UPLIFTMENT OF LIVELIHOOD OF GOAT FARMERS IN EASTERN CAUVERY DELTA REGION BY REDUCING THE KID MORTALITY THROUGH ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENTAL PRACTICES

UPLIFTMENT OF LIVELIHOOD OF GOAT FARMERS IN EASTERN CAUVERY DELTA REGION BY REDUCING THE KID MORTALITY THROUGH ADOPTION OF SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENTAL PRACTICES

Sujatha.V

 Assistant Professor, Farmers Training Centre, Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu – 610004

Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,

India-600051

*-Corresponding Author Email I.D:drsujathavasu@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Goat farming is the major economic activity with respect to animal husbandry in Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu. However, goat farming faced major challenges among the farmer to fetch the maximum profit. The constraints faced by the farmers analyzed. The interventions were adopted in the five progressive farms. The results were demonstrated to the respective farmers as well as fellow farmers. The overwhelming response to the adoption of scientific rearing practices reduced the mortality among the kids. This reduction in kid mortality is the key in generating the substantial amount of income from the goat farming. This scientific adoption of technological practices will definitely convert the famers into entrepreneurs.

Key words: Goat, Kid, Mortality, Cauvery Delta

 INTRODUCTION

Goats are the mobile bank of poor farmers, which are opportunistic feeders and drought resistant, hardy animals with different biological needs than sheep and cattle. They are primarily reared for meat production. Hence, the weight gain and reproductive parameters are the primary economic traits. High rate of mortality of nursing kids with muscular weakness was often reported by farmers from Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam districts even with good managemental practices. Growth performance and production parameters are lower whereas mortality is found to be significantly higher with the same breed population surviving in the other zones of Tamil Nadu from the feedback and information analyzed from various farmers of Eastern Cauvery Delta Region.. Hence, the present study is structured with the following objectives to explore the avenues to enhance the productivity of goat in Cauvery delta region.

Challenging issues in goat farming

Goats share the largest portion (34%) of the livestock population in Tiruvarur, according to the results of the 20^th Livestock Census. Since 2003, Tiruvarur has shown a decline in the overall number of livestock and negative growth rates among species over the intercensus period. Since 1997, goats have constituted the bulk of the livestock population in Tiruvarur. The population had the largest positive growth rate, rising from 2.82 lakhs to 3.75 lakhs between 1997 and 2003 at a rate of 33.14%. thereafter declined in the next two censuses, with a negative growth rate observed between 2003 and 2007 at a rate of 17.09% and 7.81%, respectively. However, the twentieth census showed a meagre 1.44 percent rise.

Goat farming is the main livelihood activity other than fishing in Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts of Tamil Nadu. However, goat farming faced many challenges to fetch maximum potential of yield. Kids are the main source of income in the goat farming. Most of the time, birth of kids coincides with the heavy monsoon rainfall especially during the North east monsoon in the month of November and December of every year out of two crops of kids per year. Lower atmospheric temperature and high rainfall during July-August and November -December will make the kids susceptible to cold shock, which results in mortality. Improper nutrition of pregnant does lead to lesser birth weight of kids. Nutritional deficiencies were very common in kids in this region. Healthcare system practices were not fully adopted by the farmers, since grazing dependent system of rearing followed by the majority of farmers. Cultivation and provision of green fodder is essential in semi-intensive and intensive system of rearing of goat due to shrinkage of grazing land. Micronutrient supplementation is essential to overcome the negative effects of deficiency on productivity of goat. Outbreaks of diseases in goat farms led to acute mortality of kids as well as adults before identification of the disease to provide systematic health care to the animals. Hence, systematic programmed vaccination and deworming is essential to provide efficient health care to the goat farming.

Prioritization of issues

            Lack of quality germplasm, lack of balanced feed, shrinkage of grass land, inadequacy of capital, inadequacy of credit facility, inadequate and expensive health care facility and higher mortality were the main researchable issues identified among the farmers through farmers-scientist interaction meetings. Among all the issues, the kid mortality and consequent economic losses faced by the goat farmers was taken as major priority issue.

Materials and Methods

            By analyzing the above challenging issues five progressive farms in the Tiruvarur district of Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu were selected for scientific interventions. The farms were as below

1. King goat farm, Vazhkai, Tiruvarur district (Farm I)
2. Manivannan Goat Farm, Melathirumathikkunnam (Farm II)
3. Ramesh Goat Farm, Aanaivadapadi (Farm III)
4. Shanmuganathan, Goat Farm, Palaiyur (Farm IV)
5. Saroja Goat Farm, Thiruthuraipoondi (Farm V)

To overcome the above issue, the following scientific interventions were adopted in this study.

