Pinoyagribusiness

LIVESTOCKS => CATTLE, CARABAO, GOAT & SHEEP => Topic started by: mikey on July 21, 2008, 04:17:45 AM



Title: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on July 21, 2008, 04:17:45 AM
Monday, July 21, 2008
Chronic arthritis of goats
By Henrylito D. Tacio

THE livestock industry is one of the fastest growing agricultural sectors in the Philippines and other parts of Asia. It is a vital industry linked to millions of jobs in related industries. However, the health and growth of this industry are being threatened by the emergence of animal diseases.

One animal disease that is getting attention among goat raisers is the caprine arthritis encephalitis (CAE), a viral infection of goats, which may lead to chronic disease of the joints. It sometimes also causes encephalitis in kids between two and six months old.

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This disease was first diagnosed in goats in 1974. Since that time, it has been diagnosed in North America, Europe, Kenya, Peru, Australia, and New Zealand.

According to the Taiwan-based Food and Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region, the disease was introduced to the Philippines through the importation of 54 goats from the United States (bought from Texas) in 1998.

A serious disease for the goat industry, CAE adversely affects health, production, and life expectancy in both dairy and meat-type goats. CAE has a long incubation period lasting from a few weeks to many months. Infection usually lasts for life.

CAE is caused by a virus that doesn't infect only goats but sheep as well. "The CAE virus is intimately associated with white blood cells; therefore, any body secretions which contain white blood cells are potential sources of virus to other goats in the herd," warns the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (WADDL) of the Washington State University.

Primarily, the CAE virus is transmitted to kids via colostrum in the first few feedings after birth. Blood (examples: contaminated instruments and open wounds) is regarded as the second most common way of spread. "Contact transmission between adult goats is considered to be rare except during lactation," WADDL assures.

In a milking herd, shared milking machines, milk contaminated hands or towels can also increase the risk of spreading the disease. In a meat herd, transmission can occur via needles, tattooing instruments, or dehorning equipment. Other possible methods of transmitting the disease include head butting to the point of drawing blood, eye-licking, biting, snorting and coughing, and urinating too near another goat's race.

Gail Bowman, coordinator for the International Boer Goat Association for the Northwestern United States who has contacted extensive research on the disease, found out that the risk of infection during sexual contact between the animals is possible in the exchange of saliva, estrus mucus, urine, semen, and nasal secretions.

The Merck Veterinary Manual claims that only 30 percent of infected animals develop a disease. There are three different forms of the disease: arthritis, mastitis, and encephalitis. Symptoms of arthritis include lameness, weight loss despite a normal appetite, poor hair coat, and reduction of milk yield. Arthritis is mainly visible on the carpal joints and may also involve the tarsal joints.

Mastitis, on the other hand, is characterized by a hard, hot and probably uneven udder with a dejected look and blood in milk. Signs of encephalitis include weakness, coordination disorders, and paralysis of hind limbs. Among kids between two and four months, there is complete paralysis. Lung involvement results in chronic pneumonia.

Since not all goats that become infected with CAE virus get the disease, it is important to test goats routinely for infection by means of a serology test, which detects viral antibodies in the serum. Bowman cautions, "However, CAE virus infection may not be serologically testable for months or years, and some infected animals that can transmit the disease may never show clinical symptoms at all."

A concern among Filipino consumers is whether it is all right to drink milk containing the CAE virus. The WADDL assures, "There is NO evidence that the CAE virus is transmissible to humans. However, there are other serious human pathogens which have been transmitted through raw milk."

Chris Cyr, of the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of Purdue University, and Bowman have listed the following recommendations to help control CAE virus in goat herds:

1. Remove kids from their dams immediately after birth to prevent contact with nasal secretions and nursing. "Be sure to prevent the does from licking their kids," Bowman adds. "Then take the kids inside and wash them in warm water, in a clean sink."

2. Feed kids only pasteurized milk and heat-treated colostrum. CAEV can be inactivated by heating colostrum at 56 degrees C (133 degrees F) for 60 minutes. Temperatures lower than this failed to prevent disease transfer. Using cow's milk and colostrum is acceptable if it is also heat-treated and pasteurized to prevent other neonatal infections.

3. Establish a serologic surveillance program. "Testing every six months appears sufficient in small herds with low seroprevalence," Cyr says.

4. Separate all possibly infected animals from uninfected animals by a double fence with at least 10 feet between the fences. "Do not use common feeder, waterers or salt blocks," Bowman points out.

5. When possible, do not breed infected animals to uninfected animals. "If negative and positive animals are mated, use a single hand-mating allowing minimal oral contact," Bowman suggests.

6. Avoid transmission by disinfecting equipment.


For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila.

For Bisaya stories from General Santos.Click here.

(This section is updated every Monday)



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 03, 2008, 10:36:29 AM
Large-Scale Goat Raising in Tarlac Shows the Way
By pinoyfarmer | July 10, 2007



For ANGIE MENDOZA of Tarlac, City, goat raising started as a way of making a 3.5-hectare mango farm productive during its early gestation period when the trees are not yet bearing.

Today, she has no less than 260 heads already, most of which are does, and yet she intends to have at least 200 does in her farm. This is because she found that indeed there is a good amount of money in large-scale goat production.

In a paper presented during the Second Small Ruminant Congress at the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) last March, Angie narrated in Filipino how she and a business partner went into large-scale goat raising, saying they already recovered their initial investments on this venture. She said a 3.5-hectare farm in the mountainous portion of Burgos, Tarlac bought in 1999 was planted with mangoes but she could not wait long enough for it to become productive.

While they were searching for ways of making the farm productive while waiting for the mango trees to bear fruit, a priest, who was a family friend, suggested that the most practical thing to do is to raise goats. “We were told that goat raising does not incur much expenses because the animals are not very delicate and they survive on grasses,” Angie said.

They started with a pair of Anglo Nubian doe and buck, which they bought from Rodinel Wong of San Jose City in Nueva Ecija. After that they continued to look around for stocks of large and beautiful goats. In the process, whenever they saw goats near the road, they would stop and asked people if the animals were for sale.

“We were able to buy many goats this way,” she said.

She added they were able to increase their purebred breeding animals last year by importing the Kiko breed from Texas and Boer from Australia. They also got Anglo Nubian breeders from the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center in Davao.

Most of their present stock,however, consist of upgraded does, which they bought from local raisers. The other does are offspring of their stock.

Of the more than 260 head that they had at the time of the goat congress, 180 upgraded does and their offspring were in the farm in Burgos. They also had 42 purebred Boer and Anglo Nubian in their farm in San Rafael, Tarlac City, which is located just beside their house. Another 41 upgraded bucks are in a rice farm in Batang-batang, Tarlac.

