Vol. 10, Special Issue 8 (2021)

Author(s):
Safeer Alam, Jasvinder Kaur, Mubashir Ali Rather, Syed Shanaz, Shabir Mir, Rukhsana Shah and Ambrin Hamdani

Abstract:
The present study attempts to investigate the socio-economic and technical characteristics of Purgi goats and their husbandry practices in its home tract. Fifty Purgi goat breeders were randomly selected in eight villages and interviewed using pre-structured questionnaire. The data generated included socio-economic condition of the breeders, housing, breeding, feeding, watering, health care and other management practices. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The study revealed that most of the respondents belonged to the age group of 40-60 years and maximum breeders had education level of middle to matric standard. All the farmers belonged to schedule tribe (Muslims) community and were literate. The land holding (irrigated) size was in between 0-0.75 hectare with 96% of the breeders. About 72% of purgi breeders had experience of goat rearing and mean flock size was 26.96 with flock composition of 2.36 breeding buck, 16.39 does and 7.21 young ones. Purgi breeders had other livestock species also and mean herd/ flock size per household was 0.63, 3.58, 7.21and 10.51percent for local cattle, cross-bred cattle, sheep and back-yard poultry respectively. The mean total annual income from all sources of the breeders was Rs 1,42,134.0 and the income from goats only was Rs19,439.0 per year, whereas, the income per goat/year was Rs 939.24.Mostly houses were pucca with both open and close type. Animals were kept during night time only in the houses which are nearby or inside the dwelling house. Thus purgi goats are managed and maintained by are dual purpose (meat and fibre) type and play vital role in livelihood security of Kargil tribes.