The model of an easy-to-assemble-and-dismantle goat shed designed and developed by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra-Kannur (KVK) at Panniyur here is attracting the attention of goat farmers in the region.
The unit, billed as high-tech, has been designed by T. Gigin, Assistant Professor (Vet Science) of the KVK which comes under Kerala Agricultural University. The relative advantages of the goat shed include strength, utility, comfort, and durability, KVK officials said. The unit is made of galvanised iron (GI) frame, fibre-reinforced plastic inter-lockable slat floor, and GI roof. The shed, with an area of 100 sq ft, can accommodate 10 to 20 goats, and is said to be strong enough to support many times the weight of the number of goats that can be housed inside.
“It is designed in such a way that the total unit can be assembled by combining a few frames in easy steps, and when in need, this can be dismantled, easily transported, and reassembled in another place,” Dr. Gigin said. It ensured good protection from predators, he said, adding that animals could be reared exclusively inside the shed as it had feeding facilities
The model shed has facilities for ensuring proper hygiene and sanitation. The fibre-reinforced plastic inter-lockable slat floor ensures that the goats inside do not get wet or dirty. The plastic, resistant to heating and cooling, protects the animals from temperature variations. A unit is estimated to cost Rs.1 lakh.
The KVK officials said though the initial cost was high, it would work out to much less considering the fact that the unit would last over 15 years. A similar structure made with locally available materials would cost nearly 60 per cent less, but last only up to two years.
KVK head K. Abdul Kareem said the institution had received a lot of inquiries from goat farmers. One of the advantages of the model shed was that it could be reassembled and reinstalled. The shed was designed and developed for extension purposes.
