Page 294 - Primary Five Science

Methods of grazing goats

1. Extensive method

2. Semi-Intensive method

3. Intensive method

1. Extensive method

The goats are herded together with cattle in an open area. It is

commonly used in areas with scanty vegetation. Goats graze

on natural pastures without fencing or housing.

Advantages

 Goats eat a variety of feeds.

 Goats have enough body exercises.

 It is cheap in terms of labour and cost of feeds

Disadvantages

 Security: Goats can be killed by predators, stolen or simply

get lost

 Goats can easily acquire diseases from other herds

 Goats move a lot. This lowers their productivity. The food

they eat is mostly used for energy to move rather than milk

production or weight gain for meat.

 They can destroy people’s crops or property, making the

farmer answerable.

2. Semi-Intensive

The goats are grazed in fenced area or paddocks or tethered.