Abstract
Bengal Goat is a precious germplasm of West Bengal. Mostly the women (91.3%) of the farming families in West Bengal rear goat. Goat rearing is a subsidiary income source to rural poor along with agriculture. In majority of cases the flock size ranges from 1 to 4 (56%). Male female ratio in adult flock is observed as 1:8 in field condition. The animals are mostly housed along with residential housing (67.1%); houses are mostly kachha type (82.63%) with earthen floor (86.47%) and straw roof (91.33%). All most all the farmers used to graze their goats for feeding. Ponds water is the major source for drinking water (58.14%) of goats. Black Bengal Goats have natural resistant power to many diseases but are vulnerable to cold, water logging situation, diarrhoea, ecto and entro parasitic infestation and respiratory diseases. Under field condition mortality rate is 9.63%.
Highlights
India has a vast reserve of goat with around 15% of world population (807million) to rank 2nd in the World (FAO STAT, 2005)
Socio economic status of Bengal Goat farmers: Socio-economics of the goat farmers are presented in Table -1
Caste: Analysis of the data revealed that the goat farming is much popular amongst the Scheduled Caste (SC) (44.97%), followed by General castes (26.30%) and by Scheduled Tribe (ST) community (24.30%), whereas only 4.42% of goat farmers belong to other backward community (OBC)
Summary
India has a vast reserve of goat with around 15% of world population (807million) to rank 2nd in the World (FAO STAT, 2005). In West Bengal small marginal and landless rural farmers traditionally rear goat They generally follow the extensive management system, primarily with poor natural vegetation and crop stubbles, without any supplementation. By virtue of their higher fecundity and better productivity, goat assured income to the rural population with low input cost in diverse agroclimatic conditions. In consideration to the above, a study was conducted to evaluate the social status of the Bengal Goat rearers and their native rearing practices in rural part of West Bengal. This will support in development of strategic improvement policies and necessary facilities for future betterment of the farmers
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