Print ArticleGoats are the poor man´s cattle. They can herald in a revolution of sorts. In India it was the cow and buffalo which made life for millions of small farmers and even landless laborers. They are linked through milk cooperatives which pick up and sell their milk. But goats are a different proposition.
Look at the usefulness of goats
1. For the table
2. For milk
3. for their fiber (hair)
4. For heir hide
We shall examine each of these four.
Goats start reproducing after the age of one, they can reproduce earlier but this is a safe period. Their gestation period lasts around 150 days or five months and usually they give birth to two kids.
So if a poor man is given one nanny goat then in roughly 150 – 200 days he gets another two kids. Then (if both are female) he has to wait for about a year before they reproduce. But in the meantime the original nanny has already given birth to another set.
The gap between reproduction depends upon the breed and climatic conditions. Generally in the terai region goats will reproduce more frequently than in the cold regions. But this is just a rule of the thumb.
Goat meat compares well with chicken meat in terms of being low on cholesterol and fat. (Unlike sheep meat which is much higher on these counts). The demand for goat meat is quite high in neighboring India as well, and growing, so markets should not be a problem, but a proper mode of sale has to be arranged. Otherwise middlemen may take the bulk of profits.
The market for milk is undeveloped, even in the West the milk is converted to various cheeses. In Nepal this will need introduction of new varities of goat which are milk yielding. Breeds in the west yield between two litres to four liters a day, but then there are higher costs in terms of looking after these goats.
One advantage that goats have is that they can forage along with cows as they do not eat the same grasses. Further in the higher reaches goats can be taken where no cow would dare to go.
But to develop goats for their milk will require substantial inputs from agencies.
Goat fiber is in high demand as it can be spun into a warm wool. The fiber of Kashmiri goats called cashmere in the west and pashmina here on the subcontinent remains in very high demand. These varieties however flourishes only in the higher reaches.
The hair on the belly of the mountain goat is very expensive, this is used in cosmetic brushes and the lower grade ones are used in paint brushes.
The hide after treatment can be used to make coats or other items of leather like gloves.
All in all goats can be a poor mans business. Starting with a small family of two or three goats they can provide supplemental income of a large amount. Further the risks are low, since these animals are intrinsically hardy and strong.
There is one major problem from the viewpoint of the buyer
Where is he going to get the credit from to buy a goat? In fact most of the landless would already know most of what has been written in this article. They would be aware of the greater risk in buying a cow and the care needed to keep chickens.
Unless there is a government program or one run by agencies to either provide credit or gift a goat, the poor will remain in the state of not owning productive assets.
The communists have been wanting to obtain land for the landless, while they may do that they should think of goats, cows, chicken, bees etc also as productive assets.
Prachanda´s achievements since August have been commendable, he has been able to meet people who matter, so much so that the UN Secretary General is to come to Nepal end October. And he was able to meet the US President George Bush.
But now is the time for national programmes to be launched for the rural poor, the only way to make their lives better of is direct action through transferring of productive assets and work.
Starting call centres, hydropower etc is necessary but going to help a different section of Nepali society.
Look at the usefulness of goats
1. For the table
2. For milk
3. for their fiber (hair)
4. For heir hide
We shall examine each of these four.
Goats start reproducing after the age of one, they can reproduce earlier but this is a safe period. Their gestation period lasts around 150 days or five months and usually they give birth to two kids.
So if a poor man is given one nanny goat then in roughly 150 – 200 days he gets another two kids. Then (if both are female) he has to wait for about a year before they reproduce. But in the meantime the original nanny has already given birth to another set.
The gap between reproduction depends upon the breed and climatic conditions. Generally in the terai region goats will reproduce more frequently than in the cold regions. But this is just a rule of the thumb.
Goat meat compares well with chicken meat in terms of being low on cholesterol and fat. (Unlike sheep meat which is much higher on these counts). The demand for goat meat is quite high in neighboring India as well, and growing, so markets should not be a problem, but a proper mode of sale has to be arranged. Otherwise middlemen may take the bulk of profits.
The market for milk is undeveloped, even in the West the milk is converted to various cheeses. In Nepal this will need introduction of new varities of goat which are milk yielding. Breeds in the west yield between two litres to four liters a day, but then there are higher costs in terms of looking after these goats.
One advantage that goats have is that they can forage along with cows as they do not eat the same grasses. Further in the higher reaches goats can be taken where no cow would dare to go.
But to develop goats for their milk will require substantial inputs from agencies.
Goat fiber is in high demand as it can be spun into a warm wool. The fiber of Kashmiri goats called cashmere in the west and pashmina here on the subcontinent remains in very high demand. These varieties however flourishes only in the higher reaches.
The hair on the belly of the mountain goat is very expensive, this is used in cosmetic brushes and the lower grade ones are used in paint brushes.
The hide after treatment can be used to make coats or other items of leather like gloves.
All in all goats can be a poor mans business. Starting with a small family of two or three goats they can provide supplemental income of a large amount. Further the risks are low, since these animals are intrinsically hardy and strong.
There is one major problem from the viewpoint of the buyer
Where is he going to get the credit from to buy a goat? In fact most of the landless would already know most of what has been written in this article. They would be aware of the greater risk in buying a cow and the care needed to keep chickens.
Unless there is a government program or one run by agencies to either provide credit or gift a goat, the poor will remain in the state of not owning productive assets.
The communists have been wanting to obtain land for the landless, while they may do that they should think of goats, cows, chicken, bees etc also as productive assets.
Prachanda´s achievements since August have been commendable, he has been able to meet people who matter, so much so that the UN Secretary General is to come to Nepal end October. And he was able to meet the US President George Bush.
But now is the time for national programmes to be launched for the rural poor, the only way to make their lives better of is direct action through transferring of productive assets and work.
Starting call centres, hydropower etc is necessary but going to help a different section of Nepali society.
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