ZERO GRAZING SYSTEM OF GOAT FARMING IN INDIA
COMPILED & EDITED BY- DR. RK SINGH, JAMSHEDPUR
The 99% goat farming in India is non scientific and in extensive system, that’s why it has not been economical and is limited with poor tribal/ rural people . It has not taken a shape of an livestock enterprises due to its nature of feeding habits, system of traditional farming, but nowadays to make it more profitable, and to give a shape of livestock enterprises a system of zero grazing / stall fed goat farming has come up.this system of goat farming is becoming popular day by day particularly states like Telengana, AP, Tamilnadu, Maharastra, Karnataka etc. To make this system of goat farming more popular I want to give due credit to our senior vet DR. ASHOK KUMAR VALUPADASU sir. He always writes article on fb and spreading the knowledge of zero grazing system for goats and sheep.
Stall Feeding Goat & Sheep Farm :
Stall fed or Zero grazing system?
This is a system where animals are grown in a protected area well maintained & fed in stall with help of cultivated fodders, forages & concentrate feeds inside the farm Stall fed goat & Sheep farming are more appreciable for the following reasons like.
. Intensive system-(zero grazing-system)
• It is a system in which sheep goats are continuously kept under housing in confinement with limited access in which they are stall fed.
• It implies a system where goats are not left to fend for themselves with only minimum care.
• Intensive operation of medium sized herd of 50 to 250 heads or more oriented towards commercial milk production goes well with this system particularly of dairy goats.
• It merits exploitation of the system of feeding agro-industrial by products as on fodder grass with carrying capacity of 37 to 45 goats per hectare.
• This system of management requires more labour and high cash input.
• However, this has the advantage of close supervision and control over the animals.
• In this method, the dung is collected in one place and used as a good fertilizer.
Less space is sufficient for more number of animals
• Stress of animals is very less.
• Animals are grown in hygienic disease free zone.
• Quality of meat can be maintained.
• Animals are protected from heat.
• Variety of fodder seeds collections.
• Close monitoring of animals & record keeping is very easy.
• Tensionless work leads the business successfully.
• Control of contagious & non contagious diseases by proper medical check ups.
• Allows more efficient utilization of forage since there are no losses from falling and trampling.
• Fencing and supply of piped water is dispensed with except at the zero grazing enclosure.
• Conservation of energy is more, conversion of energy from fodder & feeds is quickly converted into flesh & milk.
• There is greater control measure of bloat especially if forages are wilted before feeding to the animals.
• There are reduced chances of animals getting infected with virus & parasites because they do not move about.
• Descripts & non descripts goat& sheep breeds of india.
Rearing in mud floor
• In this method, once in a year 1-2 inches of mud surface should be removed.
• Application of lime powder once in a month will reduce the disease occurrence in the shed.
• The shed should be constructed in elevated area to prevent water stagnation.
Deep litter shed
• In this method, the litter materials like ground nut husk, sugarcane tops etc. are spread on the floor for a depth of ½ feet and animals are reared in it.
• The urine and dung mixed with the litter materials are used as fertilizer.
• The litter materials should be removed once in six months.
• In heavy rain seasons, the litter materials should not be over wet to prevent which would cause ammonia gas production.
Elevated floor shed
• Its initial investment is high.
• In the wooden floor sheds, in a distance of 3m from the floor, the animals are reared.
• This requires less labour and more irrigation land for the fodder production.
• The elevated sheds will be clean and urine and dung will be collected in the floor and periodical removing is required once in six months.
• THE NUTRITION OF SHEEP AND GOATS
• Nutrient requirements
• It is extremely difficult to present data collected from allover the world on the nutrient requirements of sheep and particularly of goats. For this reason as a general guide the recommended minimum requirements of sheep (NRC, 1975) and goats (NRC,1981) are suggested. The energy requirements of sheep and goats are similar according to NRC (1981). For dry non-pregnant animals the maintenance requirements are 0.42 MJME/kg0.75.
• During the first 15 weeks of pregnancy energy requirements increase by 15%, providing also for a slight weight gain, and during the last stages of pregnancy they increase by 80–100% compared with dry animals. For each kg of sheep milk (6% fat) and goat milk (4% ) 7.5MJME and 5.2MJME are required, respectively. The requirements for digestible crude protein range from 2.3 – 2.8g /kg 0.75 for sheep and goats for maintenance, increasing during the last stages of pregnancy by 80–100%. For each kg of goat milk or sheep milk 45–70 g or 60–90 g digestible crude protein are required, respectively.
