Philippine Goat News:

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Partnerships for Enhanced Goat Production
Before, goat raising was only a farmers’ hobby. But now, it has become a livelihood in at least 33 towns and cities in Ilocos Region, thanks to the efforts of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Fied Unit I.

This regional development effort was needed after the Crop-Animal Systems  Research Network (CASREN); the pilot project of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) that worked with Pangasinan farmers in increasing the productivity of crop-live
11 systems by introducing technologies.

What’s noteworthy about this regional project is that goat production has been enhanced through strong public and private partnerships. It has attained its goals and, hence, other regions may derive some insights from it.

IMPLEMENTATION
Dr. Jovita M. Datum, the project leader and manager of Ilocos Integrated Agriculture Research Center (ILIARC), said -support from local officials was an important factor that led to its success.

To get their support, the officials were invited to a dialogue and consultation on participatory planning and briefing. In each project site, Dr. Datuin and DA technologists met with local municipal and barangay officials and farmer leaders to identify goat production problems that farmers encountered. From here, DA technologists laid out the proposed solutions, including technology interventions.

Later, the provincial and municipal LGUs assigned their permanent representatives in the local working group and then a training of trainers was conducted to enhance the capability of LGU technicians who were designated as focal persons in implementing the project.

The project started with a technology demonstration on goat production in six sites, which expanded later to 37 sites. In each site, the farmers went through a two-day training on goat production.

The training consisted of five modules: .goat housing, breeding and stock selection, goat husbandry practices, feeding and feed resources management, and health management. Technology leaflets were also given to farmers so that they would have references.

“The farmers were enrolled in two universities: the University of Positive Mental Attitude and the University of Learning Experience,” Dr. Datum said to sum up what the farmers got from training program. Their negative perceptions on goat raising were changed positively as they started to consider goat production as a potential sustainable livelihood of rural families.

More importantly, the farmers went through a season-long farmers’ livestock school (FLS) (27 weeks) where their attitude, knowledge and skills on goat management were enhanced. The FLS concept too was used earlier in the CASREN project in Balungao, Sta. Barbara, and Calasiao, Pangasinan.

For this project, 37 FLS were conducted with the participation of 920 farmers in the following locations:

Balungao, Sta. Barbara, Alaminos City, Bani, Mangatarem, San Carlos City, Umingan, Urdaneta City, Mangaldan, Asingan, Basista, Sual, Alcala, Malasiqui, Bolinao, Mabini, Labrador, San N icolas, Bugallon, and San Jacinto, Pangasinan; Pugo, Tubao, Bagulin, Bauang, and Balaoan, La Union; Vigan City. Candon City, Sinait, Tagudin, and Galimuyod, Ilocos Sur; and Pinili and Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The farmers were also brought to various backyard and commercial goat farms in Regions I and III and in the Central Luzon State University to be, ame more familiar with the latest trends in goat production and appreciate technologies.

PUBLIC SUPPORT
Amazingly, the project got considerable public support. At the provincial level, Pangasinan gave the highest financial support as follows: livestock upgrading, P1.74 million; small-scale dairy goat farming, PL675 million; veterinary medical mission, PLS million; breeding, P581,685; and rotational buck every two years, 10 head.

Ilocos Sur provided P1.621 million for goat upgrading in eight sites. From this amount, 98 breeder bucks were bought and given as loans to farmer beneficiaries. In Ilocos Norte, the provincial government shelled out P933,000 for goat upgrading and training in 17 sites. The La Union provincial government also shelled out money; it released P125,000 for goat upgrading in Bacnotan, Tubao and Naguilian.

Local government, on one hand, shouldered some of the financial requirements and assigned their agricultural technologists to the project. For the purchase of breeder bucks and does alone, which were loaned out to FLS graduates, the municipal and city governments spent a total of P3.75 million.

For each site, other expenses shouldered by the LGUs were: training, P10;000-P20,000; educational tours. P15,000-P25,000; conduct of FLS. P5,000-P10,000; drugs and biologics. P5,000-P10,000; forage seeds, P2,000-P5,000.

In a community action research project that complemented the goat development project, the Bureau of Agricultural Research also provided breeder loans in 19 barangays in Alaminos City, Mangatarem, and Sta. Maria, Pangasinan; Tubao, La Union; Candon City, Ilocos Sur; and Pinili, Ilocos Norte. A breeder loan consisted of eight upgraded breeder bucks per site to serve 200 does.

Furthermore, the Senate Committee on Agriculture provided and undisclosed amount for 12 expansion sites in La Union and Pangasinan with 129 beneficiaries.

TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION
Dr. Datum said that in just a short time, the farmers adopted the technologies introduced to them. She sitessed that the livestock dispersal scheme of the government, which is actually a doleout system, was avoided because of its history of failures. Rather, capacity building empowered them with wisdom and right attitude, enabling them to easily adopt the new technology. And after a year, the total number of farmers who adopted the new technology increased by 74 percent.

Housing, deworming and upgrading were the top three technologies that were adopted. This indicates that the most important technologies are those that can solve high mortality (66 percent), high morbidity (50.5 percent), and slow growth. Mortality has decreased by 95 percent, while morbidity has been reduced by 83 percent.

Parasitic load and respiratory diseases were reduced by the adoption of elevated housing with stall feeding and regular deworming. Aside from chemical deworming, parasites were also controlled by late grazing and rapid rotational grazing. The most adopted technologies on feed supplementation were the use of tree legumes (ipil-ipil, katuray and camachile) and urea-molasses-mineral block.

