You’ve heard of ‘cash cows’, but have you heard that goats are the new walking money-makers helping smallholder farmers grow their income?
Positive signs have surfaced in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) where researchers from the University of New England have found that indigenous goats raised with very few inputs are fetching smallholder farmers a notable profit. Vietnamese traders trek deep into Laos in search of Lao goats which are called ‘Lao mountain goats’ which they onsell to high value markets in Vietnam, mostly to specialised goat restaurants which are an emerging favourite for birthday dinners and other special occasions. What makes this current trade so attractive is that the Lao smallholders keep the majority of the returns (70% of the slaughter value). The demand for Lao goats is holding strong, garnering a 30% premium over Vietnamese crossbred goats.
Typical examples of goat restaurant and roadside advertising in Vietnam. Dê Núi is “Mountain Goat”
Dr Luisa Olmo (right) with a smallholder farmer from Laos
Dr. Luisa Olmo shares, “While cattle previously received all the attention, funders are now looking at goats as a genuine opportunity to grow farmer income. They have higher productivity under low-input management, and are more affordable and accessible investments for the lower income families or women.”
Luisa is working on UNE’s 1.8 million-dollar project, led by Professor Steve Walkden-Brown, to answer some important questions: 1) is the demand in for Lao goats sustainable or is it a fashion fad? 2) How can it be ensured that the ‘Lao mountain goat’ market endures by securing food safety and responding to consumer preferences? 3) How can supply be secured by addressing preventable diseases and inefficiencies that compromise goat welfare and lose farmers money?
Project member discussing goat management with a farmer in Laos
So far, the research team has used survey technology to identify opportunities for farmers to manage their herd more efficiently. These include simple measures such as: letting their goats graze for longer, keeping newborn kids with does for longer, and utilising improved forages developed by the Lao National Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute. The team has also partnered with the UNE Precision Agriculture Research Group to engineer GPS collars custom for goats in Laos to better understand grazing and mating behaviour.
The outcomes of this research aim to generate enhanced income for smallholders, improved goat welfare and progress toward food security.
Project veterinarian, Mr Thaixiong Xaikhue (left) and a farmer weighing a goat in Laos as part of our monitoring research