India has about 20 breeds of goats and they are raised primarily for milk and meat. Choosing a “best” breed for a given village cluster location isn’t always easy. There is always the local goat market, usually held each Friday near a fairly major town center. Two of the better breeds sought out are:
* Jamnapari is one of the largest goats in India; it has been extensively utilized to upgrade indigenous breeds for meat and milk, and has been taken to near by countries for the same purpose.
* Beetel is a good dairy breed, second to Jamnapari in size but is superior to it in that it is more prolific and more easily adaptable to different agro-ecological conditions and to stall-feeding.
But these specific breeds tend to be expensive and it can get cumbersome to raise such breeds with their needs for more expensive vaccinations, etc.. So as we work with local village leaders, it is important that we listen well to their input and make plans with their “embracement” of any TCD initiatives. From that base, there is a much higher success to any micro-enterprise goat business.
Thanks for your financial input in making these goat micro-enterprise endeavors a possibility! Dan
Daniel at GHNI 