A study on socio-economic status of goat rearers and adoption of management practices

A field survey was conducted to study the socio-economic status and goat management practices of 100 goat rearers in Nathdwara, Vallabhnagar, Railmagra and Devgarh areas of Rajasthan. The survey revealed that majority of goat rearers belonged to middle age group and other backward caste category. The literacy rate of goat keepers was 40 per cent. Sixty six per cent goat keepers were dependent on Agriculture and Animal Husbandry for livelihood and had annual income between Rs. 15,000-30,000. The majority of goat keepers had land holding size between 0.5–1.0 hectare. Among the total livestock maintained by goat keepers, 78.95 per cent were goat. The overall average goat holding of goat keepers was 22.96 goats and average flock size for landless farmers was 19.54. Fifty five per cent goat keepers adopted extensive grazing pattern on community land. Lopping of tree was a routine practice of grazing. Twenty nine per cent goat rearers adopted the green fodder feeding practices. Majority of goat keepers provided concentrate mixture to kids, lactating does, and bucks. Overall 71 per cent goat keepers prepared the concentrate mixture at their home. The most common symptoms of heat detection were bellowing and rapid tail movement. Natural service was commonly used for breeding and 44 per cent have their own breeding buck. Forty two per cent goat keepers used an abdominal appearance method of pregnancy detection. Majority of goat rearers (62%) were not castrating their male kids. Physical appearance as selection criteria for selecting breeding bucks was used by 39 per cent goat keepers. The overall average number of breedable goats per buck in the study area was observed to be 32.08. Majority of goat rearers (82%) house their animals attached to their own residential house, which was open and kaccha flooring type of house. Majority of goat rearers provided separate house for kid and bucks. Majority of goat keepers practiced vaccination (56%), deworming (74%) and scientific measures (85%) for eradicating external parasites. Most of goat rearers preferred to sell their animals in village market and nearby city on the occasion of festivals on body weight basis.