PNG National Agricultural Research Institute : Goat improvement project at Labu

The Labu Livestock program has initiated a goat improvement project over a 12 month period.

Rehabilitation of the paddock, pastures and sheds have been carried out to start the project.

The project started in June 2020 and ends in June 2021.

The rehabilitation of the paddock will use Juncao (Pennisetum purpureum), signal (Brachiaria decumbens) and buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris). Goats will graze on the signal and buffel grass while Juncao will be used as a cut-and-carry fodder for livestock.

Forage from trees such as rosewood, leucaena, mulberry and moringa will be available for the goats to feed on as a supplementary feed.

Lucy Lapauve is the project leader and will be assisted by Momase Regional Centre's Regional Development Coordinator Dr Pikah Kohun, livestock supervisor, Tony Pewa and stockman, Jerry Bakui.

The initial stages of the project will look to improve the drainage system and removal of tree stumps to allow the tractor to plow the land.

The project will run in two phases.

Phase one will be a study at Labu and phase 2 will involve working closely with a goat farmer in Lae to assess the Boer goat for three years.

Boer goats are a popular breed of goat for meat production.

This is an internally funded project by NARI amounting to over K50, 000.

Much of the Labu livestock land will be used to run the project. The project will work to deliver five major outputs in Phase 1. This includes;

• baseline information on flock reproductive performance, growth, mortality, Goat Improvement Project and disease status and input/output costs
• best practice flock management, health and improved production
• rehabilitated paddocks, pastures, sheds and facilities
• increased flock for research and breeding stock supply
• development of farmer information packages

The overall objective of the project is to capture the number and weight of offspring weaned per breeding female per time period, local feed conversion, local feed conversion efficiency, tolerance to disease and other environmental stress, improved body weight and conformation, improved carcass yield and quality and consumer preference and market access.