INDIGENOUS GOATS OF THE PRESIDENCY AND THEIR ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Abstract

There are 7,406,018 goats in the Madras Presidency, according to the information available in the latest copy of the Season and Crop Report (1933-34). Their distribution in various districts arranged in order of rank is, Trichinopoly-which tops the list,一 with 6,59,557 goats, Salem, Coimbatore, Tanjore, Chittoor, Madura, Nellore, South Arcot, Vizagapatam. Anantapur, Malabar, Ramnad, North Arcot, Tinnevelly, Cuddapah, Kurnool, Ganjam, Bellary, Chingleput, East Godavari, Guntur, Kistna, West Godavari and South Kanara with 27,711 goats which takes the last place. In 1932, when the writer visited the American Arcot Mission Agricultural Institute, Katpadi, for the first time, the Principal Mr. J. J. De Valois, showed him two breeds of goats viz, the Janma-Pari and the Surati, he had imported with a view to improving the local stock. It was then suggested by the writer that it was worth while submitting a breeding scheme to the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, requesting financial help. A draft scheme was prepared and submitted through the Government of Madras. In the preliminary remarks of the scheme Mr. J. J. De Valois stated "In connection with my activities in Rural Reconstruction in the villages of South India during the past twelve years, I have been impressed with the fact that the depressed classes and the smaller ryots find it almost impossible to raise and maintain a decent breed of milch cattle. They cannot afford the initial outlay nor take the chance or mortality resulting from numerous diseases and difficulties arising from present village conditions and communal grazing. As milk is such an essential item in the diet I am persuaded to remark that goat the "poor man's cow should receive more attention. No systematic improvement has yet been undertaken by any agency either official or non-official. Much prejudice exists against the use of goat's milk which can only be broken down by a vigorous educational programme with actual demonstra- tions"