Goat raring is more popular ruminant management practice practices by most of the small-scale farmers all around the world. This is mainly due to its profitability. The management of the goats is very easy process than that of the other ruminants like cattle. This promises higher profit with a lesser cost. As well the goat milk and goat meat(mutton) can also sell for a higher price leading to its popularity. Housing systems of the goat is a major topic we have to discuss under this profitable goat management.
A goat house is really easy to built and the cost is also very less. A small area is enough to build a house. In a small unit area, you can rear many goats unlike the cattle. There requirements are very less compared with the other ruminants.
Table of Contents
A goat house should provide
- Protection
- Comfort
- Cleanliness
- Feed and water
- Enough space
- Enough ventilation but must avoid direct wind
- Disease free environment
- A safer environment
- Space to have higher productivity
Types of goat house
There are mainly two types of goat houses.
- Raised platform housing system
- Deep litter housing system
Of them raised platform housing system is the most common and the best housing system for goats.
Raised platform housing system
Normally goats prefer to lie above the ground. Whenever possible they like to climb up. That’s why the houses of the goats are make above the ground level. Then we can have a happy goat herd too with higher productivity.
The height of the house should be normally around 1.5m above the ground level. Either slatted floor or a concreted floor can be use here. But the most preferable one is the slatted floor.
The slatted floor:
Makes it easy to maintain the cleanliness and the dryness of the house. Less labor is needed here as most of the debris and the urine can flow in to the ground through the slats. You can easily collect these debris or the manure to use in your crops or to sell.
The gap between two slates should be around 1.5cm. This makes it comfortable for the legs of the goats. If you do not clean the house there can be some diseases and infections occur. Therefore, maintaining the cleanliness is very important.
The main disadvantage associate with this type od floor is the high construction cost.
Concrete floor
If you wish to make your floor with concrete then there should be a slope for easy flowing of the waste materials. Well cleaning is needed here to maintain the health of the goats.
Deep litter housing system
In here the floor is not slatted. The floor is made up of concrete or packed earth. Can use a litter of paddy husks or saw dust. The litter depth should be about 6 cm. It should replace once in two weeks. Cleaning the shed should do properly.
Main areas of a goat house
There are mainly two types of areas in goat house. This provides the needed comfort and the cleanliness.
These two main areas are:
- Sleeping area
- Feeding area
Sleeping area
This should be very clean and dry to provide enough comfort for the goat. Normally the goat sheds should be with slatted floor or a concrete floor.
Feeding area
Normally this is building outside of the sleeping area. In here no roof can be seen normally. The goat can be in the sunshine while eating.
The feeding troughs are there in the feeding area. These troughs are located about 1m above the floor of the shed. Because the goats prefer to eat feed in higher elevation. They like to eat while standing from there hind legs raising the forelegs. The water trough also should place above the ground level. Normally it is hanging in the door opening to the sleeping area. It should be placed to make it easily accessible day and night. Sometimes there is also a mineral trough locate closer to the sleeping area.