Goatery and Goat Farming in India Benefits and Profit

Goatery is said to be one of the fastest-growing and trending industry in India among the Agro-allied industries. Owing to the rise in demand for goat meat, i.e. mutton among the Indian population, a population is divided between vegetarian and non-vegetarian sticking to goat meat. Goats are multi-purpose animals, hence can be reared for milk, meat and/or manure. In addition to that, goat milk is another important product from the goat industry. Mainly among the people interested for commercial goat farming, two options are available to them- they can either go for goat milk production (dairy goat farming), or they can go for goat meat production (goat meat farming).

In the case of the former, goat milk farmers need to gain insight into marketing channels and the consumers’ selective demand. However, in the latter case, goat meat doesn’t require specific marketing channels and/or target consumers, as the majority of the population consumes it; one can only be cautious about the transportation of meat and its associated costs.

Goat Milk:

Goat milk is one of the better alternatives of cow’s milk considering its health benefits such as:

• Less S1 Casein
• Different protein and fat content ( 3.5% for a whole, 1.6% for semi-skimmed and just 0.1% for skimmed)
• Lower in lactose and cholesterol
• Blood pressure friendly with plenty of calcium content

India provides a 25-30% subsidy on the total cost of the goat farm.^[1] Considering that Goat milk and its products are priced higher than cow milk products, it is noticeable that there has been a shift in the dietary consumption of Indian population where most of them are turning vegan. Hence, the global market has thereby experienced a shift in the paradigm. Per litre of goat milk is priced at Rs 150 as against its contemporaries of Rs. 30-40 per litre. Dairy Goats cost about approximately Rs 20000 per adult goat livestock with 20 and more litres of milking capacity per day, weighing about 70-200 kg and the pregnancy continues for 6-8 months. Most popular dairy goat breeds in India include Jamnapari, Saanen, Barbari (dual purpose). In addition to that, goat manure can also be sold to other farmers or used in their farm to grow silage and feed the livestock, thereby reducing feed cost. Also, read the Zero-cost farming in India and its benefits.

Goat Meat:

India is the largest exporter of goat meat to the world. About 7% of the total meat production in the country is contributed by goat meat. Goat meat is commonly known as Mutton or Chevon. A popular breed of goat meat comes from Boer Goat, Barbari (dual purpose), etc. Chiefly, Goat meat is expensive in India, owing to its rich protein content. Per kg of mutton cost about Rs. 400 from an adult goat livestock priced at Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 70,000.^[2]

Considering the commercialized goat meat industry and its prices, working out the supply chain and demand plays a huge role in determining the prices. One thing to keep in mind, especially for the goat farmers rearing them for meat is that transportation costs play a huge role in profit-making. People can directly buy goats from the goat farmers at the farm gate. With the costs incurred from the preparation of sheds, feed cost or preparation of silage, care for the goats (also the rise in prices due to the care during pregnancy and the kids) with an investment of approximately Rs. 7,00,000; it gives a profit of Rs. 1, 00,000. To prevent rotting of the goat meat, goat farms should be set up nearer to the market and transporting agency, thus reducing transportation costs.

Goat Manure:

Goat manure is highly beneficial as it can be sold to other farmers for additional income or can be used in their fields to grow green fodder. Silage can be added to the green forage and fed to the goats. This can drastically reduce feed cost and results in good profit. As opposed to feeding cost per kg accounting for Rs 20 and 90 kids and 65 adult goats, it costs about Rs. 1,00,000; Green fodder preparation accounts for Rs. 15,000 only. Hence Goat manure serves for dual purpose and beneficiary to goat farmers if incorporated wisely.

To sum up, keeping in mind about the risks of goat farming business, one must bear risks and be aware of the budget limits he can accommodate into the business. The chances of loss one might incur while venturing into any business. Marketing agencies, however, provide a great boost in case of the goat industry.