Goat offtake strategies in Ngozi province, Burundi

Abstract

The offtake practices among goat producers in the Ngozi Province, Burundi, are described. Data were collected by monitoring 251 farmers’ flocks during two years. Out of the 251 farmers, 158 maintained crossbred Alpine goats and benefited from the Ngozi Goat Production Project assistance. Variations during the two years in herd size and genetic composition on the one hand and in sales, milking practices and direct consumption by the householder on the other hand have been analysed; variations in the strategies used by the different types of goat owners are also highlighted. Goat plays a savings role in this farming system and this was responsible for substantial variations in goat numbers within herds and for changes in the goat owners population, with 6.3 % abandons every year. The smaller the herd, the greater the risk for the goat owner to quit goat production, irrespective of the possession of crossbreds or not. Adoption of crossbreds by part of the producers had triggered some changes in the offtake practices: 65 % of them took up the practice of milking and milk sales; they sold their goats at an elder mean age, although male kids were all sold at the same age. It seemed however that the best kids from the local breed were being kept for breeding, unlike crossbred kids. However, the offtake figures were lower for producers with crossbreds, who had elected to maintain a constant fraction of goats from the local breed in their herds.