TRIALS AND ERRORS

Angie revealed that they went through a host of trials and errors as they increased their stock and learned to raise goats.

For instance, she said the first house they made for their animals was made of cement and steel, thinking that durability is most important. “We found out that what is most important is sanitation because it is bad for the animals to step and sleep on their wastes,” she said.

They also learned that the flooring must be elevated and has holes so that the wastes could pass through them. Now their new goat houses are made mostly of cheap, locally available materials like bamboo, coco lumber and sawali. It’s only the flooring that incurs considerable expense because it is made of plastic, which is better than wood. It is much easier to clean and dry, hence the animals are free from diseases.

Although they had great difficulty keeping their animals healthy at the start, they soon learned to cure health problems like scouring, colds, coughing and internal parasitic worms with the help of veterinarians and specialists of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and CLSU.

PRACTICES

In Burgos, the main goat house, 150 square meters ( sq m), serves as the quarters for the does and their offspring, which are below three months old. The kidding pens, 1 (1.5) sq m each, are located in this building. One to two weeks before a doe is expected to give birth, the animal is brought to the kidding pen so that kidding would not occur elsewhere.

The doe and her offspring stay in the pen for two weeks after giving birth to make sure the kid is able to suck milk from the mother.

There is a separate house where they keep their doelings. They stay there until they become one year old. Then they transfer the doeling to the main building when she has been bred already.

The bucks are also kept in a separate house where each of them is in an individual pen. They bring the does to the bucks for controlled mating.

To keep their animals healthy, they deworm every three months during the dry season and every other month during wet season. The animals were also given vitamin injections once in a while. Most of the time, the caretakers now perform deworming and vitamin injections as taught to them by BAI and CLSU veterinarians.

The goats in the Burgos farm are brought to the pasture between 9 and 11:30 in the morning, and between 2 and 5 in the afternoon. In between the two pasture periods, the goats are brought back to their pens to rest and drink water.

However, the bucks and does that have kidded only recently as well as the sick animals are given cut grasses in their pens.

The goats are fed early in the morning. Each goat is given 100 grams of feeds, using a small can of sardines for measurement.

Angie said that although they can get grasses from some places at the moment, they are also going to improve their pasture and forage production through the help of specialists from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). This way they will be assured that if the present pasture areas and sources of grasses will be gone in the future, they will have their own source.

The wastes of the goats are dried and then placed around the mango tree as organic fertilizer. The rest are applied as organic fertilizer in their four-hectare rice farm in Batang-batang.

MARKETING

Angie said that hey have no problem in marketing their goats at the moment because the 15 members of the Goat and Sheep Producers Association of Tarlac, Inc., which she heads as president, help each other in the marketing aspect.

She said there have been only a few instances when prospective buyers went home without having bought some animals from them. If one of the members does not have the kind of goat the customers are looking for, the customers are referred to the other members.

The members of the association have adopted a uniform pricing scheme. For instance, a four-month old purebred Boer is sold at P20,000, while a four-month old purebred Anglo Nubian is sold at P8,000.

On the other hand, upgrade (75 percent Boer and 25 percent Anglo Nubian buckling) is sold at P6,500, while the price for doeling of the same percentage is negotiable. The prices for 50 percent doeling upgrades are as follows: Boer, P5,000; Anglo Nubian, P4,000.

Angie said they disperse their 50% Boer and Anglo Nubian bucklings to backyard goat raisers in their barangay. An eight- to 10-month old buckling is exchanged for two native doelings or five cavans of palay. Cash buyers may get it at P100 a kilo liveweight.

However, Angie said they still keep most of the female offspring of their stock as they intend to have 200 does in the farm.

ASSISTANCE

Angie added they owe their success to a number of people and the first small ruminant congress last year where they learned a lot of things, got to know other raisers, and established their linkages with public and private agencies. Since then technical assistance from several agencies have been forthcoming.

For instance, they benefited from the field trial of the artificial insemination program of the Bureau of Animal Industry. They also got bucks from the bureau.

The Small Ruminants Center (SCR) of CLSU has also helped them a lot. Angie narrated that at one time, one of their does had difficulty in kidding. Through the cellphone, Dr. Emilio Cruz of the SRC instructed them step by step on what to do and the kid came out fine.

She added that through the Livestock Development Council, headed by Pete Ocampo, the Road Map of the Goat Industry, which they prepared, reached Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo.

PCARRD will also assist them in establishing the forage and pasture area of their farm.

PROJECTIONS

Angie is optimistic of a bright future for the goat industry based on the fact that she has already recovered the initial capitalization of their goat farm.

In Tarlac alone, she said, there are now a good number of restaurants serving goat menus. In addition, there is a good demand for goats by Muslims.

Although more and more people are also getting interested in goat raising, the present supply is still not enough to meet the demand, especially during Christmas, fiestas, graduations, and other important occasions.

For more information, please call, text or write Angie at tel no. (045)9825148,

CP no. 09204180788, or angie109@yahoo.com.

Source: Philippine Goat Raisers



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 03, 2008, 10:08:21 PM
All Set for Philgoat Raisers Conference 2008       
Written by PhilGoat 2008 News Team     
Davao City - All is set for the biggest goat raisers meet ever to be organized in the Southern Philippines in this beautiful city by the Gulf on July 23 to 25.

Davao City Vice Mayor Sara Duterte will welcome the participants to the Philippine Goat Raisers Conference 2008 at the Davao Convention Center while her father, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will host a dinner for the speakers and participants on July 23.

North Cotabato Vice Governor Manny Pinol, chairman of the organizing committee, said three foreign speakers are now in transit with two of them - Joey Hoegger of Hoegger's Goat Supply based in Atlanta, Georgia and Dr. Fred C. Homeyer of Antelope Creek Boers in San Angelo, Texas -- arriving as early as Monday.

The third foreign speaker, Geof Burnett-Smith of Terraweena Boers of Australia, will fly in Tuesday.

Mr. David Wolf, agriculture attache of the US embassy in Manila, and Mr. Ross Bray, commercial attache of the Australian embassy and head of Austrade will be among the special guests.

Vice Gov. Pinol said no less than 300 participants from all over the country are expected to troop to the Davao Convention Center for the conference and the show of Braveheart Farms goats.


 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 03, 2008, 10:14:06 PM
MEDICAL TIPS FOR GOAT RAISERS       
Written by Dr. Fred C. Homeyer     
Anyone who has raised goats for any length of time has had a sick goat. When we have a sick goat our primary concern is doing whatever is necessary to get the goat well as soon as possible. Most of us can't take our animals to the vet every time they get a runny nose, therefore, unless we happen to be extremely wealthy, we must learn to doctor our sick animals when they come down with minor health problems.