They have also maximized their use of crop residues like rice straw, corn stalk, and corn cob and, hence, do not experience feed shortage during the long dry season which normally lasts for eight months in Ilocos.

EFFECTS
Through the project, Dr. Datum said; the farmers had a sense of worth and pride. “[They] have developed their potential as they gained knowledge on the new goat production technologies, inspiring other farmers to follow their example.”

The development workers have also gained much from the project; they were able to improve their knowledge, skills and became more competent in the extension delivery system. They are now inspired, motivated and strengthened to work better with passion and commitment. As a result, they have inspired farmers and convinced local officials to continue supporting worthy projects.

More importantly, “the development workers can now be proud to claim that service is the thing of most worth,” Dr. Datuin said.

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Goat raising intensified
By Carmelito Q. Francisco   Published : 2009-01-07


THE regional office of the Department of Agriculture will intensify its goat raising program because of the very huge markets that wait for production.


Dr. Rafael T. Mercado, chief of the Livestock Division in the region, pointed out that two big consumers of goat, Brunei and Dubai, have already asked his office where they could source goats.
Brunei wants to buy about 1,000 goats a month, while Dubai has a higher requirement of about 3,000 goats a month. Added to this is the unfilled local market demand of about “15 to 20 folds” of the production, Mercado said.
At present, there are four million goats in the country, with about 372,000 goats in the Davao Region, he added. 
“That is how big the market is,” he said, adding that the biggest consumers are Luzon and the Visayas, while Mindanao is still a very small market. Despite the local demand, the country has not been importing goats, Mercado added.
The agency has already come up with a roadmap that will intensify the raising of goats, particularly in securing funding for the program. Mercado said the agency has also started discussing with government financing institutions like the Land Bank of the Philippines, the Quedan Rural Credit and Guarantee Corp. and the Development Bank of the Philippines for possible financing schemes for goat raising.
Mercado pointed out that at present, some goat raisers are using their own funds or coming up with own initiatives in funding their goat raising projects. “This is one of the biggest obstacles, so we are tapping the government funding agencies to fund the program,” he added.
The technical support will come from the government agency, he added, pointing out that his office has made the project one of the priorities.  At present, the agency has gone into unified insemination program to produce the best goat species, although local growers claimed the best species is the cross between the local goat and those imported from Israel.
Several areas in Mindanao have gone into goat raising projects because of the demand of the local market, he added.
A goat raiser in Mati City, Davao Oriental, Bobong M. Alcantara, confirmed that goat raising is profitable. As an example, a 10-head herd in two years will at least result in about P150,000 profit from a P50,000 capital. 
Alcantara said this can even grow higher if the raiser takes care of everything and does not hire someone for the labor requirement of the project. What can increase the profit, he added, is the dairy production as goats also produce edible milk.
“What must be done is for the project proponent to study every aspect of the project before implementing it because this will allow the raiser to find out its profitability,” he said.

[mikey]

Written by Danny O. Calleja / Correspondent     
Tuesday, 06 January 2009 21:27 


SORSOGON CITY—From hogs, livestock raisers here are shifting to goats following encouragements from the city government that assured the profitability of goat-raising compared with hogs given the high cost of commercial hog feeds.

Goats are easier and more economical to raise compared with hogs and other livestock, and the present demand for its meat and milk assures good prices that would make a raiser earn as much as P40,000 a month, city veterinarian Alex Destura said on  Tuesday.

Unlike hogs and poultry that require expensive commercial feeds, goats only need an area of graze on grass and weeds that easily grow on any soil and climate condition in the locality, Destura said.

Tending on goats also does not require much time and effort, particularly when it is only a backyard raising composed of at least 10 heads, he added.

City councilor Roberto Dollison, chairman of the committee on agriculture of the city legislative council, who sponsored a resolution promoting goat-raising as another alternative livelihood undertaking for local farmers, said the city government had already adopted the measure as an agriculture-based livelihood project.

By this year, Dollison said, the city government is expected to provide funds for the purchase of high-breed goat multipliers like Boer, Saanen and Anglo Nubian bucks to boost local stocks.

Some small-scale goat raisers in the city already have some of these breed as multipliers and doing good in crossing them with locals, he said.

“Goat raising had been proving to be a highly doable agricultural development in the Philippines that is fast attracting farmers and farm owners, considering the growing demand for goat meat not only in the domestic market but abroad as well,” Dollison said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Saudi Arabia wanted to import at least 12 million head of goat from the Philippines on a seasonal basis yearly or during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in December.

Muslims are obliged to attend the six-day festival at least once in a lifetime, and each pilgrim is required to offer goats as sacrifice.

In the local setting, Dollison said, the live weight of a goat already cost P120 per kilo and Central Luzon demands at least 500 heads daily for its growing goat-meat consumers.

Given this bright opportunity, Dollison, himself a goat raiser for the past five years, said he had spearheaded the organization of local goat raisers to facilitate transfer of technology and other requirements for the improvement of this livelihood undertaking.

The City Veterinary Office had been in constant interactions with this goat-raisers’ association and providing technical assistance in terms of health care for their stocks, appropriate feeds identification and other involved aspects, he added.   

Dioneda said his administration that has focused on agricultural productivity in line with the food-security program of the national government had embraced goat-raising as among the livelihood initiatives that need  local government assistance toward development.

“We are coordinating with the DA so that our goat raisers are provided with appropriate assistance in improving this industry they are into. Stocks enhancement and marketing assistance would also be provided by the city government,” he added.

 

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Goat dairying has potential
 


By Zac B. Sarian

THE goat industry in the Philippines has gone a long way. A lot of improved breeds have been introduced, and more importantly, improved technologies have been developed to make goat farming a profitable venture. The main thrust in the past several years, however, was the production of meat animals.


