View article

Goats have been an integral component of farming system and support a large rural population of landless and marginal farmers. Goat population of India is 124.6 million with an over all growth rate of 3.05%. Goat production system of the country is highly diverse and has been broadly divided into six zones on the basis of agro-climatic conditions. Western Himalayan region covering Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and hilly areas of Punjab has temperate climate with heavy snowfall in winter. Chegu, Changthangi and Gaddi are the major goat breeds found in this region. They are reared in medium to large flocks in various forms of extensive production system for chevon and pashmina. Eastern Himalayan region covers mountainous areas of Assam, West Bengal and North East states. High rainfall, severe soil erosion, regular flood, shift cultivation and high forest cover (>60%) are the main …