Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) on Small Animals
A:- Goat Farming means raising goats for the purpose of production of meat, milk and manure. The main advantages of goat farming in farms are to the fact that goats consume the sub-quality grazing matter which is undesirable for other livestock. Goat farming business also requires comparative less investment.
A:- This is probably most asked question. You can follow the following steps.
First of all select a good location for goat farm. It is better to select far from town or residence area where a piece of land ready for production green field for goats.
A:- This is totally depends on your production type and purpose. If you want to raise goat in free range or posture system, then you will be able to raise 6-8 goats per acre. If you are willing to raise your goat in stall fed system, the one alone be self sufficient for raise 8-10 goats. In staff feed goat farming system you have to keep your goats confined in a place and use the land for producing food for them.
A:- Goat don’t require elaborate housing system. Ensure that the house is dry and home adequate ventilation system. Making the house in south facing direction will be good. It will be better if you can make house raised from ground. 6-8 ft height of the house is enough for most of breeds of goats. Inside house 8-12 sq ft per goat will be enough.
A:- Determine how many goats you are willing to raise in your backyard because it require extra care and responsibility to keep animals healthy and productive make a good shelter for raising backyard. Along with grazing, try to provide goats with enough fresh & clean water and foods. Goats are great escape in nature. So good fencing is required for keeping them confined.
A:- Actually feed for goats depends on how they are being raised. The goat feed are hay, forage, fruits, weeds, grains, dried fruit, chaffing vegetables, kitchen scraps. Goats require grain for proper growth. Whole or unprocessed, pellets, rolled are generally given to goats. Goats require 3-4 percent of feed of their total body weight.
A:- All the plants available in a pasture are not good for goats health. Some of the plants are toxic to goat s. Azalea, Kale, Potato, Poppy rhubarb are some of the toxic plants for goats. Ponderosa pine, Plum, elderberry, cherry and few trees are toxic to goats. Some weeds such as water hemlock, poison hemlock, spurge, poke weed, lantana, locoweed, bracken fern and milk weed are toxic to goats.
A:- Black Bengal, Ganjam, common local breeds available in the Odisha and are very good for meat production purpose.
A:- The number depends on your budget. Initially, you start with 10-12 goats and expand the number gradually.
A:- Total amount of water per goat depends on age and size of the goat. On an average a mature goat will need about 4-5 lit water daily.
A:- Disease that can be transmitted from goats to human beings are Cryptosporidia, Contagious echthyma, E coli, Leptospirosis, Ringworm and Salmonellosis.
A:- Some common disease for goats are Acetonemia, Anaemia, Abortion, Anorexia, Arthritics, Anthrax, bloat, Brucellosis, Bronchitis, Contagions etyma, Eye condition, Goat pox, Indigestion, Hoof trimming etc.
A:- Vaccination of goats during different stages of growth can help to prevent different diseases. They are as below
A:- The goats should be wormed timely for keeping them free from internal parasite. Young goats are susceptible to parasite infection like Tapeworm. So deworm kids at their stages of age and repeat 4 to 8 until kid has grown to 1 year.
A:- It depends upon the breed of goat you are raising. Female goats or does get maturity at the age of 4-12 months of age for breeding. The goats can be breed at any time of the year. The average gestation period is 145-155 days. Black Bengal goat can produce 2-3 kids per kidding.
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