The time has come for entrepreneurs to focus also on goat dairying. This particular branch of the goat industry has its own potential. The opportunities are there to be tapped.

We recently met Toti Almeda, the young fellow in charge of marketing at the Alaminos Goat Farm in Laguna. We asked him how goes the demand for goat’s milk these days. And he said that now the biggest chain of malls in the country is selling their fresh milk. He said that earlier last year, they were limiting their production to 60 liters a day just to meet the demand from their customers then which did not yet include SM. Late last year, Toti said the production has gone up to 120 liters a day. And by April the production will be no less than 200 liters a day.

We asked if they are still producing cheese as they were trying to develop the same when we first met them (Rene, his father, and Art, his brother) earlier last year. No, they are not doing that because their present production is still short of the demand for fresh milk.

With the right breed (like Saanen), proper housing, balanced nutrition and other aspects of management, raising goats for milk can really be profitable. As what Rene has told us during our first meeting, one breeder goat can produce two liters of milk a day. Actually, at the time of our first visit, the 40 goats on the milkline produced an average of 2.3 liters each that day. A breeder goat can be milked for 10 months or about 300 days after it has given birth. At two liters a day, one will produce 600 liters of milk in one lactation. The current price is P125 per liter, hence the gross from just one head is really substantial. Granting, the average yield is just one liter a day, still the gross will still be high. And add to that the value of one or two kids produced in one breeding.

Alaminos Goat Farm has a modern milk bottling plant right in its farm.

Of course, the Almedas are also multiplying their meat-type breeds of Boer and Anglo Nubian. They are continually monitoring the performance of their breeders and selecting the outstanding ones. One selection they are very excited about is what they call the Mitra line of Anglo Nubian. This line consists of progenies of a breeder that produces multiple kids of as many as four at a time.
 

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Tired of raising hogs? Try goat-raising       
Economy 
Written by Danny O. Calleja / Correspondent     
Tuesday, 06 January 2009 21:27 


SORSOGON CITY—From hogs, livestock raisers here are shifting to goats following encouragements from the city government that assured the profitability of goat-raising compared with hogs given the high cost of commercial hog feeds.

Goats are easier and more economical to raise compared with hogs and other livestock, and the present demand for its meat and milk assures good prices that would make a raiser earn as much as P40,000 a month, city veterinarian Alex Destura said on  Tuesday.

Unlike hogs and poultry that require expensive commercial feeds, goats only need an area of graze on grass and weeds that easily grow on any soil and climate condition in the locality, Destura said.

Tending on goats also does not require much time and effort, particularly when it is only a backyard raising composed of at least 10 heads, he added.

City councilor Roberto Dollison, chairman of the committee on agriculture of the city legislative council, who sponsored a resolution promoting goat-raising as another alternative livelihood undertaking for local farmers, said the city government had already adopted the measure as an agriculture-based livelihood project.

By this year, Dollison said, the city government is expected to provide funds for the purchase of high-breed goat multipliers like Boer, Saanen and Anglo Nubian bucks to boost local stocks.

Some small-scale goat raisers in the city already have some of these breed as multipliers and doing good in crossing them with locals, he said.

“Goat raising had been proving to be a highly doable agricultural development in the Philippines that is fast attracting farmers and farm owners, considering the growing demand for goat meat not only in the domestic market but abroad as well,” Dollison said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Saudi Arabia wanted to import at least 12 million head of goat from the Philippines on a seasonal basis yearly or during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in December.

Muslims are obliged to attend the six-day festival at least once in a lifetime, and each pilgrim is required to offer goats as sacrifice.

In the local setting, Dollison said, the live weight of a goat already cost P120 per kilo and Central Luzon demands at least 500 heads daily for its growing goat-meat consumers.

Given this bright opportunity, Dollison, himself a goat raiser for the past five years, said he had spearheaded the organization of local goat raisers to facilitate transfer of technology and other requirements for the improvement of this livelihood undertaking.

The City Veterinary Office had been in constant interactions with this goat-raisers’ association and providing technical assistance in terms of health care for their stocks, appropriate feeds identification and other involved aspects, he added.   

Dioneda said his administration that has focused on agricultural productivity in line with the food-security program of the national government had embraced goat-raising as among the livelihood initiatives that need  local government assistance toward development.

“We are coordinating with the DA so that our goat raisers are provided with appropriate assistance in improving this industry they are into. Stocks enhancement and marketing assistance would also be provided by the city government,” he added
 

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Firm Creates Market for Processed Goat Meat
Goat farmers may soon have a new market for goat meat as Fortress Food Manufacturing Corporation embarks on two new canned products - sinampalukang kambing(chevon with tamarind soup) and kalderetang kambing(chevon stew).

Amelia R. Coronel, Fortress Food’s general manager, said that the two new products would soon be available commercially after it recently got the Halal certification from the Islamic Dawah Council of the Philippines (IDCP). This means that these products comply with the Islamic standards on food, allowing the Muslim consumers to make canned goat meat as a part of their diet.

There is an increasing demand for less popular meat products that are nutritious but have less cholesterol compared to other meats. “Goat meat can be a good substitute, which contains less fat yet is comparable to other meat in terms of taste,” Coronel added.

With the commercialization of canned goat meat, the demand for goat would increase in the coming months. For their monthly requirement, Coronel estimates that they will need about 30 to 50 head of goats a day for a daily production rate of 3,000 to 5,000 cans per shift. “Production can go to as high as 10,000 cans a day if we go on double shift,” she said.

