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Self taught farmer engaged in goat farming for milk instead of trading animals for mutton
“1 liter goat milk can multiply the platelet count in blood naturally for dengue patients. It has many more medicinal properties yet it is not available in the market! No awareness, lack of guidance and faulty assumptions are the main reasons for zero-market for goat milk in India. Goat farmers and traders are in the business only for its mutton not for milk because they feel milk is dominated by dairy and there will be no takers of goat milk. Further in our country we do not have experts to give guidance on producing and selling goat milk commercially. Thereby I have taken the responsibility to develop a profitable and viable business model for goat farming having the focus on goat milk,” says Mr. Srinivas Acharya, founder, Yashodavana Goat Farm. The farm spreads in 50 acre, located 40 km from Mysore, Karnataka.
The goat milk is sold under the brand name “My Goat” at Rs. 250/litre. “The milk of my farm is superior in taste and doesn’t have any smell,” he adds. Milk is sold in Mysore and Bangalore since past 2 years. The awareness is slowly getting created with mouth to mouth publicity. “My efforts and name is gradually getting the recognition in last 6 months.” All the milking stock is in best health conditions, regularly vaccinated and umpteen care is taken to ensure milk quality is superior.
Milking is done at the milk parlour using the machine. On an average always there are 500 milking goats in the 600 parental stock. “Goats in its peak pregnancy do not give milk, some in middle pregnancy give little milk. Post delivery 90-120 days there is peak milking period in one delivery cycle. After kid takes the milk the goat give 0.5litre for human consumption. We get nearly 200litres milk per day,” informs Mr. Srinivas. The milk is pasteurized before packing in it in 200ml and 0.5litre food grade bottles. “The bottles are supplied to different retail outlets through the cold chain pickup van.”
At Yashodavana Goat Farm, goats are never tied instead allowed to roam freely as stall fed farm is against lifestyle of goat that could hamper its’ growth. Further Mr. Srinivas insists on complying to SIMA rule that stands for selection, infrastructure, management and agriculture with professionalism. “If all these are arranged and practiced then goat farming will be surely successful,” he asserts.
Following the SIMA rule, the farm is only one breed goat farm unlike other farms where multiple breeds are raised. Citing the reason Mr. Srinivas says, “After analyzing 8-10 Indian goat breeds for 2 years I have chosen Beetle breed from Punjab for its good body weight, excellent milk yield and long endurance.” The herd size is more than 2000 animals. ‘I also have bannur sheep in the farm as Central Government quoted to safeguard this sheep breed.”
The farm has well planned infrastructure with goat shed designed scientifically. There are many blocks in the shed. “I have made arrangement for 2000 goats in various segments. I keep male and female goats in separate pen because if male is with female, then the hormonal smell of male is felt in the milk which drops the milk quality,” he shares. The shed has designated area for adult male, adult female, pregnant goats, lactating goats, kids, infants and sick animals. “We provide individual pen for each animal in case of pregnancy. There are nearly 200 labour wards for delivering goats.” Milking parlour is isolated from other living zone of goats.
Goat Management includes feed, vaccination and hygiene norms. In order to have good quality milk it is essential to feed the goat with balanced diet. Every day in the morning milking is done at 5.30-6 AM. Then after the feeding program begin at 9 AM with concentrated feed. “It comprises of yellow maize and groundnut oil cake. In the concentrated feed micro minerals are added. 10 gram of mineral mixture is required by the goat of 50kgs bodyweight/day. We also give soaked moong dal and channa dal that constitutes 17% protein in the feed. Both dals are soaked in water for 2hours to make it easily digestible. Then we give greens at 12 noon,” he shares.
Greens are the mix of energy and proteins. For energy green grass is fed while to fulfill to protein content alfa alfa grass, agathi, drumsticks tender stems and little mulberry is fed. Same green mix is repeated once again after 3 hours. Last feed is hay. 100% fodder is grown in-house.
Entire herd is vaccinated following a programmed schedule. ‘We give four main vaccines namely PTR, ET, HS and FMD. PTR is given once in 2years, and rest three vaccines once in 6months. We deworm animals once in 3 months. We remove external parasites like ticks and lice. The animals are given a dip in disinfected water in the dipping tank having botex as disinfectant,” he elaborates.
Explaining hygiene norms Mr. Srinivas says, “The kidding section is disinfected properly with the spray every day. Once in 3months we disinfect entire shed. We have made a flat tank, where any vehicle coming to the farm must dip the tires in the disinfected water. We have provided a small pond to dip legs before entering the shed.” With good management mortality is less than 1%.
Agriculture with professionalism is practiced with proper documentation when the goats are sold to other farmers/breeders. Practical training is given to the people interested in the goat farming. Like-minded people are proposed with the business offer that develops the goat industry in an organized way.
In future, Mr. Srinivas plans to expand his operations and educate more goat farmers with practical knowledge. “I want to start sterilization of milk to increase the shelf life to 90days. I want to produce flavoured goat milk with ashwagandha and kesar. Also want to make manure cake with goat dung and sell it under the brand My Goat. I have only one advice that without passion do not start a goat farm as it is not fair to play with animal’s life,” he concludes.