The following goat medicine tips were developed from positive experiences with my goats during the past three years. If you have some effective procedures that you would like to share and add to this list, please let me know. You should also be aware that I am not a vet and that I am not advocating that you use any of the techniques that I am going to describe below. This article is simply the documentation of my experiences with my goats. Some of these things may not work with your animals. The last thing tht I would recommend before relating my experience is that you should always consult your vet.

This week's topic: Deworming
I use injectable IVOMEC. The directions specify to use 1cc per 100 pounds but I use 1.5cc for nannies and 2cc for larger billies.

I draw up the IVOMEC in a syringe and then remove the needle and shoot the liquid on the goat's tongue. You could also inject the liquid intramuscularly if you want.Every other time that I worm my goats, I use a colored drench rather than a clear drench.

If I have more than a few goats to worm, I use IVOMEC sheep drench instead of the injectable type and I use a standard drench gun to administer the drench in their mouth.

I am careful not to injure the goat's mouth when inserting the drench gun.

Being from dry West Texas, I normally drench my goats twice a year. If I lived in a wetter climate, I would have to drench more often. Collecting a fecal sample and taking it to your vet for analysis will determine when you need to worm your goats.

The type of parasites present in the fecal sample may also determine which drench to use.

I would contact my vet before using IVOMEC since it is not labeled for use on goats. There are parts of the world where goats are becoming resistant to various worming drenches. Some efforts have even been made to try to develop moreworm-resistant goats through selective breeding.

(Braveheart Farms experience: We also use IVOMEC but we inject it. After the first deworming, we follow it up after 15 days. We alternately use IVOMEC with Albendazole which is administered orally. We deworm every 45 to 60 days. This continuing deworming cycle is important especially when the goats are in the grazing fields in the Philippines and other Asian countries where the grounds are often wet following the rain.

Warning: Do not ever attempt to deworm a pregnant doe as it would cause a miscarriage or even death if the kid inside the womb is so big that the mother could no longer flush it out. Deworming of the does should be done prior to mating.  If you are not sure whether a doe is pregnant or not, stay on the safe side - do not deworm.

Also, never attempt to administer IVOMEC on young goats simultaneously with other injectables, vitamins or anti-biotics. It could kill the kids.

For those who would like to stay organic, you could try betel nut.

 

(Editor's Note: This section will feature tips from fellow goat raisers based on their experiences in the farm that they would like to share with us.  With the permission of Dr. Fred C. Homeyer, known in the American goat breeders circle as "The Rabbit Twister", we will start printing starting this week some of his articles on goat health management and tips on how to handle our goats' diseases. Dr. Homeyer is not actually a veterinarian but a holder of a PhD in computer science but his years of involvement with goat raising and his researches have made him one of the most knowledgeable persons in goat health and herd management. He is one of the resource speakers in the 2008 Philippine Goat Raisers Congress July 23 to 25 at the Davao Convention Center in Davao City.)

 

 

Source: www.BraveheartFarms.com 

 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 03, 2008, 10:17:09 PM
DA Supports Philgoatraisers Conference       
Written by PhilGoat.com     
DA Sec. Yap endorses Philgoatraisers Confab

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap has officially endorsed the 2008 Philippine Goat Raisers Conference set July 23 to 25 in Davao City and has directed all Agriculture Regional Directors to send participants to the first international gathering of Filipino goat raisers.

In a meeting with North Cotabato Vice Gov. Manny Pinol, chairman of the Organizing Committee of the PGRC 2008, Sec. Yap personally thanked the conference organizers for their initiative in holding the conference where at least 5 foreign speakers are expected to discuss topics concerning the goat industry.
An estimated 600 to 800 participants are expected to come from the different parts of the country to attend the conference. 

Yap has directed the Livestock Development Council (LDC) to extend its all out support to the Philippine Goat Raisers Conference.

The DA Secretary has been invited to grace the opening ceremonies of the conference while the Ambassadors of the United States and Australia, countries whose goat raisers are now supply breeding stocks Filipino goat farmers, will also be invited.

Among those who speak during the conference are Don and Teresa Wade of Bio-Genics Ltd. who will discuss Anglo Nubian breeding and artificial insemination; Australian Geoff Burnett-Smith who will talk about Terreweena Ranch's experience on the Australia Boers and Joey Hoegger of the Hoegger Goat Supply company who will talk about establishing a milking system in the dairy goat farms.

Also expected to speak is Dr. Fred Homeyer of the Antelope Creek Ranch, who will talk about the Ideal Boer Goat and other goat raising issues.

Filipino goat experts will also speak during the conference while is being held in coordination with the National Goat and Sheep Congress of the Philippines.


 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 03, 2008, 10:20:03 PM
Philippine Goat Raisers Conference 2008       
"Discovering the Potentials of Meat and Dairy Goat Industry"

The PHILIPPINE GOAT RAISERS CONFERENCE 2008 aims to bring together experts from the Philippines, the United States of America and other countries to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and insights as well as to discuss innovations and business opportunities in the goat industry. To be held in the bustling City of Davao, in the island of Mindanao, the PHILIPPINE GOAT RAISERS CONFERENCE 2008 will be an important venue for the gathering of participants with various interests in the goat industry but with a common objective to enhance knowledge and collaborate in a sustainable partnership for the strengthening of collective opportunities throughout the supply chain of the industry.
 
A wide mix of delegates from all over the country will converge at the PHILIPPINE GOAT RAISERS CONFERENCE 2008 for the opportunity to meet face to face with the industry experts and other players to discuss various issues.
 
For two days, a panel of speakers will present a range of essential topics covering three areas: 1.) Breeding and Rearing of Goats 2.) Funding the Goat Farms and 3.) Processing and Marketing the Dairy and Meat Goat. Outstanding breeders from the US will speak on their experiences in establishing outstanding breeding farms for both dairy and meat goats.

A representative from the Australian Embassy will also be invited to speak about the Australian Goat Industry.

Top veterinarians from the country's agricultural universities will also speak on herd and health management.

Land Bank of the Philippines and several Governors from Mindanao will present financing and other support programs for small ruminants while dairy, cheese and yogurt producers and manufacturers of dairy and meat processing facilities will introduce their products.
 
A representative from the Saudi Arabian embassy in the Philippines will also discuss the exciting possibility of supplying for the annual Hajj in Mecca which requires at least 2 million heads of goats daily during the duration of the pilgrimage. Representatives from SM Shopping Malls and Rustan's will also be invited to discuss possible marketing agreements with established dairy and meat goat producers.

 
 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 03, 2008, 10:33:02 PM
NISARD Distributes Goats To Farmers   
Written by Maricar Aranas-April 21, 2008-The Visayan Daily Star     
The Negros Island Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Foundation Inc.  distributed Thursday an initial 20 Anglo Nubian breed  of  dairy  goats  to  farmers  in Sibulan  and  Valencia, Negros  Oriental.

