04/08/2022
Let’s talk Goats – Breeds, Feeds, Housing and Fences
Goat Breeds
1. Indigenous or Local Breeds
Most of the goats in Zambia are unimproved goats of assorted colours, shapes and sizes. Generally, they have horns, short hair, and medium size ears. Some show slight mixture with breeds that have been introduced from time to time and may be polled (no horns) or have long hair or long floppy ears.
2. Boer Goat
The Boer goat is a South African improved breed. They are generally white with brown heads and have long ears. They are much heavier than the local breed but much less resistant to the local diseases.
3. Kalahari Red
Another South African improved breed that is red brown in colour and also a good weight.
4. Milk Breeds
Milk breeds from Europe like Alpine and Saanen have been tried several times but with limited success and are not yet very widespread. Cross breeds are likely to do better than purebred.
There is considerable advantage to improving the local goats by first crossing with improved breeds and then selecting for best performance under local conditions. I believe the goat milk market could be further developed especially that many people who cannot drink cow’s milk are fine with goat milk.
General Management
1. Housing
Goats hate rain and getting wet. The young ones get sick easily if they get too cold. Their feet get sores and hooves get overgrown if the floor is always muddy. Housing should take these factors into consideration. A goat house should provide protection from rain and wind and have a floor as dry as possible. There are many possible designs that fill these requirements but for reasons of cost, it is best to use local materials as much as possible. A stick hut with thatch roof will do for a small number of goats. Raised slatted floors are popular because they stay dry. Goats love them. Stone, brick and/or cement can be used if available and not too expensive.
2. Fencing
Goat proof fencing is quite difficult as goats are intelligent and persistent if they wish to get through the fence. Closely packed sticks, diamond mesh, game fence or pig mesh can be used and will be effective if well maintained. Barbed wire works if very tight and spaced not more than 10cm on the lower strands. Electric fence also works if you have at least 2 strands. More is better. The fence must be at least 1.2m high as some goats can jump anything less. The effectiveness of a fence depends a lot on what is on the other side, Hungry goats will break through if there is something good on the other side. Well-fed contented goats will not bother.
3. Feeding
Goats can and will eat almost anything. In the rains they both graze and browse. In the dry season they rely more on browsing and they also eat fallen dry leaves and a wide range of seeds and seed pods. .
Buying feed must be done with care because of the cost in relation to the value of the goats. However any on-farm residues or feed that can be obtained cheaply can be used especially in the dry season. They will eat maize stover, bran chicken manure, vegetable waste and garden weeds. It’s cheaper to grow fodder for them than to keep buying so it may be worth putting fodder crops on field boundaries or inter cropping them.
The most beneficial time to supplement (if the budget is tight) is from June to September when the bush has the least amount of greenery. Supplementation of salt and minerals is also beneficial if obtainable and affordable.
The demand for goat meat is improving and the prices are better than they used to be so this makes proper management and feeding more possible and more worthwhile.
– Ruth Henson
