Knowledge level of goat keepers of middle gujarat regarding improved goat husbandry practices

The study was conducted in Dahod and Kheda districts of middle Gujarat, with a view to find out the knowledge level of the Goat keepers regarding improved goat husbandry practices. The data were collected from 240 respondents with the help of structured interview schedule through personal interview technique. Majority of the goat keepers belonged to middle age group (64.58%) having primary level education (52.50%) belonged to backward class, schedule tribe and schedule caste, marginal and landless type. The goat keepers had least knowledge about health care and marketing practices (mean per cent scores 35.0%) and maximum knowledge regarding feeding practices (mean per cent scores 75.18%) in terms of bushes/trees’ leaves fodder and colostrum feeding. The goat farmers are ignorant about ideal direction of goat shed (2.08%), flushing, disbudding (0.83%), goat insurance and deworming schedule of kids (0.83%). Nearly half of the goat keepers had medium to low level of knowledge whereas only 16.25 per cent of the goat keepers had very high level of knowledge about goat husbandry practices. Therefore, it is suggested that special awareness programmes or farm training related to goat production should be organized by the state department/NGOs to educate the goat keepers about standard and valuable practices of profitable as well as sustainable goat farming in these areas.

• Majority of the goat keepers belonged to middle age group having primary level education and landless type.

• Least knowledge possessed by goat keepers about health care and marketing practices.