Barbari goats are known for their beauty and friendly nature. They easily get used to the climate of Kerala and have high immunity. So, Barbari goats are preferred by most cattle farmers. Kannur Alavil native Rasheed Muhammed maintains an entire farm for Barbari goats.
Rasheed started goat rearing years ago but he bought Barbari goats only three years ago. He bought the breed from a farm in Pune after directly visiting the farm. He had already reared goat breeds like Jamnapari, Sirohi and Beetal. At present, there are 16 goats including kids in the farm. Rasheed has already sold 20 goat kids to buyers.
Barbari goats
Barbari goats are commonly found in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana in India and Punjab and Sindh regions in Pakistan. The goats are normally white in colour with brown spots. They have small face and pointed ears. Barbari goats are ideal for places where sufficient space for grazing is not available.
Diet
Like ordinary goats, Barbari goats also prefer to eat grass and jackfruit leaves. They like dry jackfruit leaves. An adult goat requires five kilograms of green grass a day. A special food is prepared by mixing salt and mineral mix in water boiled with wheat bran, rice bran, coconut oil residue and tamarind seed powder.
Rasheed is working as freelance chef and a faculty at hotel management institutions in Thrissur and Ernakulam. He is trying to open an institution in Kannur by next month to teach short-term cooking classes. Rasheed’s wife Shajila and children Lamiya, Sharmith and Shahasiyya also love the beautiful goats.
