Knowledge of Goat Husbandry Practices by Goat Keepers in Amravati District

The present study was conducted in Amravati district of Maharashtra state. The sample was drawn from the three takula viz., Chandur bazaar, Morshi, Chandur Railway where functional goat keepers in larger numbers were in existence. Thus, 80 goat keepers were selected which constituted the sample respondents for the present study. Data were collected by personally interviewing the respondents with the help of pre-tested structured interview schedule in face to face situation. Collected data were tabulated. Correlation and regression analysis for interpretation of the findings were calculated. Two hypotheses were set for the study and were tested for acceptance or rejection.Results obtained after analysis were summaries as below. In case of personal profile of the goat keepers revealed that majority (58.75%) of the goat keepers were middle in age, over (11.25%) were illiterate. Majority (66.25%) of goat keepers belonged to medium family size (4 to 6 member) with majority of (56.25%) nuclear family type. Majority (70.00%) of the goat keepers had medium herd size (between 16 to 27 goats) having goat keeping + landless labour occupation (56.25%) with annual income upto Rs. 50,000. Nearly half of the (42.05%) of goat keepers had low social participation, moderate (72.05%) access to the infrastructural facilities. Majority of the goat keepers had knowledge about extensive method of rearing, housing management, goat insurance, duration of feeding of colostrum. However, majority of goat keepers lacked knowledge about selection of descript breeds of goat, heat symptoms, diseases of goats, feeding of concentrates to milking goat and breeding buck. Results of the relational analysis revealed that age, education, family type, family size, herd size, occupation, annual income, social participation and infrastructural facilities were significantly associated with knowledge of goat keepers.