Malabari Field Unit, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Directorate of Dairy Development, Pattom, Kerala

Principal Investigator

            Dr. Thirupathy Venkatachalapathy Assistant Professor (AGB)

Objectives

As per approved SFC of the project

Activity assigned and targets fixed for each activity during the period

            The main aim the unit was to improve goats in farmers field by implementing technical programme laid down for field units. Main job allocated was to

• Purchase of male kids from farmers’ flock.
• Rearing the male kids till age of sexual maturity.
• Distribution of bucks, breeding of flocks and recording of data.
• Recording of performance on body weight and milk yield etc.
• Collection of data on socio-economics and managemental practices.
• Selection of male and females.
• Collection information on marketing.
• Establishment of co-operative/self-help groups.
• Evaluation of role of women in goat rearing in the area.

Activity carried out during the period

    As per the technical programme, elite male animals were distributed to farmers free of cost. A total of 69 bucks of Malabari breed selected on the basis of body weight and growth rate including 14 during the report period. Evaluations of bucks are done by contemporary comparison for body weight at below one, three, six and nine months of age in different field centres. Health measures like periodical deworming, providing feed supplements and vaccination were carried out. Analyzed morbidity and mortality patterns and prepared prophylactic annual health calendar for goat. The production economics is calculated and determined the efficiency of production. Standardizes techniques for the value addition of goat milk by developing different milk products like paneer, peda, gulabjamun, Kalakand and whey melon. Distribution of goat keepers according to their education level, land holding, family size and flock size was done. Extension classes offered to 530 farmers, 88 students and 40 member tribal groups.

Flock Statistics
The flock strength of registered animals under field unit was 2076 including 1289 adult female goats as on 31 March, 2014. Out of this, 1075 adult does were newly registered in to various centres due to high rate of sale of animals. During the year 2013-14, addition due to birth was 843 while reduction due to death and sale of animals were 68 and 1379 respectively (Table 1).
Table 1: Flock Statistics of Malabari Goats during the period 2013-14

Body Weights/ Growth
The overall mean body weight recorded at below one, three, six, nine and twelve months of age were 3.12±0.06, 8.60±0.13, 14.50±0.27, 19.20±0.48 and 21.80±0.87kg respectively. Centre and year of birth had significant effect on body weights at all age groups. Males were heavier over females. The effect of type of birth was insignificant at one, six, nine and twelve months of age. The mean body weight gains at different stages of growth are presented in the Table 4. The overall growth rate ranged from 53.17 g to 61.94g per day and highest growth rate observed between first and third month of age (Table 2).

Table 2:  LSM of Body Weights (Kg) At Different Ages

Milk yield
The overall mean average daily milk yield was 0.85±0.05 litres with lactation length of 85±10.50. Peak yield recorded were 2.20 litre. The lactation performance of Malabari goats for average daily milk yield is shown in Table 3. 
Table 3: Mean Daily Milk Yield

Reproductive Performance
The overall mean of age at first service and age at first kidding are 256.15±12.04 and 398.03±12.61 days respectively. The overall mean gestation length and inter kidding interval were 149.65±0.27 and 275.81±12.68 days respectively. The mean age at first service and age at first kidding were 256.20±12.10 and 398.10±12.50 days respectively. The overall mean gestation length and inter kidding interval were 149.80±0.30 and 276.80±13.80 days respectively (Table 4). Among the total 1169 does registered,503 does kidded. Kidding percentage on the basis of does kidded was 167.60. Average litter size was 1.68 during the 2013-14. Average litter size was 1.68 during the 2013-14. The percentage of singles, twins, triplets and quadruplets were 40.15, 52.52, 6.95 and 0.40 respectively in the total population under study during the period (Table 5).
Table 4: Means of Reproductive Traits at Different Centres

Table 5. Reproduction and Breeding Efficiency of Malabari Goats

Distribution of Elite Bucks
As per the technical programme, elite male animals were distributed to farmers free of cost. A total of 69 bucks of Malabari breed including 14 during the report period were selected on the basis of body weight and growth rate from the home tract and distributed to various field centres. The nine months body weight of selected bucks ranged from 18.8 to 24 kg with a mean of 22.4±1.20 kg. All the bucks were selected from the multiple births.
Sire Evaluation
A comparison of the performance of progenies with contemporaries for body weight at below one, three, six and nine months of age in different field centres are presented in Table 6. The progenies had a higher body weight at three, six and nine month age than contemporaries in all centers. Progenies recorded better body weight at first month in Thavanur and Thalipparambu. At nine months of age progenies had a body weight of 19.80±0.45, 18.30±0.50, 22.75±0.60, 18.10±0.65, 19.40±0.60kg and 22.70±0.60kg respectively in Thalassery, Tanur, Badagara, Perambra,Thaliparambuand Kottakkal. The average values for the contemporaries were 18.90±0.20, 17.20±0.50, 21.20±0.55, 17.50±0.80, 18.35±0.60kg and 18.30±0.22 respectively.

Table 6:  Comparison of Progenies with Contemporaries

Socio-economic Status of Goat Keepers
Socio economic status of goat keepers like education level, land holding, family size and flock size are determined. Majority of goat keepers (93.10%) in the project area had only school level education. Average land holding and family size were 24.20 cents and 4.30 respectively. About 11.80 per cent goat keepers were rearing only one adult goat and its kids. Average flock size was only 3.60 per cent of goat keepers rearing cattle was only 5.20. Among this most of them reared 1-2 cattle (58.30 per cent). Out of the total number of farmers registered, 63.67 per cent were women farmers indicating women empowerment in the sector.

Morbidity and Mortality pattern
            The morbidity and mortality pattern Malabari goats under field is presented in the table 7 and 8.
Table 7: Morbidity Pattern

Table 8:  Mortality pattern

Gaps/constraints/shortfalls/excess and reasons thereof, if any

The Unit need to adopt bigger flocks for easier implementation of technical programme.

PC’s evaluation: very good (A) Good (B) poor (C)

-------------- Very Good (A)-------------

Future programme identifying the activities, timeline and targets for each of the activity

1. Efforts should be made to adopt farmers with higher flock size.
2. Identification, selection and rearing of approximately 50 kids for future buck production. The selection of male kids should based on type of birth and weaning weight.
3. Distribution of superior bucks amongst farmers of adopted villages and also to the goat farmers of the state for genetic improvement purpose.
4. Organization of animal health, vaccination and deworming camps, trainings to the farmer in the field units.
5. Development and execution of a health and fodder calendar.
6. Documentation on Impact of the project, production and economic status of farmers. 

Remarks

The Unit has shown significant improvement and may adopt new clusters in the home tract of the breed.