Contact Details:
Mr. Srinivas Acharya
No. 386, Krishnakuteera, Subramanya Temple Road, Vidyaranyapuram, Mysore – 570 008
Phone: 9620590777
Email: yashodavana@gmail.com
Website: http://www.yashodavanagoatfarm.com/index.html
“1 liter goat milk can multiply the platelet count in blood naturally for dengue patients. It has many more medicinal properties yet it is not available in the market! No awareness, lack of guidance and faulty assumptions are the main reasons for zero-market for goat milk in India. Goat farmers and traders are in the business only for its mutton not for milk because they feel milk is dominated by dairy and there will be no takers of goat milk. Further in our country we do not have experts to give guidance on producing and selling goat milk commercially. Thereby I have taken the responsibility to develop a profitable and viable business model for goat farming having the focus on goat milk,” says Mr. Srinivas Acharya, founder, Yashodavana Goat Farm. The farm spreads in 50 acre, located 40 km from Mysore, Karnataka.
The goat milk is sold under the brand name “My Goat” at Rs. 250/litre. “The milk of my farm is superior in taste and doesn’t have any smell,” he adds. Milk is sold in Mysore and Bangalore since past 2 years. The awareness is slowly getting created with mouth to mouth publicity. “My efforts and name is gradually getting the recognition in last 6 months.” All the milking stock is in best health conditions, regularly vaccinated and umpteen care is taken to ensure milk quality is superior.
Milking is done at the milk parlour using the machine. On an average always there are 500 milking goats in the 600 parental stock. “Goats in its peak pregnancy do not give milk, some in middle pregnancy give little milk. Post delivery 90-120 days there is peak milking period in one delivery cycle. After kid takes the milk the goat give 0.5litre for human consumption. We get nearly 200litres milk per day,” informs Mr. Srinivas. The milk is pasteurized before packing in it in 200ml and 0.5litre food grade bottles. “The bottles are supplied to different retail outlets through the cold chain pickup van.”
At Yashodavana Goat Farm, goats are never tied instead allowed to roam freely as stall fed farm is against lifestyle of goat that could hamper its’ growth. Further Mr. Srinivas insists on complying to SIMA rule that stands for selection, infrastructure, management and agriculture with professionalism. “If all these are arranged and practiced then goat farming will be surely successful,” he asserts.
Following the SIMA rule, the farm is only one breed goat farm unlike other farms where multiple breeds are raised. Citing the reason Mr. Srinivas says, “After analyzing 8-10 Indian goat breeds for 2 years I have chosen Beetle breed from Punjab for its good body weight, excellent milk yield and long endurance.” The herd size is more than 2000 animals. ‘I also have bannur sheep in the farm as Central Government quoted to safeguard this sheep breed.”
The farm has well planned infrastructure with goat shed designed scientifically. There are many blocks in the shed. “I have made arrangement for 2000 goats in various segments. I keep male and female goats in separate pen because if male is with female, then the hormonal smell of male is felt in the milk which drops the milk quality,” he shares. The shed has designated area for adult male, adult female, pregnant goats, lactating goats, kids, infants and sick animals. “We provide individual pen for each animal in case of pregnancy. There are nearly 200 labour wards for delivering goats.” Milking parlour is isolated from other living zone of goats.
Goat Management includes feed, vaccination and hygiene norms. In order to have good quality milk it is essential to feed the goat with balanced diet. Every day in the morning milking is done at 5.30-6 AM. Then after the feeding program begin at 9 AM with concentrated feed. “It comprises of yellow maize and groundnut oil cake. In the concentrated feed micro minerals are added. 10 gram of mineral mixture is required by the goat of 50kgs bodyweight/day. We also give soaked moong dal and channa dal that constitutes 17% protein in the feed. Both dals are soaked in water for 2hours to make it easily digestible. Then we give greens at 12 noon,” he shares.
Greens are the mix of energy and proteins. For energy green grass is fed while to fulfill to protein content alfa alfa grass, agathi, drumsticks tender stems and little mulberry is fed. Same green mix is repeated once again after 3 hours. Last feed is hay. 100% fodder is grown in-house.
Entire herd is vaccinated following a programmed schedule. ‘We give four main vaccines namely PTR, ET, HS and FMD. PTR is given once in 2years, and rest three vaccines once in 6months. We deworm animals once in 3 months. We remove external parasites like ticks and lice. The animals are given a dip in disinfected water in the dipping tank having botex as disinfectant,” he elaborates.
Explaining hygiene norms Mr. Srinivas says, “The kidding section is disinfected properly with the spray every day. Once in 3months we disinfect entire shed. We have made a flat tank, where any vehicle coming to the farm must dip the tires in the disinfected water. We have provided a small pond to dip legs before entering the shed.” With good management mortality is less than 1%.
Agriculture with professionalism is practiced with proper documentation when the goats are sold to other farmers/breeders. Practical training is given to the people interested in the goat farming. Like-minded people are proposed with the business offer that develops the goat industry in an organized way.
In future, Mr. Srinivas plans to expand his operations and educate more goat farmers with practical knowledge. “I want to start sterilization of milk to increase the shelf life to 90days. I want to produce flavoured goat milk with ashwagandha and kesar. Also want to make manure cake with goat dung and sell it under the brand My Goat. I have only one advice that without passion do not start a goat farm as it is not fair to play with animal’s life,” he concludes.
Contact Details:
Mr. Srinivas Acharya
No. 386, Krishnakuteera, Subramanya Temple Road, Vidyaranyapuram, Mysore – 570 008
Phone: 9620590777
Email: yashodavana@gmail.com
Website: http://www.yashodavanagoatfarm.com/index.html