Breeds of the goat in Nepal and criteria for their selection in productivity

Abstract

Goat rearing is an important part of the mixed farming system that significantly contributes to food, the nutritional, and economic security of the marginalised farmers creating employment opportunities in the country. This chapter has tried to review the indigenous goat breeds of Nepal, and the criteria for selection to enhance the production and productivity of goats. Four indigenous goat breeds are Terai, Khari, Sinhal, and Chyangra. The most common exotic goat breeds used for crossbreeding and upgrading indigenous breeds of goats are Boer, Jamunapari, and Barbara, Beetal, Sirohi, Saanen, Toggenburg, Damascus, and Kiko. The breeding of goats in Nepal is mainly based on selection, pure breeding, and crossbreeding with exotic breeds. As the goat farming business can be operated through a low investment, it has given the opportunity for employment and income generation to marginalised farmers and women. Thus, goat farming has played a crucial role in poverty alleviation and could be an important source for the national economy if improved husbandry and breeding practices are followed.

Conclusion:

It is found that in general the performances of indigenous goats are poor in terms of daily live weight gain, most of the breeds have poor kidding rates, kid survival, and disease resistance. There are several factors that impede the production, productivity, and profitability of goat keeping. It is anticipated that the huge internal demand for goats can be full- filled by transforming the existing subsistence husbandry into enterprise level. Various transformational processes like initiatives on goat artificial insemination technology, pasture management, introduction, and cross-breeding of new breeds. Apart from this selecting best of the best and mating within the breed and addressing the diseases like PPR and Bluetongue is a must for better production and productivity.

In addition to this, the introduction and evaluation of promising exotic goat breeds together with resource centre establishment are necessary. Further, attempts are needed to be directed to reduce the production cost and address the communal grazing issue in the forestland. Low-interest rates on loans for goat business, assurance of health delivery, and technical backstopping are the areas that need adequate consideration for enhancing goat farming in Nepal.

***This is part of my contribution to the chapter Breeds of the goat in Nepal and criteria for their selection in productivity In book: Trends in Clinical Diseases, Production and Management of Goats published in Elsevier.