To ensure the supply of goat meat for canning, Fortress Food has contracted local raisers. It is also cooperating with the Federation of Goat and Sheep Producers Association of the Philippines for additional supply of goat. Coronel said that they prefer the meat-type breeds over the native breed because of the former’s higher meat yield. Soon, the company will be putting up its own goat farm for a regular source of goat meat.

Currently, the company has already its own slaughterhouse and processing plant located at Ma. Corazon Subdivision, Cupang, Antipolo City. The slaughterhouse, which is intended solely for goat slaughter, and the processing plant are both accredited by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS).

Apart from the local market, Fortress Food is also eyeing to export its canned goat meat products. “We would also like to make these products available to the overseas Filipino workers abroad, aside from our Muslim brothers,” Coronel said. She also stressed that there is a need to educate the consumers on the health benefits from eating chevon, adding that it is not only for pulutan but can also be a part of a healthy diet.

The company has been continuously receiving inquiries from interested parties since it launched the products at the recent International Food Exhibition (IFEX) held at the World Trade CenterManila.

Established in 2002, Fortress Food Manufacturing Corporation also produces canned laing (taro leaves in coconut milk) and puso ng saging (banana blossom in coconut milk) which are exported to US, Australia, Dubai, Jeddah and Singapore.

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Adding Value to Traditional Goat Products (Conclusion)
More and more goat raisers are taking the road less travelled and are discovering value-added goat products.

The surging interest in goat as an investment area for livelihood and enterprise among business is booming for both the small and the commercial scale goat raisers. Indeed, they have become unbelievably even as the surging investments in goats for livelihood and enterprise has OFWs, government retirees, balikbayans, livelihood programs of government and NGOs interested in the money-making venture.

Much of what is being said about goat production today is how to produce slaughter and breeder goats efficiently and profitably. But unknown to many traditional players in the industry, there are a few who dared the odds and won. These determined individuals went beyond conventional methods and took the paths less traveled. They ventured into goat dairy, production of personal care products from goat milk, certification of a Halal slaughter house and processing chevon into a certified exportable Halal product.

Elmer Rivera. Another dedicated milk man is Elmer Rivera, 33, owner of St Elmo’s Goat Farm and President of Region 4 Small Ruminant Raisers Association. He started the business three years ago when everybody had gone gaga over owning a Boer as the imported goat breed for modern day Filipino goat raisers.

Never a blind follower, Elmer decided to use instead the Anglo Nubian breed and its crosses (Native x Anglo Nubian) and resolved to stake out a niche in the growing market for goat products. Just like the Almedas, he focused on goat dairy to be different from the expanding number of players in the goat industry.

His farm is in Nasugbu, Batangas while his markets for fresh milk, choco milk, cheese, yoghurt and soap are in Tagaytay city, selected retail outlets and weekend markets. He has also regular customers like Ms. Yolly Raca of KALPANA, who purchases goat milk and processes it to vanity products such as soap, creams/ lotion (whitening and moisturizing) and even exfoliants.

Because his farm is small, this jolly, typically hard working Batangueno, and certified eligible bachelor, gathers forages from vacant areas near his farm to supplement and sustain the daily feed requirements of his dairy animals. He maximizes the use of his farm by growing a combination of improved grasses and tree legumes, very ideal for dairy production.

Managing the dairy farm is a dawn to dusk commitment of Elmer. He believes that every drop and squirt of his daily milk collection of around 30 to 40 kg really counts financially in this unique business of goat dairying. Because of increasing demand for goat milk, he sources additional supply from his “goat buddies” the likes of Neo Abalos and Martin Poblador in Lian, Batangas.

Despite the challenges in the business, this milk man declares that goat raising is very fulfilling. economically and psychologically. For this reason, he is quick to make the funny, comforting and maybe ‘blasphemous’ remarks that St. Elmo’s goat is sacred because it is indeed, ” g… the father, g… the son and g…the holy Goat!” And hastily with a wide smile. he says ” if its St Elmo’s its ‘goatta’ and gotta be good”.

Gutsy ladies
The adjective aptly describes these two lady entrepreneurs who have decided to add value to the primary products from goat.

Yolly Raca. This chemist has been very aggressively supporting the goat industry by creating an allied business on personal care products with goat milk as an important component. Yolly buys the milk from St. Elmo’s Goat. Her KALPANA company brand has soap variants for moisturizing and also whitening already in the local market. In fact, aside from the 25 percent goat milk in the bar of soap, included in the formulation is virgin coconut oil - an ingredient reported wondrous effects on human skin. Already in the offing are milk based lipsticks and creams formulated to suit the discriminating taste of the modern Filipina.

Her frequent travels abroad and her participation in trade expos gave her the exposure and confidence necessary to venture into this high end value adding product from goat. For Filipinos conscious about personal care, it is common to find one will occasionally skip a meal and use the money to buy a vanity product instead. Thus, despite the umpteen soaps and soap brands in the market, Yolly’s products will easily penetrate the local market for personal care products. What’s more, these products are especially formulated for the Filipino skin. What a fragrant prospect indeed!

Amelia Coronel. She is the general manager of Fortress Food Mfg Corporation which sells certified Halal goat meat in different variants such as kalderetang kambing (chevon stew), sinampalukang kambing (chevon with tamarind soup) and papaitang kambing (chevon offals soup). The Corporation’s abattoir has been certified technically by the National Meat Inspection Commission while the orientation and physical location of the abattoir, the slaughtering process, the meat and the canned products are certified by the Islamic Dawah Council of the Philippines.

