Goat production is traditionally the women' responsibility and the goats are often their property. The negotiations for price and the actual selling is done by the man in the house, but the decision concerning whether to sell or not, as well as how to use the income from the goats is mainly taken by the women.
Fodder and water collection and the preparation of kudho (a mix of maize, kitchen waste and rice husk) is women' work. However, the men do assist in lopping branches from taller trees.
As far as resources allow, the goats are fed morning and evening with kudho all year round. From April through November, the busiest period in the agricultural year, the goats are stallfed, mainly with tree fodder as cut grass is prioritised for the buffaloes for their milk production. From December through March, the middle of the dry season, controlled grazing is practised often with a combination of cutting tree fodder in the field (and in forest patches, if available).
Table 1. Feeding practice and feed sources over the year (m = morning, d = daytime, e = evening)
|
Paus Magh-Falghun Chaitra-Baisak Jesd-Asaad Shraavan-Bhaadra Aashivan-Khardik Maarg | |||||
|
Dec -Jan |
Feb - March |
April - May |
June - July |
Aug - Sept |
Oct - Nov |
|
stall feeding + controlled grazing |
stall feeding + controlled grazing |
stall feeding |
stall feeding |
stall feeding |
stall feeding |
|
kudho (m+e), |
kudho (m+e), |
kudho (m+e) |
kudho (m+e) |
kudho (m+e) |
kudho (m+e) |
The goats get from 1 to 3 offspring, 2 in most cases, 3 is more rare. Most farmers prefer 1 or 2 offspring as prospects of 3 surviving kids is low. Kidding is usually once a year during December through March. The kidding interval can be shorter, down to 8 months, depending on the health and feeding of the does. As the pregnancy period is 5 months the most busy time for the buck is around September.
Young bucks (approx. 6 months) are slaughtered for religious purposes. 'Peak slaughtering seasons' are the traditional Dasain Festival in October and the smaller but still very important Chaitra Dasain in April. Male goats meant for meat production are castrated as 3-4 months old. The wether (kashi) is usually kept to the age of two years and sold or slaughtered, or sold at an earlier age to others for meat production. Female kids are kept either for breeding or for meat.
The goats are sold on-farm, cash in hand. Information on where there is a goat or meat for sale is easily spread by word of mouth. When to sell depends on the financial situation of the household. If the kid looks healthy, it is generally considered to be more profitable to keep it for meat production for a longer period than to sell it early, unless there is an acute need for cash. In this way the goats also serve as a reserve of capital. The meat is popular and is eaten with the skin. There is no surplus production of goat milk. What is produced is fed to the kids and there is no tradition for the use of goat milk for human consumption.
Goat droppings are collected and used as manure in the fields. The goat manure is highly valued, but it is said that the effect is mainly seen the year after it is applied to the field.
Main health problems of the goats were mentioned to be intestinal worms, mouth problems (possibly 'sore mouth' or contagious ecthyma) and dysentery. Worms can be treated with tablets every 6th month and the mouth problem and dysentery is usually treated with local/herbal medicine. Veterinary service is limited in the area, and in most cases not affordable for the farmers.
