Gaddi goat distributed to farmers for breed improvement

Twenty-one superior Gaddi breeding bucks have been distributed to 21 different progressive goat farmers here.

While distributing the goats, CSK Himachal Pradesh Agriculture University Vice-Chancellor A K Sarial said goat farming has a bright future in Himachal Pradesh and it can help in doubling the farmers' income.

He said the bucks were provided to the farmers with an objective to bring about overall improvement in the existing breed of Gaddi goats.

He also added that the bucks are free from any disease which can be transmitted to the progeny which ultimately leads to abortions and heavy economic losses to the farmers.

While interacting with goat farmers, he said that goat farming has a bright future in Himachal Pradesh owing to vast high altitude pastures.

He advised the farmers to fully utilise the potential of these breeding bucks being provided to them because it will pass on desired productivity traits in the progeny.

Y P Thakur, director (extension education) at College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (COVAS), highlighted the role of breeding bucks for improving the overall productivity of the flock.

Mandeep Sharma, Dean of COVAS, emphasised on the utility of the All-India Coordinated Research Project on Goat Improvement to the farmers.

"The ongoing All-India Coordinated Research Project on Goat Improvement was being implemented under the umbrella of Central Institute for Research on Goats located at Makhdoom, Mathura," P K Dogra, principal investigator of the project, said.

Dogra added that during the past five years, 129 such superior breeding bucks had been provided to the farmers and all of them were performing well in the field.

He also said that about 1,000 pure Gaddi goats were being monitored under the project.