NISARD president Rep. Henry Teves (NegOr, 3rd district), executive director Ernesto Quiamco spearheaded the turnover rites held at the NISARD office, Provincial Agriculture compound, Barangay Piapi, Dumaguete City.

The goat dispersal program is barangay-based with barangay captains as overseer, while the cow dispersal project of NISARD is Barangay Agricultural Development Center-based, Quimco, whose five-hectare land in Barangay San Antonio, Sibulan is used as demonstration farm of the project.

Last year, NISARD distributed 218 hybrid cows all over the province.

Quimco said recipients undergo training and enhancement skills on the proper raising and how to collect milk from dairy goats. They will also learn to convert goat waste into a component for organic fertilizer.

Anglo Nobian goats produce an average of one liter of fresh milk per day.

Quiamco said they will place the program under crop insurance coverage, and will ensure that these are free from diseases.

Teves, who visited a farm in Naawan, Misamis Occidental with Rep. George Arnaiz, meanwhile said the government should address the lack of nutrition  among school  children, and milk production would help.

 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 05, 2008, 12:41:11 AM
Goat Farming Philippines

An organization known as the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, has a reputation for its sustainable upland farming systems, and it is also known for its goat framing and is known as the Goat capital of Davao del Sur. The MBRLC is located in thefoothills of Mount Apo, in Barangay Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. The center was started by an American agriculturist Harold Ray Watson. In fact the MBRLC is credited internationally as the originator of Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT). This involves growing field and permanent crops in bands of three to five meters wide between rows of different nitrogen fixing trees and shrubs. This is something we can all learn form, flat or sloping land.

Filipinos do not raise goats on any large scale, with the goat population at around 2 million. They are widely distributed throughout the country, with heaviest concentrations in central and western Visayas, central Luzon, Ilocos, and the southern Tagalog provinces. 99% of goats are raised by small-scale farmers. This is changing! As the goats are now in large demand, the center has integrated this into their SALT system. The goal is now to make the small upland farmer production sufficient an a very limited land area of only 3/4 hectare (2 acres) and the improved system is a goat-based agroforestry system with a land utilization of 40 percent for agriculture, 40 percent for goats and 20% for forestry. They still use hedgerows of different nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs are established on the contour lines.


A typical setup is that a goat barn is erected at the farm center, with the upper half planted to ¾ permanent crops such as coffee, cacao and black pepper, with ¼ of short-term crops such as beans, peanut and corn. The remaining 50% of farm is used for forage crops as feeds for goats. The goat manure is used as fertilizer both for the agricultural crops and the forage crops. They get goat sales, goat meat, goat milk so a very smart and sustainable farming system. On my own larger goat farmer I am moving towards some of these principles myself, let us hear what you are doing to save the planet!






Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 13, 2008, 07:33:10 AM
Republic of the Philippines
Department of Agriculture
Elliptical Road, Diliman
1101 Quezon City, Philippines

MEMORANDUM

TO: REGIONAL FIELD UNITS AND ALL CONCERNED

FROM: THE SECRETARY
Department of Agriculture

DATE: July 21, 2008

SUBJECT:ADVISORY ON THE PREVENTION, CONTROL AND
MANAGEMENT OF CAPRINE ARTHRITIS ENCEPHALITIS
(CAE) IN SHEEP AND GOATS

In view of the increasing incidence of CAE, the following prevention,
control and management procedures are hereby issued:

1. All sheep and goats (six (6) months and above) for breeding
intended for
transport shall be inspected and tested negative for CAE prior to
issuance
of shipping permit.
2. Testing shall be done at the Philippine Animal Health Center
(PAHC) or at any of the Department of Agriculture (DA) –Regional
Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratories (RADDL) capable of using ELISA
Test:
DA, RFU- RADDL II,III,VII,VIII, and IX.
3. Laboratory testing of animals for CAE in all the diagnostic
laboratories of DA shall be free of charge starting July until
December 2008 and fifty percent (50%) of the testing free shall be
subsidized by the Government from January 2009 to December 2009.
4. The test results will have a validity of 6 months and shall
be used for single shipment only. Tests shall however be repeated if
same animals shall be transported to another farm or locality
5. Should there be reactors on the animals tested, the
following are hereby recommended to be undertaken by the farms were
the positive animals originated:
a. Isolate kids after birth. They shall be raised in separate
quarters from does and fed with:
i. cow's milk or milk replacer until weaning;
ii. milk from a healthy or CAE seronegative doe.
b. Test all kids at 6 months of age and periodically (semi-
annually) thereafter to insure there seronegative status .
c. Identify and segregate seronegative from seropositive animals.
d. Cull seropositive animals. This is the best way of
controlling the disease.
e. Disinfect common equipment used in the farm with phenolic or
quarternary ammonium compounds as the need arises.

For your compliance,

ARTHUR C. YAP
Secretary





Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 14, 2008, 11:43:57 AM
Adding Value to Traditional Goat Products
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 successful 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 and took the paths less travelled. 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.

The milk men
The Almedas. The father and sons trio of Rene, Art and Toti Almeda of the Alaminos Goat Farm (Alaminos, Laguna) take their family dairy business seriously. They invest their time and resources on technology and genetics with a no nonsense vision of making commercial goat production in the Philippines a really bankable business. The Almeda’s involvement in livestock dates back to their commercial cattle feedlot operation when feeder stocks were being imported from Australia. However, increasingly expensive imported animals and the outrageously high US dollar rate stopped the business; but not the family. When the interest on goats sprang up three or four year ago, the family resumed livestock operation but this time banking on the potentials of goat production. The past did not daunt them but became a valuable input as they capitalized on the learnings and the existing feedlot infrastructures.

The participating family members in running the business has become very inspiring. Beyond the experience of the family in cattle feedlot fattening, the father, Rene was and still is the prime mover in the current initiative. Art handles farm operation while his brother Toti, is in charge of product promotion and marketing. Being a licensed chemist, the lady of house and Rene’s wife Jenny will eventually be in charge in product development. Indeed the Alaminos goat farm is a typical closely knit Filipino family business.

This family’s foresight to milk a nontraditional opportunity has succeeded with the initial market of their bottled fresh milk carrying the brand MILK STAR (the label carries the slogan, `Goats milk closest to mothers milk’). But, while the Almedas are quite occupied with their dairy project they are not losing focus on continuously producing and selling outstanding Boer goats as breeders. This is a no compromise commitment of the company.

