Goat farming in India is a well-established and very old form of farming especially in regions where dry land farming system is practiced. It is basically practiced by farmers who have small piece of land for farming.
Landless laborers also do goat farming as the initial investments and risk involved in it is very low as compared to other forms of farming. And this is why goats are known as ‘poor man’s cow’.
Advantages of Goat Farming
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Mutton or goat meat is very much in demand and also there is no religious taboo over it. Additionally goat meat is lean meat and contains less cholesterol content.
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Initial investment required in goat farming is quite lower than dairy farming.
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A goat farm can be started with just 1 goat and slowly increased to a herd.
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Various banks provides loans for goat farming
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Goats can bear bitter taste to a large extent than other animals. Therefore, they eat almost all types of plants that are not consumed by other animals.
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They can live in almost all types of climatic conditions.
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Goat milk has small fat globules that are easily digestible.
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Goat droppings are also very rich in nitrogen, phosphorus & potassium. Thus it is excellent organic manure.
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Goats generally start milking by the age of 16 to 17 months.
Best Goat Breeds in India
Jamunapari Goat
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It is mainly found in Uttar Pradesh.
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They are large-sized goats, tall & leggy, with convex face lines and large folded pendulous ears.
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An adult male goat weights 65kgs to 80kgs and a female weighs between 45kgs to 60kgs
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This goat breed has large udder & big teats and their average yield is 280 kilogram/274 days.
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They also have the ability to yield 2 to 2.5 kilograms of milk/day.
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Jamunapari thrives best under different conditions with plenty of shrubs for browsing.
Malabari Goat
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This breed is native to north Kerala.
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It has good quality skin.
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Average quality meat.
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The average weight of buck is 39kg and doe 31 kg.
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Kidding is once a year with twins & triplets
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Their average yield is 0.9 to 2.8 kg of milk per day.
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The average milk yield is 65 kg per lactation.
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The average lactation duration is 172 days.
Barbari Goat
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They are found in states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
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Barbari goat breeds are grown primarily for milk & meat purpose.
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An adult male goat ranges between 35-45kgs and a female goat weighs 25- 35kgs
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Barbari breed has the ability to give 1 - 1.5kgs of milk/day.
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These types of breeds have very good reproductive capabilities.
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They can give 2 - 3 kids in parturition.
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They are generally stall-fed and can yield 0.90 to 1.25 kg of milk
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Barbari is a prolific breeder
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This type of goat breeds generally kids two times, at an interval of 12 - 15 months.
Beetal Goat
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They are found mainly in the Northern state of Punjab.
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Beetal goat breeds are grown mainly for milk and meat.
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They are generally smaller than the Jamunapari breed.
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An adult male ranges between 50-70kgs and an adult female goat ranges between 40-50kgs
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The average lactation yield is 150 kg.
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They have the ability to give, 1 to 2kgs of milk/day.
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The maximum yield is 591.5 kilograms in a lactation period of 177 days.
Tellicherry Goat
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They are also known as malabari breeds.
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Tellicherry is found mostly in the southern state of Kerala.
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They are grown mostly for the purpose of meat.
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An adult male ranges between 40 -50kgs while an adult female ranges between 30 - 40kgs.
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Malabari can yield 1- 2kgs of milk/day.
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This breed has better reproductive capabilities as compared to others.
Sirohi Goat
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They can be found in the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh
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The average body weight of buck is 50 kg and of doe is 23 kg.
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Kidding is once a year and twins are common in this breed.
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Average age at first kidding is 19 months.
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Their average lactation yield is 71 kg.
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And average lactation duration is 175 days.
Osmanabadi goat
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This goat breed is found in Latur, Osmanabad, Ahmednagar, Parbhani & Solanpur district of Maharashtra
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It has a very good quality of meat.
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The average age of a goat at first kidding is 19-20 months.
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Good yielders produce up to 3.5 kilograms a day.
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Average milk yield 170 to 180 kg/lactation.
Kanni aadu goat
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These are very tall goat breeds found in the Ramanadhapuram and Thirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu.
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They are generally raised for meat purposes.
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The adult females of this breed range from 25- 30kgs whereas adult males range from 35- 40kgs in weight.
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They can be raised well in the drought areas of the country.
Black Bengal goat
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It is the most productive among other Indian goat breeds.
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The average weight of buck is 15 kg and doe is 12 kg.
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Multiple births are very common for them - like 2, 3, or 4 kids born at a time.
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The average lactation yield of Black Bengal is 53 kg and the lactation length is 90 - 120 days.
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The skin of Black Bengal is very much in demand for high-class shoe-making.
Kodi aadu goat
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Kodi aadu are also taller and can be found in different colors.
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They generally give birth to 1 or 2 kids.
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They are raised for the purpose of guiding goat flocks that go for grazing.
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This breed is found in Tamil Nadu’s Sivagangai, Ramanadhapuram & Tuticorin districts.
Exotic goat breeds
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Saanen
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Anglo-Nubian
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Alpine
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Angora
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Toggenberg
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Boer
Hope the article was useful to you. If you want us to write on any particular goat breed in detail, then do let us know through the comment box given below....
