Lack of quality feed contributing to gap in production of goat meat?

By Prince Moore   

 

The Small Ruminants Association of Jamaica says the gap in the local production of goat meat is due, in part, to lack of good quality feed for the animals.

 

His comment follows the revelation that local farmers supply only 15 per cent of the demand for goat meat.

 

President of the Association, Trevor Bernard, says there is a need for commercial forest production to provide quality feed. 

 

"Whenever the drought comes, a lot of farmers can't feed their animals in the drought. We don't have food preservation...none of that is happening. And then you have to sell out the goats. So if you had a herd and you were to grow it to a hundred and we start to have a drought, we have to sell it and get smaller and smaller, and then when the rainy time comes and more grass is available, then you can grow it again. So we can't reach numbers."

 

"I don't think we have any farm that have maybe a thousand goats, you know, that kind of numbers, which is what we need. We need some larger farms with goats. We just have a segment of small farms all over the island," he conceded while speaking Thursday on Radio Jaamica's Beyond the Headlines. 

 

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green said his ministry has taken steps to increase the breed of goats in the country through the small ruminant development programme.

 

He said more than 1,000 goats have been brought into the country for breeding purposes since last year - 200 of which were imported by the ministry. 

 

"We have looked at different types, not just for meat, but also ones that are good for goat milk and cheese and things of that nature that you would make from the goat milk. So that's one aspect of it. And the fact that we have only brought in 200, it means it's the private sector, the entrepreneurs that have brought in over 800 goats. So it says that they do see the opportunity that is out there."

 

Additionally, Mr. Green said a change to the Agricultural Produce Act last year resulted in grass being designated as an agricultural crop. 

 

"That was not there before. And as such, you never had a lot of programmes through the government, through the Ministry to help people, for example, grow grass like how you would help them to grow tomatoes," he explained. 

 

The minister was also a guest on Beyond the Headlines.