In 2007, the Alaminos goat dairy opened outlets at Rowena’s Pasalubong in Tagaytay, in Los Banos, Laguna, and at the weekend market in Salcedo Village, Makati. Aware of the benefits of goat milk, a pediatrician from Sta. Rosa, Laguna has also endorsed the goat milk to patients who are lactose intolerant and even to geriatrics. Last year, as part of their social commitment and promotion of their product, the company donated bottled goat milk to a feeding program of a civic organization in Sta. Rosa. Early 2008, the company has already consigned its products and set up outlets in the posh markets of Tiendesitas, Market Market, the weekend market at Lung Center, and all the gasoline stations of SLEX (Total, Caltex and Shell) through the Aling Nene’s Pasalubong kiosks.

Saanens, newly-imported from Australia, produce the milk for the Alaminos Goat Farm. Proving their worth and the Almedas’ wisdom in less than a year since arrival, they have already started kidding and producing the milk the company sells. As more does give birth, the milk production will rise to around 8o to 150 kg in the second or third quarter of the year. Thus, the Almeda boys will have not only more udders and teats to handle, they will also be promoting and marketing a lot. Last year, the company bought a portable milking machine to meet the increasing production of milk. It is now awaiting the delivery and installation of a ‘teats-to-the-pack’ milk processing system that will reduce handling of the liquid product. Soon, the family run business will also venture into other product lines such as cheese and yoghurt. These products will become available widely in the market .

The desire to succeed in the business drives the company to seek more information and establish partnerships both with fellow goat raisers and government agencies like PCARRD, a planning Council under the Department of Science and Technology based at Los Banos. The latter and the Alaminos Goat Farm have become close partners for the last two years, with the Council sharing information on technical and industry related matters. PCARRD through its Livestock Research Division, has extended experts’ advice to the Almedas particularly related to the principle of breeding and genetics, nutrition and the conduct of simple feeding and breeding trials in the farm.

Government agencies can learn from the experiences and current initiatives of the Alaminos Goat Farm on dairying. With this knowledge, they can push development and entrepreneurial programs that are sustainable and profitable without resorting to flashy hype with noisy political undertones. Just like milk - plain sense and value - who can argue with that?

To be continued…



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on August 16, 2008, 10:00:59 AM
Yolly Raca Cashes in on Goat’s Milk Soap
A corporate career woman used her knowledge and network in the export business to start her own goat’s milk soap business.

Cleopatra was said to have bathed in goat’s milk as part of her beauty ritual for years. And so do a lot of Hollywood celebrities. Experts claim that handcrafted goat’s milk soaps are more moisturizing and nourishing than commercial soaps because goat’s milk contains many vitamins and minerals when infused into the human skin. Likewise, beauty experts say all the glycerin is still inside handmade soaps whereas it is extracted from commercial soaps for resale to other beauty industries. Glycerin, as the scientific journals explain, attracts water molecules, and when used on the skin, also attracts water instead of losing it, leaving the complexion softer.

For years, Yolly Raca, an export manager of a food company, has constantly heard about the wonders of goat milk soap. But venturing into her own line of soaps was something she didn’t imagine until almost two years ago when she was convinced by her colleagues at the Federation of Goat and Sheep Raisers of the Philippines regarding the opportunities that lie in the goat’s milk soap business. Together with a chemist friend, the 54-year-old Yolly experimented and concocted her own version of Cleopatra’s fabled beauty secret.

“What really convinced me, I guess was the fact that goat’s milk soaps sell like hotcakes in the US and Europe,” Yolly explained. “In the internet, a bar of goat’s milk soap sells at US$4 each. So we started with around 1,000 soap bars and sold it to our friends. We were surprised at the very positive response, so we said, let’s get serious and do it.”

Sourcing out goat’s milk, according to Yolly, didn’t pose much of a problem because her being a member of the Federation of Goat and Sheep Raisers allowed her to easily knock on doors of her co-members. “Actually, in our first trial, we used powdered goat’s milk which we got abroad,” Yolly disclosed. “After that, we started using fresh goat’s milk already.”

The problem, according to the dynamic entrepreneur, was really financing. “Our aim from the very start was really to tap the export market,” she says. “But it was very hard to expand because we didn’t have funds. We had an initial capital of Php100,000, but that was not enough to venture into the export business.”

With grit and guts and the loving support of her husband and four kids, Yolly slowly bankrolled her capital and loaned small amounts of money enough for her to gradually expand her business. She didn’t have any doubt about the quality of her product because local customers kept on coming back asking for more. “They claimed that the soap really softened and moisturized their skin,” she said. “The challenge was how to compete in the export market since there are thousands of goat milk soap out there!”

Yolly knew the answer lies in packaging. This is where she concentrated
and focused her attention on-from thinking of a brand name to conceptualizing the box labels. “It was me who conceptualized the design and I thought of the name “Kalapana,” an Indian word for “imagination” as the name of our soap. It sounds mystic and exotic, right?”

After a few hits and misses, the final label design was approved by the whole family and soon, the boxes were mass produced and became ready for the export market. The amiable businesswoman recalls: “We spent quite a fortune in packaging. This actually eats around 25% of our production cost.”

Exporting the products to the Middle East and to the US also didn’t pose much of a problem for Yolly. “Since I was working as an export manager of food products for many years, I already knew the ins and outs of the trade. I knew the requirements, the paper works, even the buyers, so that really didn’t become a problem,” she intoned.

From 1,000 soap bars, Yolly Raca now produces an average of 5,000 soap bars, using 120 liters of goat’s milk. Aside from the export market, “Kalapana” is now sold in several local groceries and department stores under four varieties: the 5% milk which is sold at Php38; 5% milk, sold at Php40; the premium kind (20% milk) sold at Php55 and the soap for sensitive skin sold at PhP50.

And what has Yolly Raca learned about running a business in the almost two years that she’s handling the production and marketing of “Kalapana” goat’s milk soap? “You have to constantly improve and develop your products because the competition is stiff, especially in the international beauty business,” she said. “Another thing is focus and attention to details. It’s hard to venture into this kind of enterprise if you will only delegate it to an assistant or a katiwala. You have to be in command.”

Indeed, Yolla Raca is in full command in running her business. Aside from meeting suppliers and buyers, she also participates in several agri trade fairs to promote her unique, natural beauty soap. She does the selling herselftalking with customers on the benefits of goat’s milk soap for the skin, and its difference compared with other commercial soaps. “We do everything in stride,” she confessed. “One step at a time, and we’ll eventually get there.”




Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 11, 2008, 07:41:25 AM
Thursday, September 11, 2008
'Don't let goats project go'

A DEPARTMENT of Agriculture (DA) official suggested that the dispersal of hybrid goats to Guadalupe’s residents push through, because it’s not easy to find funds for this project.

The DA is evaluating the goat dispersal project, as well as the distribution of seedlings, after Rep. Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City, south) asked Guadalupe Barangay Captain Eugenio Faelnar to account for P15 million in funds intended for both ventures.