As Halal certified, the canned products can already be exported to the Middle East and even to Malaysia. According to Mel and Yolly (Yolly Raca is also a partner of Fortress Food), the investment in the Halal certified slaughter house and canned products has challenged them. Now that their products are already in supermarkets (Makro is one), it inspires them immensely.

Today, these courageous ladies are excited about their participation to the Philippine Food Caravan in the Gulf this year. As a new comers in the business, they have to exploit all opportunities for exposure and promotion. Furthermore, the vast market of the East offers many possibilities with the thousands of Filipino OFWs there longing for the ‘lutong pinoy’- a delicious longing the lady duo is trying to address and capture.

Finding the niche
As the goat industry continues to expand, allied industries will also grow hand in hand with it. Along with this expansion will be greater opportunities to participate in the vibrant dynamics to create value adding products from a traditional commodity. Innovation and creativity will then be the keys to finding one’s niche in this still limited enterprise of commercializing products from goats beyond the slaughter and breeder animals.

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Alaminos Goat Farm  Issued License to Operate by BFADMarch 2, 2009

 

Alaminos Goat Farm (AGF) became the first commercial dairy goat farm in the Philippines to be issued a License To Operate (LTO) as manufacturer of dairy products by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD). It was issued LTO No RDII-RIV­-F-2966 last February 23, 2009. Getting the LTO from BFAD opens the door for Milk Star marketing to open more outlets in Mega Manila.
 

AGF have worked hard to comply with the technical and documentary requirements of BFAD. We would like to acknowledge the guidance of BFAD head for Region 4A Josephine Padilla RPh, MPA and inspector Helen Jariel. They have guided us by sharing their expertise and wisdom for us to be able to comply and improve our system in producing clean, safe and delicious fresh pasteurized goat's milk
 
 

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Probe sought into alleged NPA raid on MNLF farm
03/14/2009 | 03:56 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | ShareThisKIDAPAWAN, Philippines – The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) urged authorities on Saturday to investigate the alleged harassment of a group of armed men who identified themselves as members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) in a town in North Cotabato.

Datu Dima Ambil of the MNLF Sebangan Kutawato State Revolutionary Committee (MNLF-SKSRC) in North Cotabato said eight armed men wearing military uniform ransacked on Friday last week the farm house owned by a tribal group in President Roxas town, North Cotabato.

Ambil said the farm lot is a livelihood project of the MNLF in North Cotabato manned by tribal people who are all MNLF members.

“The suspects destroyed the bamboo fence of the farm lot that housed 33 cross-bred goats. The goats would be dispersed to our people in the area," said Ambil in a press statement.

Ambil said the farm caretaker, awakened by the noise created by the entry of the armed men, was surprised to see rifles aimed at him.

When the caretaker asked who they were, the armed men identified themselves as NPA members and that they only wanted his rifles and mobile phones.

Ambil said the armed men took from his caretaker a 12-gauge shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver.

The armed men fled toward the boundary of the villages of Tuael and Mabuhay, both in President Roxas, and killing a pregnant Anglo-Nubian-bred goat and caused wounds on six other farm animals when the armed men struck the animals with hard objects.

Ambil said the MNLF project in President Roxas was funded by the North Cotabato provincial government and the United Nations’ World Food Program.

“We, the MNLF, denounce this kind of violence. We also urged other pro-poor NGOs and other peoples’ organization to condemn the same," Ambil said as he urged police to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident in order to unmask the perpetrators.

Ambil complained that a week has passed now but the police has yet to furnish him a copy of their investigation. Malu Cadeliňa Manar, GMANews.TV

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Why Invest in Goats?

Goats are very popular among Filipinos because they require low initial capital investment, fit the smallhold farm conditions, and multiply fast. Culturally, goats are integral to every special occasion such as birthdays, baptisms, weddings, and fiestas. Hence, they command a higher price compared with other meats in the market.

Goats require low maintenance because they eat tree leaves, weeds, grasses, and agricultural by-products. They are not only a source of protein for Filipinos, but they also provide the much-needed income. In fact, goats provide livelihood to about 15 million Filipinos across the country today.

As goat production requires low initial investment and small risks compared to other livestock species, it is thus an attractive undertaking among resource-poor families. Moreover, women and children can raise the species, making it a sound option to augment the country’s programs on livelihood.

At the moment, there is an increase in demand for goats. Although total goat inventory in the country is steadily increasing at 2% per year, still there is not enough supply to meet current demands. It is expected that this increased demand will last to 2020, the year when supply is projected to meet demand.

Considering these, goat production is indeed a promising venture and anyone interested to go into this business is expected to reap positive rewards.

What products do I get from goats?

The following table briefly discusses the possible business enterprises one can focus on, the required investment, the final product and estimated income, and the potential market for the products (figures based on 2006 data):

Business Investment Product Market
Sale of breeders Pure or upgraded Nubian, Toggenburg, or Boer buck (P7,500 to 12,500/hd) +
Native or upgraded does (P1,500 to 4,000/hd) Pure or upgraded breeders for sale (P3,000-12,500/hd) Private multiplier farms and government institutions
Sale of goat meat or live slaughter goats 1 upgraded Boer for every 25 females +
100 does for every 1 slaughter goat for sale per day; 200 does for 2 goats/day sale; and 300 does for 3 goats/day sale Live animal for sale (P120 to 180/kilo
or minimum of 4,500/hd per day)
Processed meat
like “tapa,” “tocino” or “satey kambing” Meat vendors in the wet marketKambingan restaurants, hotels

Supermarkets
 
Buck-for-hire Pure or upgraded  buck Buck service (P50 to 150/service) Goat raisers in the village
Sale of products from goat’s milk Pure or upgraded    goats of the Anglo  Nubian (AN) or Saanen breedTools and equipment for pasteurization of milk Goat milk (0.7-2 kg in 215-250 days of milking)Yogurt, cheese

Soap, lotion
 Market where fresh milk is soldCosmetic manufacturing companies

How do I start my goat business?

