Sustainable Goat Production: Gandhiji’s Vision
India is blessed with rich animal resources; it is a source of sustainable livelihood and support during the subsistence crisis of farmers. As per National Account Statistics 2019, the value of output from livestock sector was Rs10.44 lakh crores at current prices during 2017-18, which was 33.25% of the value of output from agricultural and allied sector. Livestock, particularly in India is closely interwoven with crop farming. It works as safety valve against income shocks during the subsistence oriented crop farming and natural calamities. Sector generates employment to 164.4 lakh workers as per usual status in the animal husbandry activities. India continues to be the largest producer of milk in the world since 1998. As per 20th livestock census 2019, goat population in the country has increased from 135.17 to 148.88 million between 2012 and 2019. India ranks first in the world for goat milk production, and second in goat meat and skin production. The growth rate in goat population was about 1.08 % during 2012 to 2019 in spite of higher slaughter rate and annual mortality with an increase in output of goat meat, milk and hide. Annually, goat and its products contribute Rs.38,590 crores to the national economy, which accounts for about 9% to the total value of output (at current prices) from livestock sector in 2010-11. More than 75% goats are reared by the marginal and landless households having less than 2.0 ha of land. It is the main source of income to farmers particularly of the arid and semi-arid regions in the country, where crop failure is the recurring phenomenon. Sheep and goats are basically reared to meet the demand for meat, wool, hides, milk, etc. Globally the demand for livestock products, particularly for chevon and mutton is on rise, due to the increase in per capita income in the developing countries Small ruminant sector despite its considerable contribution to livestock economy and potential to enhance household’s income of millions of marginal and small farmers, remained underinvested and could not receive financial and institutional support. Its untapped potential and probable economic gains due to technological and marketing intervention will pave ways to country’s sustainable goat production and also realize Gandhiji’s dream of self-reliant rural India.
Mahatma Gandhi and his vision to create self-sustain and prosperous rural India is still relevant in the twenty first century. Creation of sustainable agriculture, judicious use of local resources strengthen rural economy and overall prosperity of farmers’ life are the key attributes of his vision. The Gandhi’s economic models are also focused on well-beings of human beings. Mahatma’s perception “The soul of India lives in its villages” holds very true in the present context since 70% population resides in more than seven and half lakhs of villages. Selfsufficiency of rural India means fulfilling the basic needs- food, clothing and other necessities, and sustainable rural development, wherein goats play a key role. Therefore, among livestock, goat is considered one of the most inclusive species. India has rich genetic resources with 34 goat breeds distributed in different ecologies and each one of them performing well in their habitats under optimum feeding, bearing natural resistance for diseases and climatic fluctuations. Goats, being primarily owned and reared by the marginal and small farmers are important among resource poor people for their sustainable livelihood and nutritional requirement. Demand for goat meat/mutton has increased with the increase in per capita income and other associated factors. The gap between demand and supply of goat meat/mutton will widen in future as meat demand may grow at faster rate than that of production. Goat milk, which is also known as natural functional food contributes 4% to central milk pool. Majority of goats in the country are reared under extensive production system and highly depend on common resources. Permanent pasture and grazing lands, the most important commons, are gradually shrinking. The improvement in share of goat ownership with marginal category by 2% between 2001 and 2007 has been recorded. Moreover, flock size per goat rearing households has shown increasing trends among all the categories of land holdings. Unit level data from 59th and 70th rounds of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) (Land and livestock holdings) indicate that overall flock size has marginally increased between 2002 and 2013 and the goat rearing households have increased by 17% during the same period.
Goat, popularly known as poor man’s cow, has now becoming a symbol of prosperity in the rural India. Goat has been found to be best alternative for supplementary income and milk for the rural people who are unable to rear cattle or buffaloes. Demographic change in livestock population in the country showed a shift in favour of small ruminant particularly for goat (Dixit et al. 2012). Goat possesses tremendous potential for adapting to different agro-climatic conditions and on wide range of feedings.
Goat Population Dynamics
There is significant growth in population of goat in India during the last three decades. As per 20th livestock census 2019, goat population in India has increased from 95 to 148.88 million between 1982 and 2019. The highest increase of 16% in goat population was recorded during 1982 to 1987. About 13% increase has been recorded between 2007 and 2013. Similar trends have been noticed between 2012 and 2019, wherein about 10% increment in the goat population was observed. Growth in goat population is demand-driven. In urban areas, demand for livestock products rises faster than the other food groups when income starts to increase (Gandhi and Zhou 2010).