• Feeding behaviour
• Studies on the foraging behaviour and the dietary habits of sheep and goats (type and parts of plants they eat, their tolerance to saline or bitter feed and saline water, the distance of travelling to find food, the frequency of drinking and their walking ability) can provide assistance to range managers for making the right management decisions and improving sheep and goat performance (Malechek & Provenza, 1983; Squires, 1984). Goats have been considered more efficient in the digestion of crude fibre and the utilization of poor roughages than sheep (Malechek & Provenza, 1983; Squires, 1984; Gihad et al. ). Possible physiological and behavioural factors for this ability of the goat have been indicated (Louca et al., 1982). However, with medium and good quality forage and adequate feed availability goats apparently are similar to sheep (Malechek & Provenza, 1983; Huston, 1978).
• Nutrition and reproduction
• Inadequate nutrition, particularly of energy, depressed the reproductive performance of extensively (H.F.R.O.,1979) or intensively managed sheep (Orskov, 1982) and of Indian breeds of goats (Sachdeva et al., 1973). Sexual maturity of sheep and goats is advanced by good feeding (Owen, 1976) and the energy stimulates oestrus activity within the normal breeding season, ovulation rate, fertilization and survival of ova and the maintenance of the resultant embryos to term as viable lambs (Gunn, 1967).
• Body condition at mating, achieved over a longer period i.e. the period between one reproductive cycle and the next, has a greater effect on ovulation rate and barrenness than flushing (i.e. increasing the level of nutrition in the immediate pre-mating and mating period) (Owen, 1976; Gunn & Doney, 1975). High producing dairy ewes or goats, require a dry period to achieve maximum prolificacy.
• The level of feeding after weaning of female lambs or kids intended for replacements depends on the age at mating. Usually lambs or kids are mated for the first time when they reach 60–80% of their mature weight. This weight is accomplished with proper feeding and management at the age of 8–10 months in France, Norway and Cyprus (Morand-Fehr, et at., 1982; Skjevdal, 1982; Maurogenis & Constantinou, 1983). In France (Blancnart & Sauvant) and Norway (Skjevdal, 1982) tables have been published with recommendations of dietary allowances for breeding female kids at the age of 7–9 months of age.
• Nutrition and pregnancy
• There is a very slow growth of foetus during the first 100 days of gestation (Blanchart & Sauvant, 1974; Economides, 1981) with more than 80% taking place during the last 8 weeks of gestation. Stress in pregnant goats during late pregnancy increased with increasing kidding percentage as indicated from the total birth weight of kids as a percentage of the dam’s weight which was 8, 13.5and 18.5for goats giving birth to singles, twins or triplets, respectively (Economides & Louca, 1981). Foetal energy requirements in the final stage of pregnancy are 1.5MJME/kg foetus/day (H.F.R.O.,1979). This means that a 50 kg ewe carrying twins would have an energy requirement of about 2.5 to 3 times that of a non-pregnant ewe. However, these full requirements are not recommended and 25% lower requirement would reduce birth weight of lambs by only 10% which is acceptable on both biological and economic considerations (H.F.R.O.,1979). Low levels of energy during late pregnancy lead to pregnancy toxaemia particularly with goats (Economides & Louca, 1981;Morand-Fehr & Sauvant, 1979). However, high levels of feeding through pregnancy can lead to pregnancy toxaemia in sheep (Orskov, 1982) and kidding difficulties. The performance of Damascus goats in the last stages of pregnancy was similar with either medium (15.7MJME/ day) or high (20.1 MJME/day) levels of energy, but a low level of energy (11.3MJME/ day) resulted in pregnancy toxaemia (Economides and Louca, 1981).
• Nutrition and lactation
• Lactating sheep and goats have increased requirements for all nutrients. Different methods of estimating milk yield in sheep and goats have been developed which are useful in evaluating the results of various management systems. The lamb suckling technique or the use of oxytocin and milking have been widely used to obtain information in the non-dairy ewe (Owen, 1976) whereas with dual purpose sheep and goats a combination of the suckling technique and milking until weaning is used (Economides, 1984). Hand or machine milking after weaning have also been used (Morag et al., 1970).
• Energy intake is the most important factor determining milk production in intensive systems, particularly in the early stages of lactation in sheep and goats (J. C. Flamant, et al., 1982; P. Morand-Fehr, et a!., 1980) but also under extensive systems (Fig. 1 & 2). Similarly under semi-arid conditions in Mexico (Martinez-Parra et al., 1981) and India (Shiarma, 1982) the milk yield of goats is positively related to energy intake.
• Pregnancy nutrition in sheep has only a marginal effect on subsequent milk production when grazing on high quality pasture or high level of feeding in early lactation (Peart, 1967);similarly pre-partum energy levels did not influence the performance of Damascus goats in early lactation (Economides & Louca, 1981) when offered a high level of energy (27.8MJME/goat/day) during lactation. However, the milk yield of high yielding dairy goats (Skjevdal, 1982; Morand-Fehr & Sauvant, 1980) was improved by higher levels of energy intake in late pregnancy becuase of the building up of body reserves and their mobilization in early lactation to produce milk. Under such conditions a protein supplement is also necessary.