To start a profitable goat business, one has to have th following production inputs:

For backyard operation

a. Investment

Goat house
Breeding stocks
b. Operating expenses

Veterinary medicines
Vaccines
Concentrates
Additional feed supplements For commercial or large-scale operation
c. Fixed investment

Land
Goat house
Fences
Pasture area
Water pump
Feeding trough
Spade
Wheelbarrow
Ropes
d. Stocks

Breeding does
Breeding bucks
e. Operating expenses

Veterinary medicines, drugs, and vaccines
Feed supplements and goat rations
Labor: fixed and seasonal
Repair and maintenance of goat house fences, equipment, and pasture
How much initial investment is needed and how much profit will I get?

Goat raising is highly profitable. With minimal initial capital investment of P 67,250 for 25-doe level; P 174,500 for 50-doe level; or P 349,000 for 100-doe-level, positive net income and retum-on-investment (ROI) are realized, even as early as the first year. The ROI for 5 years is 67% from a 25-doe level operation under semi-confinement scheme and 60% from 50- and 100-doe level operations under pure confinement system. Payback period is 2 years.

The projected income statement by type of operation is plotted below (figures based on 2006 data):

5-Year Range (in Pesos) 25-Doe
Level 50-Doe
Level 100-Doe
Level
Total expenses 373,262 762,002 1,524,004
Total income (sale of
stocks + stock inventory value 623,750 1,219,500 2,439.000
Net income 250,000 457,498 914,996
ROI (%) 67 60 60

Next read: Raising Goats and Tips

[mikey]

Business Opportunities & Livestock agri_center on 08 Jan 2009

There’s money in goat farming


LOOKING for a farming venture that is not only environment-friendly but profitable as well? The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resources Research and Development (Pcarrd) suggests raising goats.

“Goats are very popular among Filipinos because they require low initial capital investment, fit the small-hold farm conditions, and multiply fast,” explained the Laguna-based Pcarrd in its investment briefer. “Culturally, goats are integral to every special occasion such as birthdays, baptisms, weddings, and fiestas. Hence, they command a higher price compared with other meats in the market.”

Goats require low maintenance because they eat tree leaves, grasses, weeds, and agricultural by-products. “Goats require less feed than cows and carabaos,” said Rowe Celeste, the livestock supervisor of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation Inc. in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

About 10 native goats can be fed on the feedstuffs sufficient for one cattle. And, about six to seven purebred dairy goats can be fed on the feedstuffs adequate for one dairy cow.

“Although a goat is small, she can produce as much as four liters of milk a day if she is purebred and is given a ration to meet all of her nutritional requirements,” Celeste informed.

In a study conducted by a government agency, it was found out that goats are multi-purpose ruminants producing 58.4 percent milk, 35.6 percent meat, and 4.3 percent hide, and 1.7 percent fiber. According to them, these small ruminants can provide the answer to improve nutritional requirements of the predominantly rural farm families scattered all over the archipelago.

As goat production requires low initial investment and small risks compared to other livestock, it is therefore an attractive undertaking among resource-poor families.

In addition, women and children can raise the animals, making it a sound option to augment the country’s programs on livelihood. Goats provide livelihood to about 15 million Filipinos across the country, according to Pcarrd.

Despite this, goat farming is still not very popular among Filipinos and no one exactly knows how many goats are there in the country. Pcarrd claims that the total goat inventory is “steadily increasing” at two percent per year. This supply is still not enough to meet the current demands.

“We expect that the increased demand will last to 2020 when the project supply can meet the demand of the consumers,” Pcarrd said.

The optimum potential of goat as one of the main sources of milk and meat has not been fully tapped in the country. The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics of the Department of Agriculture reported that the total number of goats in the country is about 3,355,574.

Most of the goat farms are concentrated in Southern Luzon and various parts of Mindanao.

In Mindanao, goat farming is considered a “sunshine industry.” The country’s second largest island has a large Muslim population and goat meat is considered Halal food. There is also a big demand in the international market, particularly the Middle East.

There are at least 12 known goat species but only a relatively small number of breeds are used economically. The Philippine or common goat is small but hardy. It weighs about 25 kilograms at maturity. Its average daily milk production is about 350 grams, with a butterfat content of around 4.6 percent. Its color range is either red or black or a combination of these colors.

The Dadiangas goat is common in Dadiangas (now known as General Santos City), South Cotabato. The breed is a mixture of native, Nubian and Jamnapari goats and some animals may even have some Alpine or Saanen blood. The milk production and butterfat content are marginally higher than native goats and they do best in the drier areas of the country.

Of the introduced breeds in the country, Anglo Nubian performs the best along with the newer introduced Boer goats. The dairy breeds such as the Saanen, Toggenburg and French Alpine perform relatively poorly.

“If you cannot secure purebred stock, you can start with the best female goats available in your area,” Celeste suggested. “Breed them with purebreds or upgraded stock. Then, select only their offspring and discard the undesirable ones (you can either sell them or butcher them for meat). Continue this procedure each year, and you will soon have desirable goat stocks.”

Goat is highly profitable, Pcarrd said. With minimal initial capital investment of P67,250 for 25-doe level; P174,500 for 60-doe level; or P349,000 for 100-doe level, positive net income and return-on-investment (ROI) are realized, even as early as the first year.

