Barbari breed of goat: reasons of dilution in its home tract

Survey on socio-economics, management system, flock size and composition, breed preference, reasons of dilution and production performance was conducted in the home tract of Barbari goats during 2002-03. Atotal of 187 households maintaining 2480 goats of 32 villages belonging to 7 administrative blocks of Etah, Mathura and Hathras districts of UttarYradesh were contacted. The average land size was 1.04 acre/goat keeper and average family size was 6.2. Maximum goat keepers were illiterate (47%). Goats were mostly maintained on zero input. Most (63%) of flocks were of small and marginal sizes. Maximum flocks (94%) were of mix composition predominated by non-descript or mix blood (55%), followed by Sirohi/Sirohi type (26%) and Barbari/Barbari type (19%). Milk yield, body weight/size, breed/type and prolificacy were major criteria of doe selection. Goat keepers with large flocks primarily reared goat for milk and could be the main reason for preference ofSirohi breed. Its sustainable production under low input and better access of browsing were another criteria of preference. Higher milk yield, body size and market rate of Sirohi and its types have been attracting the goat rearers. Use of inferior/scrub bucks due to lack of potential and true to breed Barbari bucks was major reason of intermixing/dilution of flocks. Developmental agencies should take up grading up of non-descript goats using Barbari bucks to minimize further breed dilution.