Cuenco asked Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 Director Ricardo Oblena to investigate and “cancel outright” the memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the barangay and to have it return the amount.

DA 7 Director Ricardo C. Oblena said that based on the records, P10 million has already been spent for the seedlings distribution, but P5 million for the goat dispersal is still with Guadalupe.

“There will be no problem in getting goat suppliers because there are now several importers of goats in Central Visayas,” Oblena said.

Faelnar, in a separate interview, said that if Cuenco will insist on having them return the money intended for the goat dispersal project, the barangay will comply.

He said that of the P15 million, an estimated P9 million is left after P5 million was used for Cuenco’s seedlings distribution program and P1 million for rubber hoses for the mountain barangays vulnerable to droughts.

He explained that the goats were not purchased yet because he made sure the papers are in order; the bidding process also takes long.

Faelnar said he likewise made sure the recipient barangays already have goat houses and the officials have attended seminars on proper handling of the animal.

They built a goat house in Barangay Taptap for the extra number of goats, after four would be distributed each to the 13 or 14 recipient barangays.

The goat house, he said, costs P750,000.

Faelnar said the barangay received a letter last Sept. 2 from Oblena, asking him to return the remaining amount, with the option to talk things over with Cuenco if he wants the project to push through.

In a separate interview, Cuenco said he will cancel the project and have the money returned to the DA.

Told that he might just be going after Faelnar because the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president is a close friend of Mayor Tomas Osmeña, with whom he has a falling-out, Cuenco said the impression is baseless.

He said he has long nagged Faelnar on the project, while his conflict with the mayor started just recently.

Osmeña, for his part, said that Faelnar should answer for the project. He told reporters he was unaware of Cuenco’s seedling plantation and livestock raising projects in his district.

The mayor said the idea of having mountain barangay residents raise goats as additional livelihood seemed good, but he did not know the exact scope of the project.

“Let Jingjing answer for this, at least now we know that Tony Cuenco is doing something for the mountain barangays... Everyone should be accountable for what is being done. And anyone who wants to investigate should investigate,” Osmeña added. (


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 14, 2008, 10:46:10 AM
Raising Goats (Part 1)
Part 1 of a practical guide to raising goats in the Philippines.

Goats have gone a long way from being just poor man’s cows. These animals have proven to be more than just four-legged mammals that generate milk and meat. They survive in almost any kind of environment that’s dry and where feed resources are available, making their potential as one of the main sources of farm income.

This is one reason behind the goat revolution that’s presently going on nationwide. Raising goats, nowadays, is common for small farmers and backyard raisers. In fact, at present, the goat population in the Philippines is estimated at 3.3 million despite the indefinite shifts in diet preference of these animals and the growing demand for goat meat in the market. Backyard farms, most especially, keep 99.3% of that figure on the rise and support from other sectors improve the goat industry’s marketability. Indeed, raising goats has become serious business.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) picked up on this renewed interest on goats and is now laying various science and technology (S&T) initiatives to continue coming up with better quality stocks, promote goat reproduction techniques and encourage new and fresh approaches to manage goats and the business of raising them.
Along with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFDA), PCARRD initiated trainings on effective goat management to further promote its competence. After analyzing the cost and returns of raising goats, they proved that it is a low-risk profitable livelihood. Assuming a goat raiser has five (5) does at P2,5oo each, an initial investment of P32,000 can mean extra income of at least P14,800 in sales of goat stock after two business years. Additionally, PCARRD has initiated its iooo-goat farms program that aims to launch
1,000 smallholder farmers into full-time commercial goat raisers to continue the wave of effect that goat raising has started.

In the end, even with problems on seasonality of demand, fluctuating prices of goats and breeders, high costs of feed, wavering veterinary services and high taxes and business permits to start with, raising goats will continue to flourish and find its optimum potential in the future.

Goat breeds
Sixty-three percent of the world’s total meat consumption can be credited to goat meat. According to www.boergoatshome.com, people-from Mideasterners and African to Latin American and Arabs prefer goat meat than any other veal-like meat around the world. In fact, most of these groups would even trade their money just to have their hands on these various breeds of goats-both for their milk and meat. But here in the Philippines, we only have six breeds:

>> Alpine - At mature age, it weighs 70 kilograms and could produce 1.5 liters of milk everyday. It’s a European breed that has upright ears, a straight face and colors that vary from black, red and off-white.

>> Anglo Nubians - A tropical breed known for its floppy pendulous pair of ears and a mix of brown and black-or sometimes just brown-hair. It weighs 70-90 kilos at mature age and can produce 1-2 liters of milk daily.

>> Boer - Boers are known for their high-quality meat and excellent productive qualities. Compared to other local goats, they are fairly larger in size and are double-muscled. They are easy to raise, have mild temperaments, are affectionate, require no milking, no special care, shearing or fancy fences. Not only that, they can also graze in the coldest of weathers.

>> Native - This breed’s colors range from red, white, black or a combination of the three; and at mature age, can weigh up to 30 kilograms. Its milk production, however, can just be enough for its young.

>> Saanen - Its weight that can go up to an average of 7o kilograms helps on its being the highest milk producer among other breeds, which can tote up to 1.8 liters daily. This breed originated from Switzerland and boasts of its pure white to off-white color.

>> Toggenburg - Also from Switzerland, toggenburgs are easy to spot. They have white markings on their face and erect ears like Saanens’. At mature age, their milk production can amount up to 1.5 liters everyday.

Native or grated does (female goats) should not be less than 25 kilograms and should be palpated for size, detection of lumps and other abnormalities they may have. To make sure they possess good appetite, alert senses, well-formed pupils and the right size for easy milking, make it a point to purchase them from a locality or area with similar climatic conditions. On the other hand, acquired bucks (male goats) should be accompanied by pedigree and farm records to be guaranteed of its good producing line. Bucks should be ready to copulate with does that are in heat, so it’s best to purchase ready-to-perform bucks.
One-year-old bucks or breeders that have successfully mated once are extremely advisable.

Raising goats in the Philippines
Evgn with the shift in diet preferences and the growing demand and interest for goat meat in the local market, the goat population in the country at present is estimated at 3.3 million. As the number of goats continues to rise, more and more backyard raisers are turning to bigtime entrepreneurs. Currently, in fact, a surge in demand for breeder goats is ringing in the air and prices have gone up.

A six-month old native female at 10-12 kilograms now costs P2,500. Meanwhile a
four-month old mestizo weanling costs P4,ooo and bucks for breeding are now at Pii,ooo - 20,00o a piece.

During a recent six-month training, PCARRD, along with ILRI and IFAD, proved why this doesn’t stop raisers and breeders from dipping their hands on this low-risk profitable livelihood, that even with the increasing demand for chevon, goat meat and milk, goats continue to be good business. They stressed goats adapt well to any existing farming systems and feed on forages and

other farm by-products although goat raisers also use feed concentrates. An eight-month-old doe can have a kid in five months and it can triple your number of herd in two years’ time.

To be continued…



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 14, 2008, 10:59:56 AM
A Commercial Dairy Goat Farm In Laguna
Not many agribusiness people realize that dairying with goats has a tremendous potential. But one fellow who does is Rene Almeda of Alaminos Goat Farm in Alaminos, Laguna.

In 2004, Rene decided to go into, goat farming, using a 16 hectare property where he used to fatten cattle imported from Australia. The cattle fattening project was a money-maker for several years but it went sour with the decline of the value of the peso after the Asian financial crisis in 1997. It came to a point where the cost of importing became too high in terms of Philippine pesos that it became a losing proposition to go on with the business. He is thankful though that he quit the fattening project on time. With his savings, he was able to venture into goat farming in 2004 in a relatively big way.


At first he specialized in producing meat-type goats. He bought purebred bucks of Boer (a meat-type breed) and Anglo Nubian (for both meat and milk) to upgrade the 50 native stocks he initially purchased. The upgrading of meat-type goats goes on with Rene’s son Art mainly taking charge of managing the animals that have multiplied to more than 300 head, selling some as breeders and as slaughter animals.

What excites Rene more these days is dairying with goats. In May 2007, he imported from Australia some one hundred purebred Saanen goats, including a few bucks. Saanen is a breed principally for milk production. Within just one year, the number of Saanens has virtually doubled. He is not selling the females because he intends to increase his dairy herd.

“People might say that we are crazy or being boastful if we cite them the figures,” he quips. Here are his figures. With the right animals (Saanen), right nutrition and housing, one mother goat can give an average of two liters of milk a day. (Actually, during our visit to the farm, the 40 goats on the milkline each gave an average of 2.3 liters). The goat can be milked for a period of 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. Right now, Alaminos Goat Farm sells its fresh milk at P125 per liter. That will mean a gross of P75,000 per head.

Rene explains that they sell their milk at a much higher price than that of cow’s milk because it is something special. It is often mentioned that it is the milk that is closest to a mother’s milk and that it is the only fresh animal milk that is given to infants whose mothers don’t have milk of their own. It is recommended for people who suffer from lactose intolerance.

One might say that during the lactation period of the animal, there is a time when the milk yield is less than two liters a day. That is very possible. But even if the average milk yield during the 10-month lactation period were just one liter, that will still mean a gross value of P37,500 per head. An added income from the milkers is the couple of kids produced each year.

As of now, Alaminos Goat Farm sells its milk mostly as bottled fresh milk in one liter and 250-ml bottles. The 250-ml bottle or one-fourth liter is sold at P40 each. A small portion is also made into white cheese. These products are sold mainly in Metro Manila and some in Laguna and Batangas. Rene’s younger son, Toti, is in charge of marketing the dairy products. More regular buyers from Metro Manila are expected as these products become more known. During the company’s participation in the recent International Food Exhibition at the Mall of Asia, a lot of visitors, many of them Chinese, showed interest in the fresh milk and white cheese, according to Toti. In fact their stocks were sold out at the end of each day.

There are other niche markets for goat milk besides milk drinkers. One is the beauty soap makers. A number of entrepreneurs are now using goat milk as one of the ingredients in specialty soaps. Another use is as material for facial treatments in beauty parlors and in spas. One lady veterinarian who went for a facial with goat milk in a parlor said she was charged P2,500.

Of course, to achieve the potentials of milk production in goats, Rene emphasizes not only superior genetics but also proper nutrition for the animals. Proper housing, too. At the Alaminos Goat Farm, the Saanen breeders as well as the kids are raised in confinement. They are raised in a house with elevated floor. Four animals are usually placed in a compartment measuring about five feet by five feet.

The animals are fed with commercial ration (concentrates) which Rene mixes in his own feedmill. The feed consists of ingredients that provide carbohydrates for energy, protein, phosphorus, calcium, etc. in balanced form. In addition, the goats are given napier grass and leaves of leguminous trees. Rene notes that the leaves of Indigofera, a fast-growing leguminous tree, are particularly relished by the Saanen goats.

Rene stresses that one has to study the feeding habits of his farm animals. In the case of goats, you should not dump all at one time the feeds required by the animal in one day. The concentrate requirement of an animal at the Alaminos Goat Farm is usually given four times. One fourth is given early in the morning, followed by grass couple of hours later. The next one-fourth is given a couple of hours later, followed by leafy greens, and so on. In the hot summer months, feeding is recommended during the cooler parts of the day.

Goat raising has its own advantages compared to raising bigger ruminants such as cattle or buffalo. For one, goats reproduce much faster. Goats can be confined in elevated quarters, making it easier to prevent outbreaks of parasites and diseases. Goats also require less feed than bigger animals. And their milk sells at a better price.

Superior breeds, like selected purebred Saanen, may also cost a small fortune but then the investment could be recovered in due time. What’s important is to be hands-on goat entrepreneurs like Rene and his two sons, Art and Toti.



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 15, 2008, 05:16:19 AM
PHILIPPINES: Farmers rear goats to beat fertiliser costs

Photo: Carmela Fonbuena/IRIN 
Darwin Tinasas, a 34-year-old farmer from Davao City on Mindanao Insland, has been raising goats for eight years as a source of meat and to use the dung for his fruit and vegetable plots
MANILA, 14 September 2008 (IRIN) - The increasing cost of fertiliser has prompted farmers to invest in goats on Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines.

“Goat dung is a good source of fertiliser,” said Darwin Tinasas, a 34-year-old farmer from Davao City in southern Mindanao, who has been raising goats for eight years, initially for meat and milk. Mindanao has a large Muslim population and goat meat is considered Halal food.

With the rising cost of commercial fertiliser in recent years, Tinasas realised other benefits of his goat-raising venture. His stock of about 300 goats provides dung for his four farms in Davao City. He plants rice, and grows pomelo, coconuts, durian and other fruit on 30 hectares.

Tinasas noticed that more and more farmers - fruit growers particularly - started raising goats, not only in Davao City but also in other provinces. “Since fertiliser costs have gone up, more and more farmers are turning to goat-raising,” he told IRIN.

“All dung can be used as fertiliser,” said former agriculture secretary Salvador Escudero. But for Antonio Partoza, chairman of the Minfruit Council, the umbrella group for Mindanao fruit farmers, who had raised chickens and mixed chicken dung with commercial fertiliser, raising goats is more profitable. He has 85 goats on his 15-hectare and 10-hectare farms in Davao City where he grows durian, passion and mangosteen fruits.
Goat dung is a good source of fertiliser. Since fertiliser costs have gone up, more and more farmers are turning to goat-raising. 

