Improved Dairy and Meat Goat Production for Small-Scale Farmers in Asia

2009-07-29

This book is the proceedings of the international seminar on Production increases in meat and dairy goats by incremental improvements in technology and infrastructure for small-scale farmers in Asia. Held in Bogor, Indonesia on 4-8 August 2008, FFTC together with the Research Institute for Animal Production (RIAP) of Indonesia and the Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture (LRI, COA) of Taiwan ROC organized the seminar primarily to provide a forum for the sharing and exchange of technology and information among countries within the region toward contributing to the improvement of small-scale goat meat and milk production and to poverty alleviation and the attainment of improved food quality and livelihood especially in the developing countries.

In many countries in Asia, goats are very important in the protein diets of the people, as well as a good, stable source of livelihood especially for the poor in the rural areas. Goat production is mostly carried out by smallholders where the animals are kept in small flocks at an average of 5-10 head/family. While rearing of goat remains at a subsistence level, its contribution to the total farm income is substantial. Goat production fits well in the rural landscape as well as in the resource capacity of smallholder farmers. It requires low initial capital and guarantees a high return on investment in as fast as two years; hence it is an attractive undertaking among rural households.

In recognition of its importance, several advanced technologies have been developed to increase goat production in some countries in the region. Technology improvement widely ranges from reproductive techniques and seasonal breeding, to silage making, agricultural by-product utilization, slotted slat barn facilities and total mix ration. However, most Asian small-scale goat farmers do not have access to these relevant information and advanced technologies for increased outputs, giving them very limited opportunities to improve their production as well as their livelihood.

This proceedings contain 11 papers and more than 20 abstracts on advanced technologies and efficient cultural practices in improving goat production in the Asian region. Some of the papers contain specific studies on the crossing of local goats with introduced breeds, nutrition and feed resource availability and quality, animal health management, and product processing which have led to improved goat production in some countries, especially when introduced for adoption to local farmers through village demonstrations on sustainable livestock farming systems. In most of the papers, the need for collaborative research and development programs among livestock experts was emphasized toward stimulating further the development of goat production in the Asian region.

Index of Images

• 

  Figure 1 new publication