Goats churning profits in dryland farming

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 11

Goat — commonly known as poor man’s cow in India — is now churning out profits in dryland farming system.

Suitable for small and marginal farmers, it needs less grazing land and initial investment is also low. Risks involved in goat farming are also low as compared to other livestock farming. It is turning out to be an economical viable sector for the rural class.

A five-day specialised goat farming training programme was organised by the Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU). It concluded today with the motto “Goat farming — The need of the hour for sustainable livelihood”.

As many as 57 candidates from Punjab, Rajsathan and UP were enrolled for the training. Deliberations on nutritional and health management, effective first-aid management, vaccination, de-worming, breed improvement, value addition of milk and meat products, reproductive and seasonal management were made during the training, said Dr Rajesh Kasrija, training coordinator.

Trainees were imparted theoretical, as well as practical know-how of goat farming. Trainees had hands-on practice on recording-basic vital parameters such as rectal temperature, respiration rate and restrain of animals. They were trained to differentiate between healthy and diseased animals.

Dr HK Verma, Director of Extension Education, GADVASU, distributed certificates during the valedictory session. He said diversification of livestock sector was moving at a very fast pace, wherein, the veterinary university was always working to improve the socio-economic status of livestock owners by providing them with recent inputs.

He advised farmers to apply the knowledge provided to them during training in the field. He said goat farming was a very profitable venture and easy to manage for beginners.

Dr MP Gupta, Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education, said veterinary varsity was organising training programmes round the year for livestock farmers.

He said Punjab Goat Farmers’ Association was working effectively under the aegis of the veterinary university and a monthly meeting of this association was held on the first Friday of every month in the university.