• Land selection:
• land is the basic requirement for construction of shed and for growing fodder crops. The extent of land required for sheep & goat farming is approximately 1 acre per 50 sheep’s / goats. At this rate one may require about 8–10 acres of land to rear 500 sheep/goat.
• We also undertake consultancy in assisting the entrepreneurs in procurement of land anywhere in Karnataka.
•
• Breeding:
• Sheep & goats are seasonally polyestrous. Normally they breed & conceive in the months of march – July (1st season) & July – August (2nd season). Lambing/kidding periods are august (1st season) January (2nd season).
• Male female ratio required
Sheep – 1 ramper 25 sheep (4%)
Goats – 1 buck per 20 does (5%)
• sheep & goat come to conceiving age at 18 months (average) gestation period is 5 moths and lactation period is 3 months. One reproductive cycle is of 8 months thus they breed 3 times in 2 years. Cross breeding of local ewes / does with improved / exotic ram/ bucks gives instantaneous improvement on traits like body weight / wool quality etc.,
•
• Fattening:
• This is a system of rearing sheep / goat for meat purpose. Male lambs / kids at the age of 3 months (after weaning) are selected and they are fed in zero grazing system for 6 months and are sold at the age of 9 months for mutton purpose in the meat market. This gives quick and frequent income to the farmer/entrepreneur.
•
• Construction of shed for stall breeding under zero grazing system:
• A typical type designed shed comprises of two parts – covered area and open area. The floor space required is 10 sq.ft. / Animal in covered area and 20 sq ft / animal in open area. The shed must be inclined with its width north – south & length east – west. East west directions must be covered with complete walls with door, where as north south directions must be open with mesh for adequate cross ventilation. The animals are kept in batches / groups depending on their age and condition.
•
• Feeding & nutrition:
• Under stall feeding – zero grazing the sheep & goats are to be fed with the following regimen
1. Silage – 2 kg / day (morning – 1 kg / evening 1 kg)
2. Lucerne / leguminous fodder – 500 g / day / animal – once daily
3. Concentrate feed – 200 gm / animal / day – once daily
4. Mineral mixture – 10 gm / animal / day – once daily
•
• Fodder development:
• Maize cultivation for silage – we require 1 acre of land per 100 s/g for maize cultivation to make silage.
Silage making: silage is a conserved green fodder. Maize crop/other green grasses are harvested to make small pieces of 1 – 1½ cm and are packed in soil pots after mixing with salt and molasses& silage culture.
Lucern cultivation we need 0.5 acre of land per 100 sheep & goat for lucerne cultivation lucerne is a dicotyledonous plant with high protein content. Alternative other dicotyledonous plants like desmanthes, subabul etc., can be used as well. These are perennial varieties and they give continuous fodder.
Irrigation equipments Like drip irrigation, sprinklers, rain guns etc., can be adopted to conserve water for intensive and extensive fodder cultivation, there are subsidies available from government for adopting these systems.
•
• Crop management:
• There are 3 types of crops to be managed
• 1. Maize: Is a unicut variety – 80 days crop – cultivation practices repeated every 3 months to grow 3 crops in one year. The maize yield must be proportionate the silage requirement for 3 years.
2. Lucern: Perennial in nature, itgrows on again after each cutting, 1st crop comes with in 3 month and next cutting once in 40–50 days. Irrigation and fertilizer use is important in fodder plot management. Fodder trees gross better with drip irrigation and they are permanent sources for fodder especially in summer season.
3. Fodder trees: There are different varieties of fodder trees, they act as good, rich and perennial sources of fodder for sheep & goat, and especially they are good for goats. Few of the important varieties of fodder trees are – drumstick, agase, thagache, subabul, glyrecedia, alavana, hebbevu, kamara, etc., these are fast growing trees, they can be planted along the boundary of the land and also on the bunds and in waste lands.
•
• Disease control and vaccination schedule:
• Sheep & goat are susceptible to many contagious diseases. Major important diseases of sheep & goat are.
• Haemorrlogic septicaeoria (hs)
Enterotoxaemia (et)
Peter–de–pets ruminants (ppr)
Sheep pox ( goat pox) (bp/gp)
Blue tongue (bt)
Foot & mouth disease (f & ms)
Vaccines are available against all of the above disease. All animals are to be given preventive vaccination against all the preventable disease as per the following vaccination schedule.
Hs: 3 months of age once in 6 months
Et: 3 months of age once in 6 months
Foot & md: 3 months of age once in 6 months
Ppr: 3 months of age once in a year
Bt: 3 months of age once in a year
Sp/gp: 6 months once in a year
•
• De–worming:
• Sheep & goats are exposed frequently to internal parasites like – nematodes, tramatodes, and custodies. Therefore they are to be de wormed with appropriate de worming medicines once in 3 months regularly.
Reference-on request
Please follow and like us:
