Productive and reproductive performance of goats rearing in the Valikamam area of Jaffna district

Abstract

This study was carried out in the Valikamam area of the Jaffna district which includes the veterinary divisions of Sandilipay, Chankanai, Kopay, Uduvil and Tellipalai. Period of study was November to April 2012. The objectives of the study were to study the socio-economic status of the goat farmers, goat breed distribution and performance of goat breeds in the study area. Out of 5000 goat farmers 500 farmers (10%) were randomly selected for the study using Table of random numbers. Information on background information, breed distribution and performance and management aspects of goats were obtained using a structured questionnaire. Data was processed using Microsoft Excel and summarized using SAS. Majority of farmers in the study area was married (89%). Most of the farmers had the family size of ‘up to 3’ and ‘4-5’ (84.5%). Sixty nine percentages of farmers fell under the age group of 19 – 65 years. 95.5 % of the farmers were literate of different levels. In the study area percentages of the farmers involved in livestock rearing as primary and secondary occupation were 3.04 and 96.74, respectively. Around 98.04% of the farmers stated meat production as one of the purposes of rearing goat. The average herd size of goats in Sandilipay, Chankanai, Kopay, Uduvil and Tellipalai veterinary divisions were 3.75, 3.02, 3.14, 4.01and 3.11, respectively. Goat breeds found in the study area were Sannen, Jamnapari, Jaffna Local and their crosses. Systems of management adopted for goat rearing were intensive (52.14%), extensive (2.36%) and semi intensive (45.49%). Ground housing was adopted by 83.40% of the farmers. Women’s contribution for goat farming was 68.27%. The productive and reproductive traits of Sannen, Jamnaperi, local and crosses were as follows: milk yield in Litres:0.69,0.64,0.20 and 0.63,respectively; age at first kidding in months: 17.38,17.07,14.68 and 15.76, respectively; lactation length in months: 3.64,3.19,2.09 and 3.47, respectively; kidding interval in months: 12.24,11.76,11.01 and 11.70, respectively. For breeding goats natural service (93.38%) was preferred over artificial insemination. In all veterinary divisions higher percentage of farmers sold their goats to middlemen (42.80%) and whole sale buyers (46.53%).