At Birth To allow bonding the doe must clean and groom her kids and remain undisturbed for two to four hours. Usually the kidding should be without any external intervention. However, one may intervene only in these conditions: • When there is mal-presentation or difficulties in kidding.
Basics in Goat rearing
• Male goats are known to be fertile at an earlier stage than females. In such circumstances males have to be raised separately from females to avoid unplanned mating. • Bucks have to be kept in good condition and fed at all times. • Concentrate feeds can be should be provided throughout the year. If that’s not possible it should be provided 2 months before breeding season. • For breeding purposes bucks with horns have to be used, so as to […]
Management of Male goats (Bucks)
Young females should be mated as from the age of 12 months. Good nutrition ensures that the animal grows faster and ready for mating. It also increases fertility and litter size. If young animals are mated when they are very young (less than 8months) they will remain stunted the rest of their life and will have poor reproductive performance. A well-managed female can produce kids for about eight years. Pregnancy in goats lasts between 145 –150 days (five months). A […]
Management of Females (Does)
5 Four key traits to be considered for selection of goats used primarily for meat production are the following: 1) adaptability to environmental and production conditions, 2) reproductive rate, 3) growth rate and 4) carcass characteristics. Of these four production traits, only carcass characteristics are not readily measurable on the farm. With good record keeping and a set of scales, the meat goat producer can collect the information needed to measurably increase the productivity of his/her meat goat enterprise. Get a scorecard […]
Selection of Goats
Breeding Issues Breeding Issues Nutritional Deficiency Retained placentas, metritis Copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin E Lack of estrus Copper, zinc, selenium, vitamin E Tailess sperm in semen Selenium Lack of libido Copper-molybdenum Intentinal Issues
Nutritional deficiency disorders
What to Consider? Vision and Values: A farm is both an extension of the vision and values of the individual(s) who start(s) it, and it has to be carefully planned to make sure that it fits within that vision as well as within the particular confines of the place where it is established. Place Matters: A fertile agricultural land is a must with good supply of water. Planning: New farms need to have a well designed business plan that takes into consideration individual […]