Production Performance and the Contribution of Dairy Goats to Income of Small Scale Farmers in Babati and Kongwa Districts, Tanzania

A study was carried out in Babati and Kongwa Districts to determine the lactation and reproduction performances, profitability and contribution of dairy goats to household income of small scale farmers. In addition, the performance of Toggenburg and Saanen were compared in Kongwa District. From each district, 40 dairy goat farmers and 40 non-dairy goat farmers were individually interviewed, using a structured questionnaire. Non-dairy goat farmers were included as a control to ascertain the influence of dairy goats on household income. Age at first kidding (AFK), kidding interval (KI), kid mortality and litter size were 14.6 ± 0.3 months, 9.3 ± 0.4 months, 13.4 % and 1.2 in Babati District and 13.0 ± 0.4 months, 9.2 ± 0.5 months, 7.9% and 1.3 in Kongwa District, respectively, for Toggenburg breed. Daily milk yield (DMY), total lactation milk yield (TMY), lactation length (LL) and dry period (DP) were 1.7 ± 0.1 litre, 276.2 ± 24.5 litres, 5.4 ± 0.30 months and 2.2 ± 0.1 months in Babati and 1.4 ± 0.2 litres, 241.4 ± 38.6 litres, 5.4 ± 0.5 months and 2.1 ± 0.2 months in Kongwa District, respectively. The comparison of Toggenburg and Saanen breeds kept in Kongwa District indicated that AFK and KI were 13.0 ± 0.3 and 9.2 ± 0.3 months for Toggenburg and 13.4 ± 0.4 and 9.5 ± 0.4 months for Saanen, respectively. The DMY, TMY, LL and DP were 1.4 ± 0.1 litres, 241.4 ± 17.9 litres, 5.4 ± 0.2 months and 2.1 ± 0.1 months for Toggenburg and 1.5 ± 0.1 litres, 266.6 ± 19.9 litres, 5.7 ± 0.3 months and, 2.8 ± 0.2 months, for Saanen breed, respectively. Average annual profits per household for dairy goat enterprise were Tsh 679 216 in Babati and 322 778 in Kongwa, and the enterprise contributed 31 and 26 % of the total income of the household in Babati and Kongwa Districts, respectively. Toggenburg in Babati perform better in terms of milk production compared to those in Kongwa. Saanen breed performed better in terms of milk production than Toggenburg in Kongwa District. The study reveals that, dairy goat enterprise is profitable and significantly contributes to household income.