1. Goats Breeds – Indian
There are about 19 well defined Indian breeds apart from a number of local non-descript goats scattered throughout
the country. The breeds are classified based on their locations.
Himalayan - Region (Hilly tract)
This region comprises the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Himalayan breed: The goats of this breed are white haired and sturdily built. The breed is also known as gaddi,
jamba, kashmiri according to their localities where they are reared. They inhabit kangra and kulu valleys, chamba,
sirmur and Simla in Himachal pradesh and parts of Jammu hills. Castrated bucks are used for transporting
merchandise in the hilly tracts.
Pashmina: These are small dainty animals with quick movements. They are raised above 3400 m elevations in the
Himalayas, Ladakh and Lahaul and spiti valleys. They produce the softest and warmest animal fibre used for high
quality fabrics. The yield of pashmina varies from 75-150 g/goat.
Chegu: This breed is found in the mountainous range of spiti, yaksar and Kashmir. The goats of this breed yield of
pashmina, good meat and a small quantity of milk.
Northern Region
The states which comes under the region are Punjab, Haryana and parts of Uttar Pradesh. The important milch
breeds of goats are distributed in this region only.
Jamnunapari: Native of Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. These are large sized, tall, leggy with large folded
pendulous ears and prominent Roman nose. They carry long and thick hair on their hind quarters and has a glossy
goat. Horns are short flat. The body weight of adult bucks and does varies from 65 to 86 kg and 45-61 respectively.
The average daily milk yield in 2.25 to 2.7 kg. The milk yield in a lactation period of, 250 days varies from 250 - 300
kg with 3.5 percent fat content. The Jamunapari goats have been used for evolving the famous Anglo -Nubian breed
of goats in England.
Beetal
Mainly found in Punjab and this breed is evolved from Jamunapari breed. Color is red and tan, heavily spotted on
white. Bucks weight 65 - 86 kg does weight 45-61 kg does yield about 1 kg milk daily, bucks may have a beard.
Barbari: This breed is found in Etawah, Etah, Agra and Mathura districts of U.P, kamal, Paniphat and Rothak in
Hariyana, color varies with white, red and tan sports being common. These are small and short haired, with erect
horns. Adult buck weighs from 36 - 45 kg and the doe from 27 -36 kg. They are usually stall fed and yield 0.90 to
1.25 kg of milk (fat 5%) per day in a lactation period of 108 days. They are prolific breeders and usually kid twice in
12 -15 months. This breed is highly fit for intensive rearing.
2. • Central region
This region includes Rajasthan, Madya pradesh, Gujarat and northern parts of Maharastra, Marwari, Mehsana
and Zalwadi. They are derived from Jamunapari breed. Commonly found in Rajasthan, Gujarat and
Madhypradesh. These breeds comes in different color combinations. They yield between 0.75 -1 kg of milk per
day.
• Berari: found in Nagpur and wardha district of Maharastra and Ninar district of Madhya Pradesh. These are tall
and dark colored breeds. Doe yields about 0.6 kg of milk per day.
• Kathiiawari: This breed is native of Kutch, Northern Gujarat and Rajasthan. The goats have black coat with
reddish color marks on the neck. The doe yields about 1.25 k.g of milk per day.
• Southern region
The states under these region include parts of Maharastra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
• Surti: Surti goats resemble Berari goats and possess white, short legs. Surti is popular in Bombay, Nasik and
Surat. Does are good milk producers yielding 2.25 kg per day.
• Deccania or Osmanabadi: These have originated from a mixture of the goats of the plains. They are black,
mixtures of white and black or red are also found. The milk yield is 1.4 to 2.25 kg per day.
• Malarbar (or) Tellicherry: found in Northern Kerala
• GBRI: This is a mixture of two more type of goats. The color is not uniform and may vary from black to white. The
milk yield in is 0.9 to 2.8 kg/day.
• Eastern Region
This region consists of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Orissa and Part of Bihar.
• Bengal: The goats of this breed are found in 3 colours viz. Black, Brown and White. They are small short breeds.
The meat of this breed is of superior quality. Bucks weigh 14-16 kg and nannies 9-14 kg. Does kids twice in a
year, twins are common. The skin of Bengal goats are of excellent quality and is in great demand in India and
abroad in foot-wear industry.
• Assam Hilly breed: These are smaller dwarf breeds of goats found in the hilly tract of Assam and other eastern
states.
