Goat farmers urged to upscale into commercial breeding

Judith Phiri,Zimpapers Business HubTHE Goat Breeders Association of Zimbabwe (GBAZ) has called on goat farmers to upscale into commercial breeding, which has proven to be a profitable business venture in the country.The demand for goat meat is on the rise primarily due to people wanting to try different types of meat aside from beef, pork and chicken.Goats provide the communities with a rich source of meat, milk and skins.

While there is a market for goat meat locally, there are many opportunities in the Southern Africa region and beyond the continent, to the Middle East to diversify into these markets.Mr Providence ShokoIn an interview on the sidelines of the 5th Annual Goat Indaba in Bulawayo, GBAZ vice chairperson, Mr Xolisani Mpofu said most farmers we now seeing business in small stocks that can multiply in a short period of time.“The demand which we are currently seeing of farmers joining the industry who want to farm with the goats, we generally believe that it is coming from the climate change which is making it difficult for us to farm with large animals and also diseases which are affecting large animals,” he said.“With goats, they are easy to manage because they are small animals, they can actually multiply at a very short period and you can go and fetch your money in the market in a short period of time.”Ms Evidence MaketoHe said goats also play a crucial role within Zimbabwe’s society by contributing to foreign exchange, making the hides very profitable for the local tanneries and leathercraft industries.Mr Mpofu who is also the chief executive officer (CEO) Eland Zakithi Goat Stud, said the breeding of goats has comparative advantages over breeding cattle, especially in semi-arid areas.“Goats have proven to be more drought resilient and they can utilise a diverse range of plants and shrubs, making them more efficient at utilising the natural resources available.

Alongside the higher reproductive rate, the herd numbers recover quicker than cattle herds.The most common breeds of goats in Zimbabwe include the Mashona, Boar, Marabele and Kalahari goats.

Continue Reading This Story

This is a curated preview of the full article. Our editors have selected
key highlights, but there’s more to discover in the complete story.

• Read the full article
• View all images and media
• Access related coverage

20 paragraphs



8 min read

Read Complete Article on herald
→