Black Bengal

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Black Bengal Goat from Bangladesh

Black Bengal Goat is the common name for a small breed of goat found in Bangladesh and north-eastern India (Assam and West Bengal). In Bangladesh, they are known simply as "BBGs."

The predominant coat colour encountered is black, though goats with brown, gray and white coats are also found. The goat hair is short, soft and lustrous. The back is straight, legs are short, ears 11-14 cm in size and pointed forward. Both sexes have horns (5.8-11.5 cm), directed upward or sometimes backward. Beards are often observed in both sexes. The average height of an adult is 50 cm. An adult buck's weight ranges from 16-18 kg and that of a doe from 12-14 kg.

Economically and culturally the goat has played an important role in traditional Bengali society. Goat's skins were exported to the world market on a large scale in the 18th and 19th centuries. The goat is important for its adaptability, fertility, prolificacy, and skin softness. The goats' skin is of superior quality for leather goods and is in great demand both in domestic and foreign markets. The goat's meat is famous in the area for its tenderness, flavour, and leanness.

The breed is early-maturing with first kidding occurring at about 12 months. Does kid twice a year or thrice in two years. They have the potential for better fertility and litter size than other similar breeds of goat. In Bangladesh most goats are kept by women and children; consequently the production cost is minimal. They are the most efficient users of grasses, shrubs and various tree leaves which have little alternative use and can be reared easily with or without a little amount of supplement feed.

Improved management, using a holistic approach that includes supplemental feed, can yield increased economic returns, however. In addition, social and economic changes are decreasing the amount of open land for grazing. For these reasons, various non-governmental and international organizations, including the IAEA are supporting development programs involving farming of the Black Bengal goat, viewing it as a way to help alleviate poverty [1].