• Provision of heating pen / warming box to kids
• Supplementation of Liver tonic
• Supplementation of fortified mineral mixture
• Timed deworming
• Programmed Vaccination

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

1. Provision of heating pen / warming box to kids

Newborns are particularly vulnerable to hypothermia and chills during cold weather. Using a warming box is one method to prevent cold. Kids with lower birth weight in cold environment are more likely to get chilled. Kids have to be warmed if they are shivering or if their body temperature is lower than 39°C. The ideal temperature range for warming boxes is between 37 and 40°C (98.6 and 104°F). Farmers should keep an eye on the temperature with warming box by adding a household air thermometer.  In order to detect cold stressed kids, monitoring their body temperature during rewarming is essential, which require a rectal thermometer usage skill by the farmer. Farmers should record kids temperature every thirty minutes while they are being rewarmed to make sure they are heated evenly and do not become overheated. When the body temperature kids reaches a temperature higher than 39°C (102.2°F), kids should be taken out of the box. A heat lamp inside the pen can be used for additional heat should be positioned at least 50 cm (20 in) above the ground or bedding and at least 15 cm (six inches) higher than the kid can reach. Care should be taken to avoid fire accident in the heating pens.

Farmers should ensure kidding area and kid enclosures are dry and draft-free to avoid cold and hypothermia. Using straw bedding liberally is very beneficial for keeping kids warm. As kids lay down, make sure their legs are fully covered by the bedding, which should be dry and deep enough for them to burrow in. Consider the possibility of fire and the risk of overheating of kids when constructing a warming box. A warming box should never be left unattended. A crucial management technique that will support the health and productivity of herd is giving attention to kids as they need to prevent and recover from hypothermia.

Table 1:Effect of scientific interventions in progressive goat farms

2. Supplementation of Liver tonic

            Effective liver functioning is essential to detoxify the harmful toxins. Hence, supplementation of liver tonic will ensure increased and adequate secretion of liver enzymes to effective digestion and absorption of nutrients. Supplementation of liver tonic will improve the digestibility and gut health of kids for effective feed conversion. Supplementation of liver tonic will result in faster regeneration of liver cells and tissues, increases productivity, achieve faster growth by improving metabolism. Hence, supplementation of poly herbal liver tonic is advised to the goat farmers to prevent the mortality and ensure the potential growth rate of kids in their farms.

3. Supplementation of fortified mineral mixture

            Multiple mineral deficiencies were observed in the delta region among goat farms. Serum study was carried out in the five farms of Tiruvarur district revealed that deficiency of copper, zinc and selenium in all the farms. Hence, supplementation fortified mineral mixture with required minerals specific to the region is essential. Mineral mixture was supplemented to the target population.  Generally area specific mineral mixtures were prepared for the dairy cattle in India with few exceptions. Hence, area and species specific mineral mixture is essential to exploit the potential of goat.

4. Timed deworming

            Endoparasites are the main menace in the goat population in delta region. Paddy cultivation is primary agriculture in this region. This led to growth of more number of snails. Consequently, the parasitism and their pathological effects led to decrease in growth rate and anemia. Hence, timed deworming with suitable deworming drugs was essential.

5. Programmed Vaccination

            Peste des petids ruminants (PPR), Food and Mouth disease, goat pox, Brucellosis, enterotoxaemia and tetanus were the main infectious diseases affecting the goat population. Tetanus is the economically important disease affecting and led to death in kids. PPR is important disease causing higher grade of mortality in adults especially pregnant does causing abortion in the delta region. Incidence of goat pox occurs sporadically. By observing the economic adverse effects of various infectious diseases, it is essential to adopt programmed vaccination schedule under single umbrella to cover the entire goat population through vaccination.

6. Planned breeding

            Planned breeding is not practically possible in field condition. Eventhough the planned breeding can be practiced in the intensive system of rearing. Breeding can be adopted in the month of April and September to receive the kids in conducive climate to prevent the mortality.

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that the goat population is the main contributor to the livestock population in the delta region of Tamil Nadu. Goat husbandry poses significantly less danger in drought-prone areas than it does for other livestock species. Grazing with mixed species is best done in goats. A wide range of prickly shrubs, weeds, crop leftovers, and agricultural byproducts unfit for human diet might support the feeding of goat. Dissemination of scientific goat production technologies from the incubation centres of the university to goat farmers will definitely augment the productivity of goat population in the region. Consequently, the adoption of scientific technologies in goat farming will pave the way for doubling the farmers’ income.

REFERENCES

1. 20^th Livestock Census, 2019. Government of India, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, the Department of Animal Husbandry, Daiying and Fisheries.
2. Animal Husbandry Policy Note. (2022). Government of Tamil Nadu. Animal Husbandry, Dairying, Fisheries and Fishermen welfare. Department Demand no. 6
3. Gujar, M. L., and Pathodiya, O. P. (2008). Constraints perceived by farmers in goat rearing in Mewar region of southern Rajasthan. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences (India), 78(1):124-126.
4. Kumar, C. A., and Manimannan, G. (2014). Spatial Pattern of Agriculture Productivity of Crops in Cauvery Delta Zone of Tamilnadu. IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS), 7(2):1–7.
5. Rajkumar, N. V., and Kavithaa, N. V. (2014). Constraints in goat farming perceived by farm women in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. International Journal of Science, Environment and Technology,3(1):116-122.
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7. Sujatha,V, Selvaraj, P, Leela, V, Ramachandran, M, Ranganathan, V, Balamurugan, T.C. and Kathirchelvan, M. (2023). Socio-Economic Profile and existing Managemental Practices of Goat Farmers in Tiruvarur District of Tamilnadu. 15(8a): 389-396.

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