Goat Management Systems in India
Extensive System: This system includes free range, transhumance, pasture and range grazing management. The system is based on low resource input and low level of productivity. More than 80% population of goat is reared under extensive system.
Semi-Intensive System: This system is combination of limited free-range grazing and stallfeeding. The optimum level of nutrition, which is better than that under extensive system are observed. The rearing system helps in substantial improvement in body weight gains, milk yield, wool yield and prolificacy. Overall, improvement in quantity and quality of meat production can be achieved by supplementing with concentrate mixtures along with cultivated leguminous fodders and tree leaves.
Intensive system: This system includes grazing on developed pastures and/or complete stall-feeding on cultivated fresh or conserved fodders, crop residues and concentrates. Goats are quite capable of making efficient use of feed and fodder in stall feeding system as well for conversion into meat, milk and fibre.
Goat Genetic Resources in India
India possesses 34 registered breeds of goats however, population of these breeds comprises less than of 35% of the total goat population of the country.
There is intermixing to a larger extent among the breeds in a region where two or more breeds exist. These goat breeds have evolved and developed by the goat farmers for different agro-climatic regions to meet out local demands of the particular region of the country.
The goat breeds on the basis of agroclimatic regions are described as follows:
1.Northern Temperate Region: Chegu, Changthangi, and Gaddi. These breeds are medium in size, fiberproducing and also used for transportation of goods. The breeds Chegu and Changthangi produce finest quality of under coat called ‘Cashmere’ or ‘Pashmina’ beside meat.
2. North-Western Region: The popular breeds of this region are: Beetal, Jamunapari, Barbari, Sirohi, Marwari, Jakhrana, Surti, Gohilwadi, Kutchi, Zalawadi, Mehsana. Goats of this region are medium to large in size, dual purpose with special attribute of high milk yield. Several lesser known genetic groups/strains/breeds are also found in this region such as Bundelkhandi, Battisi, Totapari, etc.
- Southern Region: Goats of the Southern and Peninsular part of the country, have dual utility but with low in milk yield as compared to goats of north-western region. Sangamneri, Osmanabadi, Kanna-aidu, Malabari, KonkanKanyal, Berari and Black Attapady are the main breeds of goat of this region.
4. Eastern Region: Black Bengal is main breed of eastern region of India. It is a dwarf size meat goat breed and is widely recognized for prolificacy, skin, and carcass qualities however, has low milk yield. Ganjam is another local breed of this region particularly belonging to coastal areas of Odisha.
Indian breeds of goat according to their major functions are classified as
(1) High milk producing breeds: Beetal, Jamunapari, Jakharana and Surti;
(2) Dual purpose-a (meat and milk): Sirohi, Kutchi, Malabari, Marwari, Mehsana, Zalawadi, Gohilwadi, Sangamneri, Barbari, Dual Purpose-b (meat and fibre): Changthangi, Chegu and Gaddi; and
(3) Meat producing breeds: Black Bengal, Osmanabadi, Kannai-adu, KonkanKanyal, Berari Black, Attapady and Ganjam.
A continuous growth in milk production has been registered in the country. Goat milk production increased by 14% between 2012-13 and 2017-18. Similarly, goat meat production in the country has also shown increasing trends. Goat meat production increased from 0.94 to 1.08 million tons between 2012-13 and 2018-19. There are virtually no religious or cultural taboos associated with the goat meat consumption. Moreover, the country is largest exporter of sheep and goat meat. The country exported 14,128.85 tonnes of sheep & goat meat worth Rs. 646.69 Crores during the year 2019-20. The country’s export of sheep and goat meat has shown declining trends during last three years (2017- 20). The export declined by about 8 thousand tonnes between the same periods. Similar trends were observed in value term. The major export destinations during 2019-20 were United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arab, Oman, Maldives and Baharain. The UAE alone receives 70% of total export followed by Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
By-BN Tripathi, Ashok Kumar, AK Dixit, B Rai and VK Saxena
Source-Mahatma Gandhi’s Vision of Agriculture: Achievements of ICAR
Compiled & Shared by- This paper is a compilation of groupwork provided by the
Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