• Exotic Breeds
The principal exotic dairy breeds of goats are Toggenberg, Sannen, French Alpine and Nubian. They are all noted
for their higher milk yield and most of these breed, were imported to India to improve milk yield of our local breeds
and to upgrade our non descript goats.
3. • Toggenberg: it is originated in the Toggenberg valley in north Switzerland. Skin is very soft and
pliable. Usually both male and female are hornless. The adult doe weights 65 kg or more and
the bucks more than 80 kg. Average milk production is 5.5 kg per day. The butter fat content of
milk 3-4 percent. The male usually has longer hair than females.
• Sannen: Native of Sannen valley of Switzerland noted for its consistency and high production.
Color is white or light cream. The face may be slightly dished and the ears point upward and
forward. Both sexes are normally polled but sometimes horns do appear. Does weight 65 kg and
the bucks 95 kg. Average milk yield is 2 - 5 kg per day during a lactation period of 8 -10 months.
Milk fat 3 - 5%.
• Alpine: This breed was originated in Alps mountains. It was derived from French, Swiss and
Rock Alpine breeds. No distinct color has been established. Excellent milkers and they have
horns. Average milk yield is 2 - 3 kg with buffer fat of 3 -4%.
• Nubian: Originated in Nubia of North eastern Africa. Also found in Ethiopia and Egypt. It is a
long legged and hardy animal. This breed along with Jamunapari of India together with native
breeds of U.K. formed the cross bred Anglo Nubian breed of goat.
• Anglo Nubian: It is a big animal with a fine skin and glossy coat, -pendulous ears and Roman
nose. Anglo Nubian is known as the Jersey cow of the goat world. Udder is large and pendulous
with bigger teats. There is no fixed color. Bucks weight 65 - 80 kg and does from 50 -60 kg.
Average milk yield in 3 - 4 kg/day. Peak yield may even go up to 6.5 kg or more.
• Angora: Originated in Turkey or Asia minor. It produces a superior quality fibre called mohair.
The soft silky hairs cover the white body. If not shorn during spring the fleece drops off naturally
as summer approaches. Average fleece yield is 1.2 kg. Good animals yields even up to 6 kg.
The Angora is small in size with shorter legs. Horns are grey, spirally twisted and inclined
backward and outward. Tail is short and erect.
4. • Disease Management & Vaccination Schedule
• Generally goats are resistant to many diseases. However when we rear more number of animals in one
place and insufficiency of pasture facilities, intensive system of rearing leads to spread of many
diseases. This causes reduced production potential and more mortality which in turn causes economic
losses to the farmers. Hence identification of diseases in goat and its prevention is most important.
• Health management is more important especially worm load. Hence the kids must be dewormed at first
month of age and then once in a month upto 6 months of age. Ecoto-parasites must be treated carefully
because it not only affect the growth and also affect skin quality.
• Common control measures
• Proper drainage, sprinkling of copper sulphate near watter bodies will help to control fluke infection
• Avoid early morning and late evening grazing
• Keep the shed clean and provide clean quality drinking water
• Separate infected animal from healthy one
• Provide proper quarantine measures while purchasing new animals
• Proper disposal of dead animals
• Rotational grazing to control infection
• BLOAT
• Bloat will be formed when animal consume young leaves and grasses, unknown weeds, easily digestible
cereals, rotten vegetables and fruits. Bloat will be followed by diarrhoea, dysentery leads to decumbency
and death. Administration of vegetable oil (50-100 ml) orally in a careful manner can help in control of
bloat as a first aid and then get veterinary doctor help. Sometime feeding potato, brinjal may also
obstruct the food passage and leads to bloat due to obstruction of gas from the rumen.
• INDIGESTION
• Low quality feed, fungal contaminated feed, change of feed may also cause indigestion. Sometime non-
availability of quality water for drinking, feeding of some toxic plat also cause indigestion.
