Crop-Goatery Integrated Farming System

In the recent period stable income of agricultural crops has become unstable. Redressing these by integrating crops with agro-based industries like livestock farming is essential.

In today's environment, increasing demand for meat in rural and urban areas can help small and part-time farmers earn good profits by trading with the goat and sheep farming, because of less investment and maintenance costs for shed, it can be done in coordination with agriculture crops.

Benefits:

• Productivity improvement

• Net profit growth and fixed income

• Sustainable growth in agriculture

• Balanced diet

• Pollution free environment

• Recycling of farm residues

• Increase in employment

• High standard of living

Components:

Sheep farming in integrated farming is suitable for wetland. In one acre of land sheep can grow up to 30 to 35 numbers. The forage crops of napier (40%), hedge lucerne (30%) and fodder sorghum(30%) can ensure supply of fodder throughout the year.

Goat rearing in dryland ifs is suitable. In integrated farming, one hectares of dryland with crop cultivation and goat rearing (20 females: 1male) can be practiced. By doing this, three times production with increased net profit and employment are reported. From 20 goats we can get 45 kids in a year. Moreover, from goat manure we get 200 kg n, 106 kg p and 91 kg k. It also gives 40 to 50 thousand rupees additional income.

In our country, sheep and goats are largely dependent on grazing, but grazing land is less. Thus their productivity is low. For solving this problem, fodder tree leaves and agri-byproducts as their daily feed will definitely increase the productivity.

Thus groundnut leaves, red gram bran, black gram bran and feeding of wood leaves like neem, tamarind, subabool, desmanthus, acacia, etc. Will give required nutrient-rich forage to the goats. It removes fodder demand, increase meat production leads to getting additional income. During rainy season, goat get enough amount of green grass through pasture. Daily 6-8 hours grazing is enough for goat. During summer green grass is less available. Therefore, in the form of mixed ration (concentrate) giving to goat is necessary. This mixed ration includes cereals, cakes, rice or wheat bran, mineral mixture and normal salt. During non-availability of mixed ration, red gram bran, black gram bran, bengal gram brans may be given.

Agro foresty and goat farming:

Practicing agriculture with livestock farming is more profitable than doing agriculture alone. Agro forestry and goat farming doing together may give many benefits to the farmers.

• Fallow land and dry land may be extensively used for this project.

• In this method, the amount of water needed is very low.

• The goat feces and leaves heap decomposition used as fertilizer for agriculture, thus increase soil fertility.

• Fifth year onwards, get more profit from well grown trees.

• Above all, farmers will get the employment opportunity throughout the year.

Agro forestry and kennel method of goat rearing:

• For an acre land, new forage variety like hedge lucerne in 25% and kollukattai grass in 25% should be cultivated.

• Based on water facility available, at least 25% fodder maize should be cultivated.

• 5% land should be used to build fences and set up kennel method shed in the centre.

• In the remaining land, agro-forestry based trees like agathi, gliricidia trees could be planted in the border.

• Three to four months prior to the purchase of goat, start cultivating forage crops and keep ready.

Construction of shed

• 10-15 sq ft of space is needed for one goat.

• Put shed with paddy straw or tiles set.

• Aluminum plates on one side of the barn to feed and water.

• Water supply with automatic tool.

• Kennel should be set at a height of about 3 ft above ground level.

• Mixed ration 50g for younger ones, 100g for grownand 200g for pregnant goat per day.

• Goats require 1-3 litter water per day.

• Fed with 1 to 2 kg of forage sorghum and 250-300g of tree leaves per day.

Methods to increase fodder production

• Grow high yielding varieties and technologies.

• Area for forage production is very low. So we can increase the size of the area for planted forages as much as possible.

• Legume fodder may be intercropped with other crops to increase the production.

• Social forestry and agro forestry system forage crops can be grown. For example, between the trees subabool and other grasses like stylo can be grown in 3:1 portion.

• Fallow land, lake side, road side can be used for forage or fodder trees.

• Intercrop forages can be grown between orchard trees.

• Develop poor condition land into good grass pasture.

Therefore, future agriculture depends on planned farming with available resources and if integrated farming system is followed the profit can be improved.

Authors

Dr. Durgesh Nandan¹ and R.P. Diwakar²

¹ mvsc scholar, department of lpm c.v.sc.& a.h., a.n.d.u.a.t.

Kumarganj ayodhya, u.p.

²assistant professor department of veterinary microbiology, c.v.sc.& a.h., a.n.d.u.a.t. Kumarganj ayodhya, u.p.

Corresponding author:[email protected]