EFFECT OF SOCIAL GROUPS AND FLOCK SIZE ON ECONOMIC RETURNS FROM TRADITIONAL GOAT REARING IN SOUTH GUJARAT

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A field survey of 150 goat keepers registered under AICRP on goat (Surti field
unit) from nineteen villages of four districts of South Gujarat was carried out during year
2011 to find the effects of social group and flock size on economic returns from
traditional goat rearing in study area. Farmers were selected using proportionate random
sampling method. The information on general characteristics of goat keepers, their
source of expenditures and earnings were collected tabulated and analyzed using
standard statistical tools. Analysis revealed that the Ahir caste (82.4%) was principle
goat keepers found in South Gujarat High Rainfall Zone and owned 89.5% of large
flocks, whereas in South Gujarat Medium Rainfall Zone majority goat keepers were
Muslims (66.2%) maintaining mainly medium (44.2%) and small (41.9%) sized flocks.
The average flock size observed in study was 25.42 goats. The majority of them were
marginal farmers (47.3%). The study of economics of goat farming revealed that the
overall percent expenditure on labours, feed & fodder, treatment , interest and
depreciation , was 73.54, 22.04, 2.09, 1.28 and 1.04 respectively. The percent return
from sales of milk, animals and manure was 48, 46 and 6 respectively. These
economical parameters were found to be highly significant (P<0.01) between flock sizes
and castes. The net return obtained was in the ratio of 5.31 : 2.68 : 1.00 by Ahirs :
Muslims : Others and 5.49 : 2.18 : 1.00 in Large: Medium : Small flocks. The net
return per goat had also shown similar trend. The goat farming with larger flocks
followed by Ahirs under traditional production system was found significantly more
profitable in compare to goat farming involving small to medium sized flocks followed by
others and Muslims in South Gujarat.
Key words: Caste, Economics, Flock size, Man days, Net return, Rainfall zone, Surti goat.