Abstract:
The present study summarises the results of the survey on livestock
management that were intended to formulate an integrated rural development plan
for the Malakal area. An extensive survey of the literature has revealed a total lack
of information’s on the Nilotic goat in the completely Malakal area. This study was
intended to obtain some information on herd structure, population size, breed,
managerial practices and the production parameters, reproduction, socio-economic
impacts and constrains of the Nilotic goats in the Malakal area.
The major livestock species in the study area were goats, sheep, and cattle. At
present, most livestock in Malakal area are kept extensively under traditional
management and have acquired knowledge of livestock keeping through field
experiences. This study was based on materials and methods to evaluate the
approach to analyze the system of management, performance of Nilotic goats at
their natural habitat and constraints of Nilotic goats raising in the area of study.
The research involves collection of primary data and secondary data on the various
parameters through direct field surveys using questionnaire, interviews and
participatory observations.
Means, standard error of means for tested quantitative traits and by Chisquare
qualitative traits were calculated using STATISTICA software computer
program. Study showed that the Nilotic goat is an important meat goat breed in the
Malakal part. The native tract of the breed is the Nilotic goats’ district of Malakal.
Nilotic goats are small animals, short hair ruff its colour is very variable; most
common is a mixture of black and whitish hair. The Nilotic goat flock structure
was 17.37 ± 6.66 . The heart girth, body length and height at withers of Nilotic
goats at full mouth age were 57.90 ± 3.45 cm, 52.23 ± 2.09 cm and 55.47 ± 2.17
cm respectively in male and 59.73 ± 4.33 cm, 53.80 ± 3.69 cm and 55.93 ± 2.12
cm, respectively in the female. Body weight of Nilotic goats at full mouth age was
24.5 kg. The average age at first mating was 6.0 to 8.2 months and the average age
xiv
at first kidding was 15.6 months. The survey shows that the Nilotic goat has a sex
ratio of male/female 1: 3. Herdsman kept breeding bucks, when available in the
herds at all times and exercised no controlled mating.
The birth weight of Nilotic goats in the present study is 2.2 ± 0.72 kg for both
sexes. The weaning weight at 90 days (3 months) was 7.3 ± 1.79 kg for both sexes.
Analysis of the current study is showing the means of mature weight are 17.3 ± 2.8
kg.
The management of livestock during the wet season, a few of the
respondents kept their animals inside Luaks during the rainy season, while the
majority of the respondents do not keep their animals inside cattle-byres during the
wet season. During the dry, season that at the end of the rainy season, all the
Nilotic tribes take their animals in towards the riverine grazing land (Toich) by late
February or early March.
Several factors impede the productivity and reproductively of Nilotic goats in
Malakal area including feed shortage, animal diseases, low productivity, socioeconomic,
marketing and security situation.
