Brunei takes steps at upgrading
country's goat livestock farming to more dynamic and market-driven
industry
Brunei’s Department of Agriculture is aware
of the need for upgrading and changing the country’s current goat
livestock industry to a more dynamic and market-driven industry. The
department is striving to improve its productivity and quality not only
for domestic markets, but also to explore regional and international
market potentials. To that effect, the department in collaboration with
the Australian Trade Commission, Austrade, held a half-day seminar on
goat livestock industry that took place at a hotel in Jerudong. It was
conducted by Meat and Livestock Australia and Livecorp Australia. The
objective is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current local
goat farming practices and ultimately to create a goat farming manual as
a general guideline for proper management. The seminar also offered
Brunei’s goat farmers knowledge and experience hands-on on farm
management procedures courtesy of specialist from the livestock export
industry in Australia.
In declaring open the seminar, the Acting
Director of Agriculture, Dayang Hajah Aidah binti Haji Mohd. Hanifah
said that goat farming in Brunei ranges from the traditional to
semi-intensive practices and is currently carried out either as a source
of side income or hobby for the farmers. To date, Brunei Darussalam has
about 3,175 heads of goat and about 78.5 percent of the number is
imported live from Australia. The imported breeds which include Boer,
Kajang, Jamnapari and Anglo Nubians are raised either for breeding or
meat.
