Vol. 14, Issue 2 (2025)

Author(s):
KK Rameesa, Justin Davis, Sabin George, Joseph Mathew, MT Dipu and VM Abdul Gafoor

Abstract:
The present study was conducted among randomly selected goat farmers (100 numbers) from the Androth and Kavaratti islands of Lakshadweep. The current study revealed that most of the goat farmers (51.0 percent) practiced a semi-intensive manner of goat rearing and the most frequently reared goat breed was Malabari crossbred (56.0 percent). Half of the farmers adopted replacing of animal in their farm by farm reared, followed by 43.0 percent of farmers replacing through both farm reared and through purchasing, and the majority of them were purchasing animals directly from other goat farmers (88.0 percent) within the island itself (70.0 percent). The majority (57.0 percent) of the farmers revealed that they were not practicing fodder cultivation due to sufficient availability of tree fodders for feeding of their animal. Majority (98.0 percent) of the farmers provided kutcha type shed with wooden floor (52.70 percent) and metal/ asbestos as roof (54.10 percent). Almost all the farmers fed their animals twice a day with a small portion of concentrate feed, as well as locally available tree leaves as roughage and they were also practicing feeding of rice, vegetable and fruit waste to their animal. For breeding of animals, heat conformation method used by the majority (81.0 percent) of goat farmers was frequent bleating. The only method of breeding available at Lakshadweep was natural breeding and only 35.0 percent of the farmers were aware about inbreeding problems. Only 12.0 percent of the farmers was practicing milking of animal. Most (86.0 percent) of the goat farmers were practicing deworming of animals, whereas only 12.0 percent of them adopted vaccination, which was only against tetanus. Sale of animals was practiced by 68.0 percent of the farmers at festival season, majority of them sold goats directly to the consumer and the price of animal was fixed commonly based on physical attribute of animal. None of the farmers were practicing the sale of manure & milk, some of the farmers collected the manure for use in own coconut garden or banana plants or to provide to others free of cost.