DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2014.v01i04.004

Pages: 164-167

A field survey was conducted to study the housing, health care and milking management practices of 250 goat owners in Navsari district of Gujarat. The survey revealed that majority (66%) of the goat owners preferred close house, katcha type (71.2%) which were constructed near their dwellings (54%) with locally available low cost materials. Floor of goat shed in most of the cases (84%) was katcha type and roof had traditionally thatched (59.2%). A very few (1.6%) goat owners provided manger to their animals in sheds. Nearly 49% of the goat owners adopted vaccination against H.S., F.M.D. and Enterotoxaemia diseases. Only 19.2 and 11.2% of the goat owners were practiced deworming and ecto-parasitic controls in goats. About 85% of the goat owners preferred livestock inspector for treatment of sick animals. Majority (76%) of the goat owners milk their animals whereas 24% did not milk their goats they suckle the kids. Only 9.47% of the goat owners separated the buck at the time of milking. Majority (97.89%) of the goat owners washed teats and udder before milking with the habit of wet hand milking and 75.79% followed knuckling method of milking. Only 8.42% of the goat owners washed their milking utensils by hot water. None of the goat owners followed testing for mastitis in goats.