The Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Amritsar, in collaboration with Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and ICAR-ATARI, Zone-I, Ludhiana, conducted a seven-day vocational training course on Goat Farming from August 12 to August 21, 2024. The training, which saw the participation of 70 farmers, farm women, and rural youth from the districts of Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, and Fazilka, aimed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to establish and manage profitable goat farming operations.
Dr. Bikramjit Singh, Associate Director (Training), KVK, Amritsar, inaugurated the course, welcoming the participants and outlining the KVK’s mission and services. He emphasized the significant potential of goat farming as a supplementary agricultural occupation and encouraged trainees to leverage this opportunity for income generation and employment. He also urged participants to utilize the resources and support offered by KVK fully.
The course was coordinated by Dr Kanwarpal Singh Dhillon, Assistant Professor (Animal Science) at KVK, Amritsar, who delivered in-depth training on essential aspects of goat farming. Topics covered included goat breeds, feeding practices, housing requirements, marketing strategies for goat milk products, and crucial vaccination and disease management aspects. Dr Dhillon also provided insights into the economics of goat farming and effective record-keeping methods. A practical demonstration on determining the age of goats from their teeth was a highlight of the training.
Participants also received valuable information from Mr Mohit Antil, AGM, NABARD, Amritsar, who detailed various government-funded schemes and subsidies available to goat farmers, offering financial guidance to support their ventures.
To provide hands-on experience, an exposure visit was organized to the progressive goat farmer S. Sukhpal Singh Gill’s farm in Bal Kalan village, where trainees engaged in fruitful discussions and gained practical tips for successful goat farming.
In the closing ceremony, Dr. Dhillon thanked the participants for their active involvement and encouraged them to pursue goat farming with renewed enthusiasm. Educational literature on goat farming was also distributed to support the trainees’ future endeavours.
Read more: https://www.pau.edu/index.php?_act=manageEvent&DO=viewEventDetail&dataE=datae&intID=9495
