Goat farming in India is a centuries-old practice that plays a vital role in the Indian rural economy. Goats are primarily raised for their milk and meat. In this article, you will find information on how to start a goat farm, various goat breeds, and government schemes related to goat farming. Additionally, you can learn about the goat farming training in India provided by the government.

Goat Farming Project Guide

The goat farming project requires initial investment to buy certain things like goats, shelter land and building equipment. Additional money will be spent on goat healthcare in a goat farming project. Goat farming project cost in India can vary depending on the size of farm and number of goats.

On average, the goat farming project cost is between 60,000 to 1 lakh in India. The goat farming layout design can be divided into four steps. The steps involved in the goat farming project in India are listed in detail below.

Step 1: Goat breed selection in goat farming project

The first step in a goat farming project is the selection of the goats. Goats have many breeds depending on their uses. Before you select a breed you should know what purpose you want to use a goat farm for. There are many uses for goats in farming and goat farm types like

• Goat farming for milk or Milk Farm
• Goat farming for meat or Meat Farm
• Goat farming for sale
• Goat farming for hair or Fibre Farm

The best goats for milk and meat are listed in detail below.

Jamnapari Goat

Jamnapari goat is the most popular breed mainly used for milk. Jamnapari goats are healthy and female goats usually weigh up to 50 kg in India. These goats produce an average of 2-3 kg of milk daily. These goats can provide up to 300 kg of milk in their total lactation cycle. Additionally, the milk is high quality with 5-6% fat and 3-4% protein. Jamnapari goats are mainly found in Uttar Pradesh which makes them the best choice for goat farming in Bihar for milk farms.

Black Bengal Goat

Black Bengal goats are found all across India. These are most commonly available in Assam, West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar. These goats are usually black in colour and used for both milk and meat purposes. Milk of Black Bengal goat is rich in protein, vitamins and fat. On the other hand, they also provide high quality meat. The uses and availability make the Black Bengal goat the top choice for goat farming in West Bengal and Bihar.

Surti Goat

Surti is another goat breed mainly used for milk. Surti goats are mainly found in Gujrat. These goats are reared both for milk and meat. These goats are usually white and weigh around 20-30 kg. These goats can provide 2-3 kg of milk daily. The milk of the Surti goat is highly nutritious and their meat is also considered good. This altogether makes Surti one of the best choices for goat farming in Gujarat.

Boer Goat

Boer goat is the best goat breed for a meat farm. These goats are mainly used for their meat and can weigh up to 130 kg. These goats have high carcass yield and produce great quality meat.

The full table of the most common goats used in farming is given below.

| Goat Breed | Goat Uses | Milk / Meat Details ||:-----------------:|:---------:|:---------------------------------------------:|| Jamnapari Goat | Milk/Meat | 2-3.5 litres daily / up to 55% carcass yield || Boer Goat | Meat | Up to 60% carcass yield || Surti Goat | Milk | 2.5-3 litres daily || Black Bengal Goat | Milk/Meat | 2-3 litres daily / up to 45% carcass yield || Beetal Goat | Milk/Meat | 2.5-3 litres daily / up to 50% carcass yield || Osmanabadi Goat | Milk/Meat | 2.5-3 litres daily / up to 50% carcass yield || Sirohi Goat | Meat | Up to 50% carcass yield |

Male-Female Ratio

There are three types of goats used in goat farming: uncastrated male, castrated male and female goats. The male-female ratio on a goat farm should be 1 uncastrated male for 25-30 females.

After choosing the type of goat farm, the best breed and learning about the male-to-female ratio, you should move on to the next step.

Step 2. Housing Facility in Goat Farming Project

The next step of the goat farming project is choosing a house or shelter for goats. The main purpose of choosing a housing facility is to protect the goats from rain and sun. For a goat farming business plan, the size of the facility is vital. For small farms, a shed with good protection from the sun and plenty of space for airflow is sufficient.

Step 3: Goat Food in Goat Farming

Goat food plays a crucial role for goat farming in India. Goats can survive on food like leaves, shrubs and grass. But the best food for goats should contain high fibre and low protein. The list of best foods for a goat is below.

• Hay and other derided grass
• Grains like maize, oats or wheat (in moderation)
• Pasture: forage and grass that grow on the ground
• Silage and barley

Feed goats with food three times a day with water. Goats can eat up to 7 kg of green fodder and food daily with a litre of water.

Step 4: Goat health care

Many breeds of goats are healthy and disease-resistant. But that doesn’t mean they don’t need health care. Healthcare in goat farming is most vital at the time of pregnancy. At that time, female goats (Does) require medical care from a veterinarian doctor. Pregnant goats also need a peaceful and comfortable environment.

After the birth, health care for the goat’s child is also vital. The newborn should be fed colostrum for up to a week to be healthy. A kid also requires milk for development which should be about 1/10th of the size of a kid.

These are the steps for a goat farming business plan in India. Moreover, goat farming in India is backed by government schemes which are detailed below.

Goat Farming Government Schemes (Loan and Subsidies)

There are many goat farming loan and subsidy schemes available in India by the government. Many goat farming government schemes are listed below with details.

National Livestock Mission (NLM)

The National Livestock Mission (NLM) is a goat farming government scheme that financially helps farmers and also provides them assistance to start a goat farm. This scheme is open for farmers and goat farming businesses. Additionally, farmers can get up to 50% goat farming subsidy from the government and also get low-interest loans to start a goat farm.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) is another goat farming government scheme that provides financial assistance to goat farmers. This scheme provides many benefits in the distribution of goats, shelter construction for goat farms, food provisions and goat farming training for farmers. RKVY provides subsidies to buy goats for goat farming in Rajasthan. RKVY gives training for goat farming in Madhya Pradesh.

Goat Farming Training in India

Goat farming training can be received at a private or government institute. Goat farming training by government is the best option in India. Below are the most common goat farming training schemes by the government.

The Central Institute for Research on Goats (CIRG)

The Central Institute for Research on Goats (CIRG) is the most common choice for goat farming training in India. CIRG is located in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. CIRG is affiliated with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). CIGR provides training on goat farming for farmers and individuals looking to venture into goat farming as a profession. CIRG provides farmers with the knowledge and skills on all the goat farming steps mentioned above.

CIRG provides 3 day training for farmers and 5 day training for entrepreneurs. CIRG also provides customised goat farming training for farmers and entrepreneurs with specific goals. Overall these benefits make CIRG the best choice for goat farming training by government.

Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)

Goat farming training by government also can be received at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) all across India. KVKs mainly provide training for farmers and businesses in all aspects of goat farming from breed selection to goat health care. KVKs provide training on goat farming in India for 3-5 days.

Conclusion

In conclusion, goat farming in India can be a profitable profession for farmers and individuals alike. Goat farming in India is incentivised by the government in the form of various goat farming loan and subsidy schemes.

Goat farming training in India can be received from private or government facilities. Goat farming training by government facilities benefits individuals looking to enter this profession. Moreover, the goat farming project includes many steps that are crucial for a profitable goat farming business plan.