Skill development training on Scientific goat farming

    The ICAR-CCARI in collaboration with ICAR-KVK, North Goa conducted “Skill development training on Scientific goat farming” during 20^th to 22^nd January 2022. The program was started with inaugural session which was presided by Dr. Parveen Kumar, Director, Dr. Chidananda Prabhu, senior scientist and Head (I/C), KVK, North Goa, Dr. R. S. Rajkumar, Head, Animal Science Section. The dignitaries enlighted the scope and importance of goat farming in Goa and encouraged the participants to take up goat faming in larger scale to meet the requirement of goat meat in Goa. Around 55 participants including farmers from North and South Goa districts and few students from College of Agriculture, Sulcorna, Goa attended the training.  Theory classes on important aspects of scientific goat farming viz. feeding management, goat breeds suitable for coastal region and selection of good quality breeding goats, reproductive management, strategies and recent trends in goats, value addition and marketing of goat meat and milk, goat diseases and health care management and management of pregnant goats and kids were delivered by scientists of the Animal Science Section of the Institute. The participants were explained the goat farming schemes from Department of AHVS, Goa. The participants were shown management practices followed in the institute goat farm and were also shown different types of fodder grasses maintained at Institute fodder museum.  Technical Officer Mr. Edward Crasta explained practices to be carried out for maintenance of fodder plot. Practical demonstration of microchip tagging of goat kids for identification, concentrate feed preparation and silage preparation were also carried out in the 3 days training. The program concluded with certificate distribution and feedback from participants. Dr. Monica S Singh, SMS, KVK-North Goa and Dr. Susitha Rajkumar, Scientist, Animal Science Section, ICAR-CCARI coordinated the training.