusing on designer milk for human health.

Role in Nutrition and Health

Goats possess distinct social, economical and biological advantages. They can be maintained on a limited area and can sustain on wide variety of vegetation in varied agro‐climatic conditions. Goat meat (chevon) is one of most preferred meat type by the consumers in several countries including India. The goat milk is easily digestible due to smaller size of fat globules and serves as a ready source of family nutrition. In India, both demand and production of goat meat have shown steady increase during the last decade and despite the rising 3 production trend, country would need to double the number of goats to meet the projected requirement of goat meat for growing human population in the coming decades

Goat Production Systems in India

In our country, goats are reared by men and women with diverse working and professional background. The production systems are as numerous as the socio-economic and varied agricultural situations in the country. However, they can be broadly classified into the following:-

Tethering

This is common in the sub-humid and humid zones, where probably because of intensive cropping; it is a convenient means of rearing goats from the stand point of control, minimum labour input and utilization of feed in situ. It is thus a sedentary system. A variation of this method is combining tethering with grazing up to 5 goats at a time, led by ropes held by women and children.

Extensive production

This involves low carrying capacity in situations where land is marginal and is plentiful. It is characterized by low rainfall and various browse plants. The system is used by nomadic people, usually in very low rainfall areas or during winter months when crop resides are available.

Intensive production

The goats are fed in confinement with limited access to land. It involves high labour and cash inputs. Cultivated grasses and agro-industrial by products are fed in situ. This system also has the advantage of allowing control over the animals.

Semi-intensive production

This system is practiced to some degree in most of the situations, but the nature and extent of integration depend on the type of crops grown and their suitability to goats. The advantages of this system are increased fertility of land via the return of dung and urine, control of waste herbage growth, reduced fertilizer usage, easier crop management, increased crop yields, and greater economic returns.

Status of Goat industry

The goat industry in India has yet to be firmly laid down on scientific lines. Goat keepers are maintaining goats in all kinds of situations depending upon the ecology and their circumstances. The minimum goat unit could consist of one goat and the maximum could go to a few hundred under range management. Goat farming in the country is mainly based on „zero input‟. The fear of mortality has perhaps been largely responsible for not starting many large-scale goat farms. However, large-scale goat farms have successfully running since over last 30 years at the CSWRI Avikanagar, MPKVV Rahuri, and at Leh.

Marketing (Goat Meat and Milk Processing Sector)

Meat production and supply of meat for local consumption is the most neglected sector in the country. Meat is sold in open premises leading to contamination from dirt, dust, flies and other pollutants. The traditional production systems and the unhygienic practices have ruined and flawed the image of the Indian meat industry. Indian meat industry on scientific and modern lines is need for benefiting livestock producers, processors, finally consumers.

• Development of adequate market infrastructure with basic requirements is must for marketing.
• Because of the unorganized nature of the sector farmer is not getting good price.
• Lack of scientifically designed good abattoirs and processing plants discourage the farmer to start scientific rearing of meat goats/limit the flock number.
• Quality Assurance of Goat meat quality assurance needs to be addressed.
• Along with the production and productivity increase marketing facilities should be prioritized to compete the export markets and to increase the income.
• Processing and value addition to goat meat and milk products and by‐products is urgently required.

The following activities shall be undertaken to tap the domestic as well as export markets.

Setting up of State of Art- Abattoir cum meat processing plants

In India, there are only 10 most modern state of art mechanized abattoir cum meat processing plants in various states for slaughtering of buffaloes and sheep. These plants are eco-friendly as the by-products are utilized for production of MBM, tallow, bone chips etc. In addition, establishment of Effluent Treatment Plant for waste water treatment from abattoir and lairage, with the water discharged having BOD values 30 ppm. These plants follow SPS measures prescribed by the International Animal Health Code of O.I.E. To meet the requirement we need more scientifically designed abottairs and meat processing plants.

Raising Meat Breeds of Goats

In India a major potential exists for Goat rearing for meat purposes. The meat breeds can be salvaged for meat production thereby improving the economic condition of the farmers and also meat production for domestic and export market. These animals can be reared without the use of hormones, antibiotics, and growth promoters. They can then be slaughtered scientifically for meat production.

Setting up cold storages

Meat is nutrient dense food which makes it perishable commodity. In order to improve keeping quality of meat, cold chain is of crucial importance during transport as well as storage till it reaches to consumers. The Government should support setting up cold storages, supply/value chain and 100% export oriented slaughter houses in the country.

Development of a protocol for small size modern slaughterhouse, which can be implemented through veterinary Research Institutions.

Value addition and Processing of Goat Milk and Meat

For commercial exploitation of the value added goat foods, development of shelf stable products assumes greater importance and work will be carried out in this direction. Novel functional products such as antioxidant enriched, omega‐3 fatty acids enriched, low cholesterol goat milk products, herbal products, low calorie indigenous goat foods and minerals and vitamins fortified functional products and low cholesterol foods will be evaluated.

Consumer Oriented Programmes

 Shelf life enhancement employing novel processing and packaging options will be critical to address the issues of production of quality products for wider marketing network. Newer healthful and functional ingredients such as fruits, vitamins, bioactive peptides & natural antioxidants, and probiotics could be incorporated into product formulation to enhance value and offer consumers.

Marketing Development

Understanding the market and preparing it to respond to emerging market trends would be the prime instrument for enhancing the domestic livelihood opportunities in the goat sector. Most of the meat production and marketing practices in India are traditional. Well-integrated marketing system for meat and meat products is lacking in India. The main reasons are monopoly of meat trader, lack of coordination between production and demand, too many middlemen in the trade and inefficiency management in slaughterhouse. There is a dire need to modernize the meat production and marketing system. Government of India is keen to improve the marketing system so that the consumers would get the quality meat and meat products at reasonable prices. So, this is the time to think about E-marketing Portal or other E connectivity methods and Use of Marketing Intelligence facilities.

Benefits of Goat Farming In India

There are some benefits of domestic or commercial goat farming. If you want to start goat farming business then you must read the benefits of raising goats.

• Goats are multipurpose animal which can produce milk, meat, fiber, skin together.
• Compared to cow and other livestock farming, goat forming requires less space and additional facilities. They have a less demand of housing and other management.
• In small scale production they are also able to share their homes with their owners and his/her other livestock.
• Production costs like infrastructure, feeding and treatment are less.
• You don’t have to think about marketing your farm products. Because there are already an established market in the country for marketing your products.
• It is really very easy to maintain a goat farm compared to other farm animals.
• Goats can adopt themselves with almost all types of agro-climatic conditions. And diseases are less in goats.
• They are smaller in size but reach slaughter age faster.
• Goat products like meat and milk has no religious taboo. And highly accepted for consumption throughout the world.

Conclusion

If you want to start goat farming in India, then you must have to go with some step by step process. First of all try to have training on goat farming from your nearest livestock farming or training center. After that, do the rest process for starting domestic or commercial goat farming in India. Almost all areas of India are very suitable for goat farming. You can select a land for goat farming near your home or select a land which has all types of facilities for successful goat farming business. Select a suitable land that has a great source of fresh and clean water. Suitable for grass, crop and other green plants production try to select land in village area. Ensure availability of all types of veterinary service in the area. If not available, stock all types of necessary vaccines and medicines in your farm. Good transportation system so that you can easily sell your products and buy necessary commodities from nearest market or town.