The ROI for five years is 67 percent from a 25-doe level operation under semi confinement scheme and 60 percent from 50- and 100-doe level operations under pure confinement system. Payback period is two years.

The MBRLC conducts regular training on goat raising at its center in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. For details, contact them via email (mbrlc@mozcom.com [3]) or you can call their office at this number: 064-533-2378.

By: Henrylito D. Tacio

Source: sunstar.com.ph

"this is a remarkable claim that a pb goat can give up to 4 liters of milk per day"

[mikey]

Good Forage : Key To Successful Goat Raising


"There are grasses around my area. I can get them from the roadsides, under coconut trees and even in our backyard" says Manong Doming, recipient of goat dispersal program of a government project.

Manong Doming was given five upgraded does. But after six months, he sold his breeding stock due to shortage of forage. "There was a drought," he explained, adding that other recipients like him also got their forage from the same area where he used to harvest. When asked how much he received for the goats, he said, "I sold them half the original price. My goats were thin and no one would buy it if I sell them at the original price."

Most backyard goat raisers often overlook the importance of nutrition as one of the leading factors in goat production. "Good nutrition gives good production and consequently higher income," points out a livestock specialist. "This can be only achieved if you have good quality forage for your animals." Although forage is the main source of nutrients that most goats need, forage isn't enough to meet the nutrient requirement for production; concentrates are also needed.

Complete grazing and tethering feeding systems are common to backyard farmers who raise three to five native does. Most of the large-scale farmers, on the other hand, use semi-confinement system and most of them raise upgraded goats and crosses. But whatever system a farmer adopts, he needs to have a good pasture area.

Before buying the breeding stock, a farmer must prepare the forage area, which should be large enough to meet the dry matter (DM) requirement of each animal per year.

But even before that, a farmer must know the kinds of plants growing in the farm. Are these plants beneficial or not? Most plants with broad leaves are considered poisonous to animals so they must be eliminated from the pasture area. Among these plants are talong-talungan, lantana, barak, hagonoy, mangkit, and kudzu (which causes diarrhea among animals).

Among the beneficial plants that could be used for goats are grasses like kulape,
balbas kalabaw, baning usa, tinitigro, Digitaria species, and Cyperus species. The following legumes are also palatable to goats: makahiya, centrosema, paving pyang, balatong aso, marring aso, tagumtagum, and Desmodium pulcellum.

Some goats also like to eat broadleaves like sapin-sapin, luya-luyahan, tuhod manok, and dilang aso and shrub-type trees like ipil-ipil, kakawate and buvabas.

In Mindanao, most farmers plant native grasses and improved grasses for their goats. Few farmers including Janoz Laquihon use legumes as forage. In an exclusive interview, he said he prefers legumes as main feed since he started raising goats in 1998. When he was still in high school, he used to wake up at five in the morning to help his father establish their forage area.

Janoz and his dad planted rows of ipil-ipil, but Janoz wondered why they planted such until he reached college. "I learned that legumes have higher nutritive value and digestibility compared to improved pasture grasses. Unlike other grasses - which are tagged as `parasites of the soil' since they vie with plants for nutrients, thus, increasing the need and expenditure on fertilizers - legumes help by fixing nitrogen from the air."

Thirteen percent of coconut plantation in the Philippines is used for animal production, according to Alex Castillo, director of International Training Center of Pig Husbandry. However, the available grasses under coconut trees have lower nutritive value (45-50 percent) and even lower crude protein levels (11-13 percent). Experts are now looking for alternative systems.

Integrating improved grasses or leguminous shrubs/trees in the farm could be the best alternative. One institution that has been promoting this kind of scheme is the Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Inc. Under its Sloping Agro-Livestock Technology (SALT 2), a modification of Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT), 12 dairy does and one buck are raised in half-a-hectare farm. The farm is divided into two components: one component for forage crops and another for agricultural crops. Goats are raised at the center of these two components. The goat manure is utilized as fertilizer for both the forages and agricultural crops.

Among the recommended legumes as forage for goats are the following: Leucaena
leucocephala, Desmodium rensonii, lndigof'era and, Gliricidia sepium and Arachis pintoi. All these could be planted six months before the stocks arrive.

LEGUMES As FORAGE CROPS
Leucaena leucocephala, or ipil-ipil to most Filipinos, was brought by the Spaniards to the Philippines as animal feed. A research conducted in 1981 showed that giving higher amount of fresh ipil-ipil leaves (75 percent DM) has adverse effect to pregnant animals. Other effects were seen in heat cycle, number of kids per kidding and growth of kids. This could be attributed to the anti-nutritional substances like mimosine and condensed tannin.

Another researcher recommends that only 30 percent of ipil-ipil mixed with other forages must be given to animals. Another study debunked this idea when it showed that wilted ipil-ipil has no detrimental effect when feed to Nubian goats.

Meanwhile, a ruminant nutritionist found that milk quality was improved when goats are fed with 30 percent ipil-ipil combined with Bracharia mutica. Jeffrey Palmer, former director of MBRLC, said that goats fed with ipil-ipil have higher milk produced (2.25 kilograms per day) compared to goats fed with D. rensonii and FF macrophylla.

In meat type goats, two researchers found that a combination of 30 percent rice straw, 50 percent dried ipil-ipil leaves, and 20 percent rice bran can give a live weight gain of 60 grams per day among native goats, while higher proportion of ipil-ipil (70 percent) only gives a live weight gain of 36 grams per day.

