Goat Farming Tips

I have established M/s Rajsri Goat Farm under the technical guidance of the Veterinary University Training and Research Centre, Coimbatore a peripheral unit of TANUVAS, Chennai located at No. 63, Kalappatti Pirivu, Saravanampatty Post, Coimbatore, TamilNadu (Phone: 0422-2669965).

I would like to thank the Veterinary Department, Thudiyalur, Coimbatore for all their help and assistance.

Points to note:

• I never consider my goat farm as a commercial enterprise.
• To me it is an important allied activity to agriculture and it is an important component of my integrated farming system.
• The goat unit should not have a separate labor component for maximum gains.
• For good profits, the goat farm should be maintained using family labor as much as possible.
• It is always better to start the goat unit in own land with good water source for irrigation. Sufficient electrical power supply is equally important. Minimum of 2 Acres of land is necessary to start a goat farm.
• Select the area of the farm & shed so that the length of the shed is oriented east to west. (For good ventilation)
• Minimum 15 Sq.ft. per adult goat in the stall would be ideal (pen).
• The run area should be two to three times the floor space given in the pen area (30 to 45 sq.ft. per adult goat)

Plan for the fodder production:

• About one acre of fodder is required for 30 goats.
• In this one acre cultivate Co-4, CoFs 29, CoFs 31, Desmanthus, Lucerne and tree fodders like agathi, subabul, mulberry, moringa etc.
• An adult goat will require 4 to 5 kg of green fodder per day and about one kg of dry fodder per day.
• Concentrate feed to be given minimum 50 - 250 gm per animal based on its body weight.
• Drinking water should be made available at all times.
• A chaff cutter with 1 HP motor is required for chaffing of fodder into ½ inch that's ideal for consumption.

Maintaining the farm:

1. Goat selection during Purchase

Classify the goats based on the following age groups:

• 3 Months old
• 6-8 Months old
• 12-18 Months old (may be in pregnancy or with a kid) 

2. Identification / Number Tagging should be done for each goat.

3. Deworming and Vaccination Procedure

• Consultation with a Doctor should be done at-least once every three months.
• Keep the area neat and clean to spray the medicines.
• PPR is an important disease affecting goats.
• Vaccinate the goats at 3 months of age and then once in a year.
• FMD vaccination may be done after consulting the Vet.

4. Process of Separation

• This is very important.
• Pregnant goats should be kept in separate pens from 2nd month onward with extra care.
• Separate out 3-6 months old and 7-10 month old kids.
• All the male goats should be kept separately.

5. Mating

• Female goat should be at least 12 months old and should weigh more than 20 kg.
• It is a natural process - the mating female goat will look for its partner periodically. 
• The male goat should be tied at all times except during mating and should be at least 12 months old.
• To have healthy kid, it is important to change the male partner once in 2 years. 
• The newly born kid should be left with its mother for 2 months with extra care and for the first 7 days it should be ensured that it gets milk from its mother without fail. 
• The newly born kid should weigh at least 2 Kg.

6.Register

Maintain the following records for effective maintenance:

• Stock register
• Feeding details – green and dry fodder and concentrate feed per day
• Reproductive record
• Disease, vaccination, deworming details
• Expenditure register
• Sale register

7. Insurance

It is advised to insure every goat - consult the Doctor.

8. Culling

If the goat which is not growing well even after good feeding, it is should be sold out.
(if a goat is not gaining a weight of at least 2 kg per month).

9. Breeding:

• Only the healthy females should be kept for breeding.
• The females should have high milk production capacity and mothering ability.
• The female should give twins or triplets.
• A healthy goat should gain a body weight of at least  2.5 kg per month.