GOAT PRODUCTION

Part 1 Rearing

Therefore it is advisable to plant the crop at a time when there is no danger from frost. THESE Any other disorder not mentioned above, the goats we are farmer keeping is advised can to give contact us a the nearest lot of money agricultural if looked extension after worker well. Who involved after all keeps a lot of goats? It is in vegetable production or of course the rural traditional growing. livestock farmer. The rearing Finally, when it comes of goats by the rural livestock to farmer insecticides, means a provision fungicides of and meat and fumigants milk to the that family are recommended and manure can still for be use in used as a source of garden some crops, it is important

fertiliser. Therefore, the value that instructions given for of goats is dependent on the these various chemicals produce or so services which are followed. And if a crop includes meat, milk, fibre and has skin in been short. sprayed it should

not Zambia be disposed as a whole for has human a lot eating of small goat otherwise breeds which these are difficult to classify. However, would cause poisoning. So with the Middle East market begging to be supplied with goats and their products, there is room to improve these local breeds. The need to improve traditional goat husbandry would mean empowering the local goat keeper with good income. The modern methods of rearing goats should indeed be taught to this category of farmers.

As from today, we have a trend of assisting or empowering marketers who we can term as traders and are capable of lobbing assistance anywhere compared to this rural farmer. The disadvantaged groups in the rural farming communities always compose of women.

Therefore, it is these women who should be targeted and by doing so would definitely improve their families’ standard of living through the supply of meat and milk.

Under the extensive system of farming so practiced in the rural sector, little attention is paid to any individual goat.

Under such conditions the goat will eat anything and convert the same into meat and some milk and at this, goats are better than any other domesticated animal. In this system breeding in goats takes place throughout the year because the buck (male goat) is always or permanently with the females. Equally, low nutrition is the characteristic of this system because management is poor, mortality is high due to diseases and parasites. As already mentioned the Middle East is in need of a lots of goats from this region. Therefore, our traditional goat farmers under this sector can contribute effectivity to the country’s forex earnings.

The whole essence would depend on our extension services. The people under this department would need to teach or train the local goat farmer improved management practices. Good management would involve better feeding and management resulting in a greater rate of growth from which the farmer would gain.

Good management would make the farmer avoid overgrazing as one step in increasing feed. Through good management, the farmer can learn to cross the local breeds with faster growing breeds, hence the ability to improve production which in turn would be passed on to the other generation.

Hence, within the local breed selection can still be done to establish a good breed which can be termed as commercial. Through some goat scheme the rural goat farmer would benefit and greatly as follows:

- Goats multiply quickly in a short period e.g. in two years they give three times and sometimes give twins.

- Goats can be a source of direct or indirect employment i.e. by providing hides used for various needs e.g. making drums and stools which can be sold for cash.

In some countries, goat hide is used as a water container. The Middle East definitely is a source of employment to the Zambian people should the goat rearing improve.

- Goats require less land, water and feed for maintenance compared to big livestock such as cattle.

- Goats grow faster therefore, they reach market age quickly than cattle and utilise foliage and crop residues efficiently.

- Goats resist diseases better than other livestock equally under drought conditions they thrive. Improving the management would mean that the farmer would maximise the profit as long as good attention is given to the goats.

Therefore, it would be advisable to base the management system on small flocks which would be easy to maintain. Goats’ milk may have a very strong and unpleasant flavour which may be passed on to other manufactured products such as white cheese, butter etc.

This does not disappear during heat treatment. The fat of strongly flavoured goat’s milk has a high acidity. The reason behind this it originates from certain compounds in the animal’s feed.

Also certain acids are secreted by the skin glands of the buck (he-goat). The acids then contaminate the milk of the goat if she comes into contact with the buck.

Boiling the milk immediately after milking and separating the bucks from the goats may help to minimise the risk of these - flavours occurring in the milk.

This is for the information of the local farmer. But for export purposes I believe they are very much interested in meat products.

To be continued….