A Comparative Study of Management Approaches for Khari Goats in Traditional Versus Commercial Farming Systems in the Terai Region of Nepal

Abstract

A survey was conducted in the Nawalpur district of Nepal to compare traditional and commercial goat farming systems. The study encompassed various aspects such as demographic characteristics, housing parameters, and feeding systems. Age distribution in traditional farming showed that 31% were aged 20–35 years, 56% were 36–50 years, and 13% were above 50 years, whereas commercial farming had 25%, 66%, and 9% in these age groups, respectively. Gender analysis revealed that traditional farming involved 29% males and 71% females, while commercial farming was male-dominated with 91% males and only 9% females. Educational levels showed a stark contrast, with 33% of traditional farmers having no formal education and the rest having only primary or secondary education. In contrast, commercial farmers had higher educational attainments, with 49% having higher secondary education and 14% being graduates. Occupation-wise, traditional farmers were mainly landless farmers (32%) and agricultural laborers (46%), while commercial farmers were primarily small business holders (61%) and servicemen (39%). Housing conditions varied significantly; traditional farming houses were mainly earthen-walled (60%) with sack curtains (68%) and non-paved floors (71%), while commercial farming houses had more brick walls (50%), tirpal curtains (66%), and an equal mix of paved and non-paved floors. Traditional farms were typically attached to residences (77%) with a mix of ventilation quality, while commercial farms were separate (100%) and lacked ventilation (100%). Feeding practices highlighted that traditional farmers relied heavily on natural grasses (98%) and used grazing (44%) and tethering (41%) methods, whereas commercial farmers used cultivated grasses (86%) and the cut-and-carry method (82%). Moreover, 83% of commercial farms processed their feed, and 100% provided concentrated mixtures, which were notably absent in traditional farming (76% not supplied). Both systems predominantly used tube well water, but traditional farms also used pond water (24%).