Ipil-ipil as well as other fodder trees/ legumes D. rensonii, FF congesta and I. and - could be planted under shady areas like those planted to coconuts. In Davao Oriental, coconut farmers- integrate legumes in their farms. One farmer in the municipality of Manay claims that planting legumes under the coconut trees increases coconut yield. The farmer stopped using fertilizer since he planted legumes under the coconut trees.

Few farmers said they have trouble finding the coconuts they harvested because of the tall shrubs grown under the coconut trees. To solve this problem, experts recommend that legumes be planted in line with the coconut rows or in a ring form (surrounding the coconut). Another solution is to plant creeping legumes like A. pintoi or centrosema. Livestock fed with centrosema and native pasture grasses grew higher compared to animals feed with native pasture alone. Experts have also confirmed that planting legumes don't have detrimental effect on coconut.

A. pintoi from Australia is an ornamental creeping plant with yellow flowers. Studies have shown that it has high nutritive value and known to suppress the growth of weeds and to control soil erosion. Another advantage is that arachis can withstand heavy grazing compared to other creeping legumes. Arachis can be planted either as cover crop and/or forage.

F macrophylla is an erect woody native shrub and is known to withstand long dry periods since the plant retains most of its trifoliate leaves. Likewise, flemingia can also tolerate water logging and can grow well in acidic soil. Studies have shown that young leaves are more palatable compared to the older leaves. The protein content ranges from 14.5 percent to 17.9 percent.

Kakawate (G. sepium) is commonly planted as live fence or as post for growing black pepper. Although seeds can be used in planting, most people use cuttings. At the MBRLC, goats are given 20 percent of kakawate in combination with D. rensonii (55 percent), FF macrophylla (20 percent) and ipil-ipil (5 percent).

The leguminous forages mentioned above are just some of the species farmers can grow in their farms. They can plant other species, however. But before doing so, be sure to consider the nutritive value of the species, reliable source of seeds or planting materials, survival rate (especially during the dry season and drought), and the-type of soil in the farm.

Successful goat raising does not only mean knowing the facts and learning the experiences of other farmers, but also adopting and adapting all these information in your own farm.

[mikey]

Dairy Production Seminar
     
Start:         Apr 4, '09 08:30a
End:         Apr 4, '09 5:00p

Location:         Livestock Office, Department of Agriculture, M Velez Street, Cebu City

A 1-day seminar on dairy goat milk production. We have 2 main speakers. One from the Mindanao Baptist Livelihood and Research Center in Davao and from the National Dairy Authority. Registration
Registration Fee: 500 pesos with snacks and lunch

[mikey]

Cities And Towns 

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La Union eyed to be RP's goat capital

SAN FERNANDO City, La Union, April 5 (PNA) -- La Union is expected to be the goat capital of the country with the recent organization of the La Union Goat Farmers Association.

President of the association is Rizalina Sabalburo of Bacnotan town with Eleno Natura of Balaoan as vice president; Roger Higoy, also of Balaoan as secretary and Winnie Minda Suniega of Bauang as treasurer.

The association has 16 initial members.

The association has lined up several activities which will enable its members to be more productive goat farmers.

Members of the group attended a demonstration on Organic Fertilizer Production from goat manure and other manures at the Pig Research and Extension (DPER) of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University at Barangay, Baroro, Bacnotan, La Union.

They also made a study tour to commercial goat farms in San Jacinto and Balungao, Pangasinan where they learned the best practices from the more successful farmers in the area.

The group also intends to buy upgraded bucks to improve the breed of goats in La Union.

The 16 members of the association are current beneficiaries of the program called the Consultancy for Agricultural Productivity Enhancement of the Department of Science and Technology.

Dr. Patricia Barcelo of Bauang, La Union, who serves as the Consultant, teaches the farmers with appropriate technologies on upgrading of goat breeds, housing, nutrition and feeding, and control of parasites. (PNA) 
 

[mikey]

BOER-GOAT-PHILIPPINES BREEDERS


Various agriculture and government officials in the Philippines province of North Cotabato province are recognizing the potential of goat exports to the Middle East in particular Saudi Arabia . The Vice Governor of the province has announced that that pure-bred Boer bucks will be given to those farms having at least 20 goats of any type.


As goat people know the Boer can produce significant amounts of quality goat meat and this has been recognized and acted on by goat growers in Mindanao . Mature Boers can weigh in from 90 to 140 kilos, and when compared with local goat breeds that usually only attain 30 kilos or less, says Vincent Garcia, one of the major Boer goat producers based near Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat. Goat production has the potential to boost farm incomes while they waited for harvesting of high value crops such as rubber, oil palm, and bananas.


In fact oil palm producers can utilize the very high protein palm kernel meal and maximize production. Saudi Arabia has signalled its intent to purchase goats from Mindanao and this has triggered the goat distribution program. They should be congratulated on recognizing potential and acting on it! Saudi Arabia is looking at Mindanao as a goat meat source of goat meat to meet the pilgrim requirements during the annual Hajj season that happens in December. Around 2 million goats are required daily to meet the demand!



BRAVEHEART BOER FARM


Braveheart Boer Farm The farm is located at the foot of Mt. Apo, the Philippines highest mountain in the Island of Mindanao. It has about 160 heads of traditional and red boers with breeding materials imported from the United States through known breeders like Kim Dougherty of Rawhide Ranch, Rebecca Cogswell Moonstone, Vickie Geddes of Tehachapi, Tom Sevigny of 70 Boers, Kim Ridpath of 3R Ranch and Jennifer Aguirre. Contact Manny Pinol at braveheart_efp@yahoo.com, URL: www.braveheartfarms.com, Barangay Paco, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato, Philippines. Phone: +639177182188