Goat Housing: A Detailed Review
Dr. Aparna Hebbar H, Chief Veterinary Officer, Livestock Breeding & Training Centre, Koila, D.K. Karnataka, Mobile no: +918722027776, appehebbar@gmail.com
Housing management
Housing tendency is common in all domestic animals. Goats also no longer excluded from this instinct. Good housing is required for proper health, production and reproduction. Ventilation, clean air and water facility is main criteria for the selection of the site for goat farming. Animal shed should be in the elevated area so that water coming after cleaning the shed, urine and dropping can drain properly into the drainage. The farming location should be away from main city so to provide zero public interference. However, it should have nearby access for marketing the products. Sufficient pasture for grazing, land for cultivation of fodder crops and grasses is essential for successful farming. Continuous electric and water supply is another important necessity for easy maintenance of the farm.
Direction
Animal house should be constructed in well drained elevated plain area. It should be in east-west direction. In order to get heat protection, animals will be tied in north –south direction. Some prefer north south direction shed orientation which is not suitable in arid zone. However, few choose north east or south west direction for proper air movement in the shed. Proper light keeps shed dry and kills the germs. Planting the fodder tress surrounding the shed keeps it cool in the summer. Shed temperature should be between 28 to 30° C
Construction materials
Animal shed can be constructed by using strong locally available materials. They should have sufficient strength and last longer. Plan and design of the shed should be such a way that it can withstand wind, sun and rain.
Roof
It is required to get protection from sun and rain. “A” type of roof is ideal for arid region. One side of the wall protects another side from the heat, thus provides cool environment to goats. Roof can be constructed by cement sheets, steel sheets or thatched type. 12 feet height is ideal for roof construction. 8-9 feet height at the sides for the double slope type and 3 feet overhang on both the sides, is recommended.
Length and width
Width of the house should be 20 feet and length of the house is based on the size of the flock. Inside partition can be made as per the convenience.
Floor
Proper flooring is required for preventing physical injury. In Indian condition mud floor is seen commonly. Floor can be mud type, deep litter type by putting the paddy straw on the mud floor. It should be cleaned properly and removed frequently. It is source of naval infection in kids. Elevated platform with freefall of urine and feces is preferable to prevent infection. Movable wooden slates can be used for elevated system of rearing. Movable slates can be height of 1-1.5 mt above the floor. Wooden tree materials like bamboo, areaca nut and coconut can be used for this purpose. The gap between the plates should be 1.4 to 1.6 cm so that fecal excreta can fall to the ground by this space.
Pucca concrete floorings for rearing animals on stall fed condition is gaining popularity. In the concrete flooring, for every one meter there should be 2.5cm slope. Drainage should be 30-40cm wide and 7.5cm deep.
Feeder and waterer
Hexagonal type racks are available which reduce the wastage of feed or straw. Water trough should have depth of half feet, width of one feet and 5-6 feet length. Clean water to be filled in these troughs for the goats. Clean the troughs with detergents regularly.
Walls
Walls can be made by concrete cement up to 4 feet height and then wire mesh above that can be built. Sides can be closed by gunny bags during winter seasons. However walls across the width of the house should be closed till roof on the both sides.
Partition
Partition can be made by asbestos sheets, galvanizes steel or by thatch. It should be atleast 15cm from the floor. It should be for every 30 feet as per the length of the house.
Floor space
For an adult goat 1-1.5m2 floor space inside shed is recommended. However, for 0-3, 3-6, 6-9 and 9-12 months kids recommended floor space is 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 m2 respectively. Lactating doe and adult male require 1.5-2 and 2 m2 floor space. This space is requirement will be doubled if they are reared in open paddock.
Shed
Shed should have floor space 1.8m X 1.8m X 2.5m for 10 small goats. Pregnant and lactating should give extra space.
Doe shed
15m X4m X 3m shed can accommodate 60 breeding does.
5X5 feet space is required for lactating animal. A raised platform of 1.5X3X1.5ft is required for milking purpose. There should be space between two lactating rows.
Buck shed
4mX 2.5mX3m shed can hold 3 bucks. Bucks should be separated by using partition in between.
