Organized and reported by Dr. Sajjad Khan
Dr. Sajjad Khan is a well-known scientist and currently working as Prf. and Dean faculty of Animal Husbandry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad Pakistan.
National goat show concluded here at Faisalabad (Pakistan) last evening on 21st October. It was very well attended the show as 663 animals competed for various beauty, weight and milk competitions. Beauty competitions were breed wise. Individual (male or female), pairs (breeding male and a breeding female) and flock (five adult females + 1 breeding male) competitions were held apart from goat kid beauty competition which was across breeds.
Represented breeds were various strains of Beetal (Faisalabadi, Makhi-Cheeni, Nuqri and Nagri strains), Nachi-the dancing goat (Boora, Sawa, Makra and Bulahi strains) and Diara Din Panah (Kala and Shera strains). Single strains of Barbari, Pak-Angora, and Teddy breeds also competed. While beauty competitions were within, weight and milk competitions were across breeds. Breeders and goat keepers competed for cash prizes, trophies and certificates and just for fun. The show was supported by my University, GEF-UNEP-ILRI FAnGR Asia project and the Directorate of Small Ruminants, Government of Punjab.
Animals started arriving on 18th and 90% had reached by 19th. Animals from the host district arrived on 20thmorning as well. As some had taken a 10-hours journey, rest was needed especially for milking goats. Competitions continued till late into the evening on 20th. The goat kid competition, held for the first time (to promote goat as a pet) was conducted on 21st, the day for prizes and trophies. Some 50 goat kids competed and were paraded (actually allowed to move around for about a minute) before young boys and girls (between 5-8 years of age) who were our no-card guests/visitors and had even helped farmers in handling goats during flock competitions.
Some 50 were randomly selected from about 90+ boys and girls present. We had 50 red ribbons to be worn to the goat kids. Every kid was individually explained to not follow his/her friends or parents (some had come) for making his/her choice, rather his/her own likeness. While farmers kept sitting with their goat kids, judges (boys and girls) marched in front from one side to the other and selected their champion. Some had done it while animal science students (girls) were tagging the goat kids in the start, while others did it on the spot. Nuqri goat kid won the first position with 7 ribbons followed by Makhi-Cheeni and Barbari goat kids. It is worth mentioning that many goat kids were purchased by the local residents’ price ranging between 80 and 400 USD/animal at the end of the goat show.
Highest weight was 179kg of a Beetal (Faisalabadi) buck while highest milk yield was of a Beetal Makhi-Cheeni goat producing 4 liters of milk on a voluntary intake as owners were not allowed to offer anything and competing goats remained in the custody of organizing committee before the beginning of emptying of udders till the last milking. Similar restrictions were imposed in weight competition. This was not a kidding season for goats because in our March competition last year, amount of milk by the winning goat was around 8 liters.
The most deficient information seemed to be scoring the dancing gait of Nachi goats while a lot of indigenous knowledge (apart from the typical nose and longer neck, foot sole was desirable to be visible while animal walks, as narrated by a Nachi farmer) awaits documentation. Love for this breed could be judged talking to a 70-year-old farmer who had raised this breed since he was 10. I hope to learn from him and similarly knowledgeable farmers in future.
The show was telecasted live by at least five television channels. Introduction of Nagri strain of Beetal was the pleasant surprise for technocrats and so was the introduction of a colored strain of Diara Din Panah (Shera strain) which was even more attractive than the traditional black strain. Bucks with their cock screw longhorns, massive bodies (~100kg) and long hair really gave a dangerous look (as a friend called them terrorists). New strains of Nachi were also worth watching. It looks we need to redefine breeds to incorporate farmers standards and available. Information available in booklets on various breeds looks quite distant from reality.
Best animal of the show was a DDP buck (black strain). The best breeder was Mr. Nazir Masih with exceptionally good animals (1st in milk competition, 1st in flock beauty competition for MCB breed and 1st in individual female beauty competition in MCB breed).
As always it was a very pleasant and rewarding to organize and conduct a goat show. Interaction and exchange of ideas with farmers is an asset. Few photos are attached. More photos with video clips will soon be posted at project website (http://fangrpk.org/).
Dr. M. Sajjad Khan
Professor
Dept. Animal Breeding and Genetics
University of Agriculture Faisalabad 38040
PAKISTAN
Heartiest congratulations Dr. Sajjad for organising this great event involving the genuine goat breeders. You are creating history.
I fully support your idea of revisiting breed characterisation because the available information is outdated. May be your department can formulate a proposal for this work with the support of PARDB or ALP-PARC.
Good luck and all the best wishes for continuing the great effort.
a great achievement for promotion of smallruminants in pakistan
Jnab in ma sa jo makhi chene goat agr koi sal kary to rbta kara.03475639010
Maki chene nasl ka koi femal kid kse ka pas ha to agr sal krna cho to rabta kro
A.O.A !
mai is event mai shamil hona chahta ho ye kis jaga hota h detail me on this nomber
03218871525
I am interested in importing the Nachi Goat to the United States
Great Idea… I can connect you with a farmer who can manage for you.
Thank you. We would be very interested in making arrangements to get some of the dancing goats here in theUS.
You are welcome.
Welcome
I can connect you with some one in the habitat of dancing goat .
How do we
Handle this? We are
Very serious in pursuing this. Thank you.
I told you as;
I can manage for you.
You can contact me via email
raziq2007@gmail.com
Goat Weight Competition Faisalabad 2013.
Look at the male goat received first prize in weight contest. Winner black Beetal buck (Faisalabadi strain) weighing 278.6 kg
The link is below.
http://fangrpk.org/wieght13/weight13.htm
anybody can tell how to Export rajanpuri and makhi chinni to india….
waiting for reply]
vivekchoudhary1@gmail.com
Respected Vivek, currently I’m abroad and working with a camel dairy. I really have no idea about the export of animals to India. Unfortunately both countries have no good relation and the things are not easy to manage.
I appreciate the insights your blog gives me into cultures I know very little about. Many thanks, Dr Raziq.
thanks very much for your interest and appreciation. You are always welcome. You can please share it on your site/media to let the other people know it.
I would also like you read this too…https://peopleworldorder.wordpress.com/2017/06/11/peoples-role-and-livestock/
I read it. For sure, those indigenous people are a great example of sustainable farming.
yes, the people can make it possible, the sustainable food production under the changing climate and lifestyle.
i am from Larkana, Sindh. i want to buy more than 4 months kids of DDP and beetal both male and females. contact me if you like to fulfill my query.
thx 0.3.3.3 .2.2.1.1.4.9.4
Entertaining post; beauty competition for the goats? Lovely.
Yes, there are many beauty contests of goats breeds in Pakistan. Pakistan is the goat heaven.