Factors affecting goat production in a communal farming system in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa

The aim of this survey was to characterize the economic, social and nutriti onal importance of goat fanning in the Mgwalana district of the Eastern Cap e region of South Africa, and to identify critical constraints and opportun ities for use in future development initiatives. The majority (68%) of de f acto heads of households were males, of which 66% were older than 50 years of age. The majority (60%) had received schooling for five years or less. M ost respondents (86%) kept goats. The mean flock size was 16 head, of which 76.7% consisted of does, 15.8% castrates and 7.5% bucks. The mean kidding percentage was 76% for maiden does and 64% for older does. The annual morta lity rate was 7%; adult does accounted for 47% of deaths, and abortions for 29%. The main reasons given for keeping goats were for slaughter during tr aditional ceremonies (35%) and for cash sales (23%), and only 15% kept goat s for home meat consumption. The motivation for the sale of goats was mainl y to pay debts or save money (45%) and to buy other foodstuffs (27%). The m ajority of sales (91%) took place during the summer months, and buyers (pos sibly migrant workers returning home during the Christmas vacation) used th e goats mainly for traditional ceremonies, funerals and weddings. Only 10% of farmers indicated that they would invest in goat farming if granted a lo an that had to be paid back This would appear to be related to labour const raints, as 44% of goat owners herded their flocks themselves and 37% relied on school-going children for this purpose. Only 19% of respondents indicat ed that they hired labour to herd their flocks. It would appear that future expansion of goat farming in this area is severely constrained by labour c onstraints and the fact that goat meat ranked lowest on the scale of eating preferences. It was concluded that initiatives aimed at improving the econ omic, nutritional and health status of this community through increased goa t production are unlikely to be successful and that the problem of bush enc roachment is likely to increase to the detriment of other ruminant species in the future.