Growth Response of Assam Local Goats under Intensive Farming

Background: The experiment was conducted at farmer’s field to study the growth response and efficiency of feed conversion of Assam local goats under different systems of management.Methods: Twenty goats of one month of age were randomly selected in village Lachima of Nalbari district, Assam. The goats were randomly divided in two groups comprising of ten kids in each group viz, T0 (Control) where goats were reared under extensive system of management with traditional grazing and browsing and T1 (Experimental) where goats were reared under intensive system of management with ad lib. concentrate and fodder feeding.Conclusion: The average initial and final body weight of the goats during the experimental periods in T0 and T1 groups were recorded as 2.90±0.03 kg and 2.89±0.04 kg and 10.36±0.26 kg and 16.05±0.53 kg respectively with highly significant difference (P<0.01) from 3rd week of the experiment till the end of the experiment. The overall changes in body measurement showed highly significant difference between the groups. The feed conversion efficiency on DM basis was recorded as 3.49 in the treatment group. Due to significantly higher growth rate in the intensive management system, it assures higher income in small holders’ goat production system.