They should be kept away from milking does and kids. It is better to change buck for every two years.
Kidding shed
It is the place where advance pregnant doe will be shifted for kidding. Movable hurdles can be used for the preparation of pens. This should be spacious for kidding. It should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly in order to prevent naval infection. 1.5m X1.2m X 3m spacing is required for manger and water trough. The pen should provide warm weather to kids in winter. During cold weather, thick bedding material is essential for the kids.
Kid shed
7.5mX 4mX 3m can hold 75kids. It should be divided into two parts one part for un weaned kids and another for weaned kids.
Sick shed
It is for the sick animals.
Store room
It should have two compartments: one to hold medicines and other equipments and another for feed or hay or straw.
For 10+1 goats
For 10+1, lean to type shelter can be constructed in order to reduce the cost. 27 m2 is the floor space requirement. Assuming eight give kids with 1.5 twinning rate, 12 kids of different age group are expected. Thus it can hold 10 females, one male and 12 kid
For 25+2 goats
For 25 females 2 males are required. But due to unexpected reasons like poor reproductive performance, it is better to keep extra male.
In organized farming system 80% of the females give birth to kids every year, so out of 25 female goats, 20 females will give offspring. If twinning rate is 1.5 per year, 30 kids will be born annually. These kids are reared till 9 to 12 months later they will be sold or kept as parent stock.
Space requirement
Total area of this plan is 72m2 and partitions are male section, females and kids section. The space requirement is, adult females (25 No.)- 37.5 m2, for males (3 No.)- 6 m2 and for 30 kids -22.5 m2. There is no need of paddock, if they are sent for grazing outside day time. They will be sheltered in the covered area in night time.
For 50+3 goats
For 50 females 3 males are required. But due to unexpected reasons like poor reproductive performances, better to keep five adult males. In organized farming system 80% of the females give birth to kids every year, so out of 50 female goats, 40 females will give offspring. If we consider twinning rate is 1.5 per year, 60 kids will be born annually. In this half part, i.e. 30 will be females and thirty will be male kids. 10-20 % of replacement of the adults will be done in organized farm. Kids are reared till 9 to 12 months later they will be sold or kept as parent stock.
Space requirement
Total area of this plan is 142m2 (maximum 150) and partitions are for adult males, adult females, male kids, female kids and store room section. The space requirement is, adult females (50 No.)- 75 m2, adult males (5 No.)- 10 to15 m2, 30 male kids -22.5 m2, 30 female kids -22.5 m2 and for store room -12 m2 .There is no need of paddock, if they are sent for grazing outside day time. They will be sheltered in the covered area in night time.
Backyard housing
Thatched shed can be constructed using bamboo, areca nut and dry straw materials. It can be constructed attaching to the farmers dwelling. If not, in the open paddock secured with wire fence, goats can be reared.
Farmers dwelling
|
|
10 ft
Lean to low type house (Ref: CIRG, Makhdoom)
|
T |
|||||||||||||||
|
10+1 Goat unit T- separation unit for kids
(Ref: CIRG, Makhdoom)
|
Plan for 25+3 goat unit: AF is adult female, AM is adult male (Ref: CIRG, Makhdoom)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Plan for 50+3 goat unit: AF- Adult female, ALF –Adult lactating female, Young female
YM-Young male and AM- adult male and S-store room (Ref: CIRG, Makhdoom)
General consideration
Place should be dry and clean
Floor should have even surface so as to absorb water content
Apply lime wash before the winter and paint the shed before rainy season.
Proper ventilation and light is required. Moist condition may cause pneumonia
Morning light should fall on the animals and shed
Deep litter should be changed with new once in every three months
Sprays fly repellants to the shed frequently.
References
- Shelter layout plans and requirements for small and medium scale goat farming (10+1, 25+2 and 50+3 goat units) folder by ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Goats, Makhdoom, U.P.
- Goat farming for improving livelihood security of farm women By Sahoo et al, 2019 technical bulletin 33, Central institute for women in agriculture, Bhuwaneshwar, Odisha
- Goat housing by Jayashri R, Pashubandha (Kannada article), December 2020
