Gulabi goats are a Pakistani dairy goat breed. They give a lot of milk, they are also appreciated for their decorative appearance and unpretentiousness. Unfortunately, on the territory of Russia, this amazing breed is practically not found either in households or on livestock farms.
The history of the breed
This breed was obtained through simple selection by the peoples inhabiting the territory of Pakistan and India. In local dialects, goats of this breed are also called basi. Camori goats and other local breeds of white color were used to breed gulabis. Most often, these animals are found on the Pakistani border with India in the regions of Rahnapur, Khazar Abad and Sindh. But they can also be found on the territory of Arab countries, in Tajikistan and in Afghanistan.
Description of the appearance of the gulaby
These animals have a humped nose, characteristic of southern goat breeds, and very long curly ears, which are often cropped and wrapped by the Pakistani people. Gulabis are very reminiscent of the local Camori goat breed. In height, gulaby goats reach about a meter at the withers. Males weigh about 70 kilograms, females about 50 kilograms; adult male animals can weigh over 90 kilograms
From goats of this breed, a large amount of milk is obtained, which has a high fat content, delicious tender meat, wool and valuable skins.
Advantages and disadvantages of the breed
Like any breed, gulaby goats have their pros and cons.
The positives are as follows:
- high daily milk yield - 1.5-2 liters;
- give milk of good fat content - about 5%;
- have a well-fixed bowl-shaped udder, convenient for milking;
- machine milking can be used, as these goats have a high milk flow rate;
- the dense wool of animals provides good acclimatization in the cold season;
- have high quality wool and skin;
- this breed also has very tasty meat;
- have an attractive exterior;
- goats are picky about food.
The disadvantages include only a very high price for these wonderful goats. This is due to their low prevalence in our country.
How to take care of adult gulabies?
Despite the general pickiness of this breed, you should carefully study the following recommendations of experienced livestock breeders.
- House for goats. These southern animals need a warm shed without excess dampness and drafts, the humidity should not exceed 75%. It should have fresh air and the temperature in winter is not lower than +5 degrees Celsius, and in summer - not higher than +19 degrees. It is desirable to make the windows on the south side, not lower than one and a half meters from the floor. The goats need a small adobe platform on which they will stand in their stalls, it is covered with peat, and straw or sawdust is placed on top. To preserve heat in winter, manure is removed less often than usual, and in summer, on the contrary, as often as possible.
- Feeding. The gulabi diet should consist of hay, straw, compound feed, vegetables and root crops, silage; they also need to be given clean water for drinking. In winter, besides hay and spring straw, it is necessary to include branches, forest hay, birch and oak brooms in the goat menu. These animals love household waste in the form of scraps, shredded bran, oats, barley, corn. You cannot feed goats with only one grain. Milking should be done twice a day: morning and evening.
- Stay in the pasture. Goats need pastures, where they receive green food rich in vitamins and minerals. As a result of such nutrition, animals increase immunity and activity. In addition, exposure to the sun and fresh air is very beneficial for the body. Gulaby goats should be grazed in dry field and forest non-marshy areas. In the morning after dew falls and after rain, it is impossible to take animals out to graze.
- Hygiene. Every day, the wool of the gulaby should be brushed, once a week, use a warm solution of soda for cleaning. This not only cleans the coat, but also prevents the appearance of lice. Be sure to clean off the dirt that has stuck to the animal's hooves so that the stratum corneum does not rot. Hooves should also be trimmed to their natural size so that the goats can walk easily and comfortably.
Features of caring for kids
Gulaby kids are usually grown in the following ways .
- Growing up with a goat. An hour after lambing, the babies are brought to the mother and assisted in finding the udder. The kids should suckle the goat 6-8 times a day. At three to four months, they are gradually weaned from mother's milk, transferred to hay and grass. From one week of age, the kids can be left with their mother in the pasture.
- Keeping without a goat. With this method, the kids are fed with mother's milk from bottles with a nipple or from some other convenient container. If the kid does not understand how to drink, a finger is placed in its mouth and dipped in milk - it begins to suck the finger and then gradually moves on to drinking. In the first three to four weeks, the kids are fed 4-6 times a day, then they are transferred to three feedings. At 3-4 months, oats, barley, rolled oats, oil cake, hay are introduced into the diet, and taken out to pasture.
Gulabis are goats from which you can get a large amount of ideal milk composition. In addition, these animals have a very affectionate and docile disposition.
For more facts about gulabi goats, see the following video.