But there is room for local farmers to be significantly more aggressive, with proper focus on nutrition and breeding practices. The ruminant sector wants to replace 10 per cent of imports with local production in the medium term, Brown reasoned. Jamaica imports 90 per cent of the goat and mutton consumed. The imports grew by about 15 per cent over five years from US$11 million in 2015, at a time when local production dropped by 20 per cent. The island imported US$12.5 million in frozen sheep, lamb and goat meat in 2019. “We want to stop depending on imported genetics from North America by developing our own breeding programme and genetic database,” said Brown. “Essentially, Unity would become a regional supplier of genetics – providing embryos and semen for artificial insemination and embryo transfer from quality genetic stock to farmers in Jamaica and the region. “Our partnership with Unity is about using reproductive-assisted technology to achieve that goal,” he explained. By crossing Bartley's pure breds with our common goats, we get a larger animal that produces more meat and milk,” said Khalil Brown, animal nutritionist at Hi-Pro.īrown stressed the need for increasing the breeding female goat population in Jamaica. “Breeders like Unity are the catalysts for increasing local production of quality goat meat. During this period Bartley grew his business by optimising his herd genetics to produce more meat, more milk, and an unblemished carcass. Local goat production dropped by 20 per cent over the last five years, according to official data from the Planning Institute of Jamaica.
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Bartley supplements this diet with Hi-Pro Natral Goat Ration for their energy and protein requirements, including a general maintenance ruminant ration plus premium goat ration for his exotic and champion stock. The board floors are slotted to allow for waste matter to fall through to the ground below. The kids are placed in separate “creeper pens” beside their mothers to allow for maximum feed intake resulting from reduced competition between goats. Unity rears its goats in raised, stress-free, roofed housing, with bucks separated from does. The show was cancelled this year due to contagion fears arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
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The typical goat farmer earns $40,000 to $65,000 from selling a ram goat, while Bartley can earn significantly more based on the superior genetics of his herd.īartley received the Jamaica Agricultural Society award for Champion Goat Farmer in 20 at the annual Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show. Over time it improves the genetics of the goats,” he said. “I want a premium herd so I retain the best and sell the rest. He explained that genetics play a role in achieving quality livestock but nutrition and care are also critical. That equates to the weight of an adult pig. Owen Bartley, managing director at Unity, says his goats can weigh up to 300 pounds but his prized Boer bucks – Cable, Striker and Blade – weigh over 350 pounds. UNITY Boer Goat Farm, based in Manchester, is known for exotic goat breeds, with a similar live weight to pigs that sell for up to 10 times more than the common goat.