A goat farm with a difference

Convinced of the huge medicinal benefits of goat milk, Srinivasa Acharya initiated the venture by setting up the 50-acre scientifically-designed farm in 2012. Here, he has mixed dairy farming with horticulture. Moved by the folkloric appeal of the mythical character of Yashoda from Brindavana in Mathura, he named the farm ‘Yashodavana’. Initially, he purchased a large plot of land and raised sheds to breed the goats. From the beginning, he was resolved on making the entire process scientifically correct and hygienic. 

So far, the ride has been rough, but not without success in sight. Today, the farm sends out around 200 kg of chilled goat milk, all packed in 200 ml bottles. “I am successful in establishing my brand, but we haven’t broken even as yet,” he informs. The stores selling organic foods in Bengaluru form a part of the clientele for ‘My Goat’ bottles.

As the gates of Yashodavana open, vehicles pass through a water-filled ditch. But don’t mistake this mushy pool for  rainwater. It is, in fact, medicated and disinfected water meant to sanitise tyres of vehicles prior to entry, lest they carry outside germs or viruses. The breeding sheds stand on stilts with spliced bamboo used for the floor. The crevices in the floor are just wide enough for the excreta to fall through but not for the hooves of the quadrupeds to get stuck.

A diverse rangeThe large airy sheds are approachable by staircases and ramps and host a diverse range of goat breeds — beetal from Punjab, barberi from Bihar, zalawadi from Gujarat, jamunapari from Uttar Pradesh, sirohi from Rajasthan — in barricaded compartments. The picture perfect bannur sheep, known locally as ‘Mandya goat’ also finds a place in a special yard. Srinivasa informs that he included Mandya goat in his farm as this native breed was on the endangered list. The beetal goats stand tall while barberis sport handlebar horns. Jamunaparis are an innocent lot, staying calm amidst horn-locking fights elsewhere. Currently, the farm has over a 1,000 goats.

Thanks to Srinivasa’s constant dealings with all things related to goats, he is now a walking encyclopedia on them. According to him, organised farming transforms the goats from free-grazing animals to stall-fed quadrupeds. Yet, they need three to four hours of walk under the sunshine. Goats generally have a lifespan of nine to 10 years. A female goat begins yielding milk after 11 months which goes on till her ninth year. While generally a female goat yields half a litre of milk each day, some good breeds can yield even up to three litres a day.

A female can deliver 15 to 17 kids during her lifespan and a newborn has to be only on mother’s milk for the first 30 days and nothing else, not even water. After 30 days, the offspring is introduced to hay, greens, and concentrated feed along with mother’s milk for the next three months. The young one is then weaned from the mother’s milk by transferring it to the general breeding shed.

Meticulously maintained records have enabled Srinivasa to document the feeding preferences, delivery norms and milking schedules of each and every animal and breed. He says nearly 48% of females deliver one kid at a time, another 48% deliver twins, while those delivering triplets (and occasionally quadruplets) do not exceed two to three per cent. Male and female ratio is 55:45 in this farm. 

Two deliveries can be expected of a female during the span of a year. He says a goat should eat 10% of fodder of its body weight in a day. In the tenth year, the animals stop adding to their weight and are ready to be sold to abattoirs. Mid-life mortality rate is stated to be just about two to three per cent, unless some epidemic strikes the farm.  

Srinivasa has a quarantine for the animals in his farm, which is closely followed by breeding sheds with nearly 60 pens, allowing the animals to munch the fodder at will and drink from the water sinks. There are separate wards for pregnant goats and those feeding their kids. The ones sheltering the kids during their first month are warmed by power heaters. Finally, there is an exclusive shelter for sick animals and those convalescing. Solar fencing protects the farm from wild animals while the stilts minimise the risk of snakes slithering into the sheds. 

Talking about his startup’s success, Srinivasa says, “I learnt everything through experience. Sometimes, even the advice from well-meaning experts proved devastating in terms of business. At one point of time, nearly 500 goats died due to a disease, but I was determined to take all that in my stride. Today, I am motivated to set up a training programme for entrepreneurs interested in animal selection, food and medicine, infrastructure, hygienic maintenance and management, milking and pasteurisation, treatment of diseases and process of quarantining breeds sourced from outside the region.”  

Goat milk finds a good demand in the market today thanks to its medicinal properties. It approximates the properties of mother’s milk and is an ideal replacement for infants and for lactose-intolerant people. It also increases platelets in dengue-inflicted patients while possessing curative properties for asthma and paralysis.

In order to meet the fodder requirements of the goats, Srinivasa has dedicated nearly 25 acres of the land for growing yellow maize, sesbenia, velvet beans, lucerne, hedge lucerne and a variety of grasses. Apart from this, the farm also has 1,800 mango trees and 200 coconut palms.  Talking about the farm’s future, Srinivasa plans to introduce automated milking systems. Undeterred by the hassles and losses, he is now approaching government ayurveda hospitals in anticipation of a good demand for goat milk. 

For more details, log on to www.yashodavanagoatfarm.com or email yashodavana@gmail.com. You can also call Srinivasa on 9620590777.