5. • BACTERIAL DISEASES
Anthrax
Sudden fever and death
Dark color bloody discharge from
the natural orifice such as nose,
anus and vagina
Vaccination once in a year in
affected area
Disposal of carcass either by
burying or burning
Don’t open the carcass as the
germ spread through air
Haemorrhagic Septicemia
Fever, dysentery, swelling of lower
mandible and death
More occurrence in rainy season
Vaccinate the animal once in a year
before onset of rainy season
Brucellosis
Abortion during late pregnancy,
infertility, scrotal swelling in male,
joint swelling
Disposal of dead foetus and
placenta
Use gloves while handling infected
items as it affect human beings
Enterotoxaemia
Sudden death in young growing
kids. Mucous diarrhea may also
seen during death
Vaccinate the animals once in a
year before the onset of monsoon
Don’t feed on young grass
Pneumonia
Fever, respiratory distress, mucous
discharge from nostril, reduced feed
intake and weight gain, cough
Clean water, well ventilated house
Foot rot Wound in foot region Keep the animal in dry clean house
Mastitis Swelling of udder, change in milk
Clean shed, wash the udder with
disinfectant solution
6. • VIRAL DISEASES
Disease Symptoms Prevention
Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR)
Fever, Occular and nasal mucous
discharge, mouth lesion,
respiratory distress
Yearly vaccination
Separation of infected one from
healthy animals
Foot and Mouth Disease
Fever, wound lesion in foot and
mouth, excess salivary secretion,
difficult in walking
First vaccination at 3rd moth and
then once in 4-6 months interval
Goat pox
Fever, Occular and nasal mucous
discharge, respiratory distress, pox
lesion in un hairy parts such as
lips, thigh udder etc
Yearly vaccination (Optional)
Endo-parasitic diseases
Fluke infection
Emaciation, anaemia, edema in
lower jaw
Control of snails, avoid grazing in
early morning and late evening,
deworming of animals periodically
Tape worm
Reduced growth, fever, kid
mortality
Deworming of animals periodically
Round worm
Fever, anaemia, edema in lower
jaw, reduced growth
deworming of animals periodically
Coccidiosis
Blood tinged brownish diarrhea,
anaemia, kid mortality
Clean house, spray of 10%
ammonia solution, administration of
anticoccidial drugs
7. • GOAT POX
• Goat-pox is not of uncommon occurrence, but it is less severe than the sheep-pox. The nature of the disease is similar to that of pox
in sheep. The incubation period varies from 5 to 10 days. The disease tends to attack male kids and ewes in milk. Initially there may
be slight pyrexia. The lesions are not so side spread as in sheep-pox, being confined to the hairless regions of the body such as
axilla, things, nose and mouth. In the female the udder may also be involved. The lesions are typically of pox but usually are much
smaller than those of the sheep-pox. The goat-pox virus is antigenically distinct from the sheep pox virus, although it is transmissible
experimentally to both goats and sheep. The goat-pox in sheep is more severe than the sheep-pox. The goat-pox virus is
anitgenically distinct from the sheep pox virus, although it is transmissible experimentally the sheep-pox. The lesions occur on the
lips and oral mucosa, the teats and udder. The goat-pox virus affords solid protection in sheep against both goat-and sheep-pox, but
the sheep-pox virus does not protect goats against the goat pox.
• (Source: Dr.Acharya, Handbook of Animal Husbandry)
• Disease Management
• Be on the alert for signs of illness such as reduced feed intake, fever, abnormal discharge or unusual behavior.
• Consult the nearest veterinary aid centre for help if illness is suspected.
• Protect the animals against common diseases.
• In case of outbreak of contagious diseases, immediately segregate the sick animals from healthy one and take necessary disease
control measures.
• De-worm the animals regularly.
• Examine the faeces of adult animals to detect eggs of internal parasites and treat the animals with suitable drugs.
• Provide clean and uncontaminated feed and water for minimizing the health disorders.
• Strictly follow the recommended vaccine schedule.
• Other Preventive Measures
• Annual vaccine with Bar-Vac CD/T. For immunizing against tetanus and overeating disease. We give 2 cc per animal. The first time
an animal is given the vaccine it must have a booster shot 30 days later. We vaccine newborn kids at 20+ days old and booster shot
30 days later.
• Annual vaccine with Triangle® 9 + Type II BVD - For immunizing against 9 different types of respiratory problems. We give 2 cc per
animal under the skin. There must be a booster shot for the first time given. Kids must be at least 2 months old.
• Drench newborn kids with Bar-Guard-99. Used for the prevention of colibacillosis caused by K99 strains of Escherichia coli. Our
vet told us this can also help prevent Floppy Kid Syndrome. We drench newborn kids immediately after they have their first mother's
milk. We give them 2 ccs.
• Preventive De-worming for internal parasites. We de-worm as little as possible to try and have our animals build up resistance to
internal parasites. We treat our does about 2 weeks before kidding.