“I must be saving about 30 percent of what I would spend if I used pure commercial fertiliser,” said Partoza. A sack costs US$42. Partoza says he uses about 20 sacks per quarter for his two farms, down from about 30 sacks. That is an estimated $1,680 saving in a year, on top of his profits from the sale of goat milk and meat.

Escudero agreed that goats are extremely economical, particularly for fruit-growers. “Goats are grass-feeders. You don’t need substantial capital to start,” he said.

Unlike chickens, they survive on grass, legumes and beans, which are plentiful on the farms. “It’s just cut and carry,” Partoza said. He only needs to “cut” the branches of his fruit trees and “carry” them to the goats.

The goats help in the pruning trees. “They clear the branches which can then be used as firewood," Tinasas said.

The goat industry in Mindanao is still small. Based on the statistics of the Mindanao Economic Development Council, it produced 29,800 metric tonnes of goat meat in 2006, far less than for pigs (495,083MT) and chicken (242,829MT).

But it is considered a “sunshine industry” in Mindanao, said Ednar Dayanghirang of the Mindanao Business Council. There is a big demand in the local and international market, particularly the Middle East.

cf/bj/mw


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 15, 2008, 11:07:03 AM
Raising Goats(Part 2)
Part 2 of a practical guide to raising goats in the Philippines.

Although costs are unaffordable to some ordinary farmers, Vincent Garcia, AC Garcia Corp.’s managing director said in a recent MARID Agribusiness Digest interview, “It’s still a good investment.” Goats, especially boers, have superior potential to become a high-generating business in the future. Boer bucks could sire native females, where better offsprings, if fathered by a native male goat, could be produced. He also predicted that commercial goat raising would become a billion-peso industry in the years to come, which in turn, will cause relevant employment opportunities.

In this light, integrated goat managements have been conducted all over the country to fulfill this objective. Farmers continue to discover the improved competence in raising goats.

Goat feeding
Goats, like other livestock, require proper nutrition. Although not as critical, they need proper doses of water, vitamins, minerals, fats, carbohydrates and protein to survive. Goats have bacteria and protozoa in their rumen, which enable them to manufacture nutrients from such as feeds as hay-soilage, silage and other feedstuffs. Paragrass, stargrass, napier grass and centrosema grass are few of the many tropical grasses and legumes that goats indulge in.

As ruminants, goats also have a feeding program that should be based on the type and quality of roughage available, which determines both the quality and amount of concentrates needed to supplement their diet.

To lower the cost of feeding and maintenance, the herd should be pastured more often than usual and must be provided with sufficient space for grazing. If the herd must be moved from another pasture to another, make sure it’s been grazed for some time, to keep a pasture from being polluted or heavily infested by parasites. Breeding goats, on the other hand, can survive on pasture feeds.

Though a little picky in grazing, goats enjoy feeding on a large variety of plants. Bush land, together with the common pasture grasses, make a good combination. Remember that they eat only what’s suitable for them so do not feed them weeds. Also, keep the goats in the barn when it’s raining. If the weather is humid and cold, provide them with cheap grain feeds like rice bran.

Confined goats, especially those who are lactating, should be provided with good amount of forage, vitamin-mineral and salt.

Pregnant dry does should be adequately fed as well, with quality feeds to stock them with reserves for lactation and to nourish their fetuses. They should also be provided with abundant amount of forage and roughage, vitamin-mineral plus concentrates depending on their body condition.

The young goats, four months old and above, must be fed properly for maintenance and continuous growth. A good supply of food generally is made up of quality forage and roughage plus half a kilo of concentrates daily.

Bucks should also be maintained on good pasture when not breeding. Provide them with enough supply of vitamin-mineral mix, water and about half a kilo of concentrates two weeks before and during the breeding season.

Pasture grasses and roughages
Among the concentrates, corn grains are the most advisable for goats, with its 84.2% of total digestible nutrients (TDN). Corn gluten feed has 74.9%; copra meal has 78.5%; rice bran (cono) has 69.1%; wheat pollard has 73.1%; soybean oil meal has 76%; cane molasses has 53% and corn bran has 71.1% TDN.

Green roughages, which include napier grass, contain a good amount of crude protein as well, making it recommendable for these animals. Paragrass and guinea grass that vary on TDN contents during wet and dry seasons are also advisable. Tree leaves and browse plants you can provide your herd also include: acacia, bamboo, gumamela, camachile, caimito, santan, ipil-ipil, kakawati and banana.

Feeding programs also depend on the type and quality of roughage available, and the age of the goats.

The herd also needs clean water and salt that must be provided to them 3 to 5 times a day. A watering trough in the pen where goats can drink any time of the day could come in very handy. Salt is also important for them to sustain a good appetite, so a mineralized salt block which the animals can lick whenever they want will really help.

Housing the herd
Like other herds, goats require a few provisions. First and foremost, remember that goat houses’ primary objective is to provide the animals shelter, so make sure it prevents rain and wetness from coming in. Goats, after all, are very prone to pneumonia. They also like elevated platforms that take a form of stairs. Their shelter and feeding racks must be well-ventilated and drained, and easy to clean. Make it a point that it’s also accessible not only to the animals, but to the caretaker as well. It’ll help if you provide abundant flooring elevation of up to 15 degrees to facilitate proper cleaning and drainage.

Flooring for does, bucks and adults range from .75 to 1.50 square meters and 15.24 to 25.40 linear centimeters for their feeding space. Growing goats require .50 to .75 square meters of flooring space and 10.16 to 15.24 linear centimeters feeding space, while kids require just half as much.

Ventilation is also important, so allow one (1) foot clearance between floor to wall and wall to beam to provide adequate air circulation. Maintaining an interior temperature of not more than 30°C but not less than 27°C is advised. Goats consume up to 30% of the day’s intake during night time so lighting should also be provided in the barns during night.

When it comes to building fences, make sure to keep the place water-tight to keep the goats in. If the barn isn’t overcrowded, goats are usually respectful of fences. You run into problems when the other side of the fence looks better to eat than what you have inside it. The bigger problem is keeping them from getting stuck in the fence. A hot wire about a foot or 18 inches long off the ground 8-12 inches inside the fence might be effective in keeping the goats from sticking their head through the fence or rubbing on it.

For fence sections that will separate rutting bucks from one another or from does in heat, two hot wires will help-one a foot to i8 inches of the ground, and the other about a foot above the first on both sides. This prevents the bucks from damaging the fence in those areas.

Many properties use 4 to 5 strands of barbed wires to fence their herds. By using those as ground wires and adding steel high tensile connected to a charger between them mounted to insulator posts, this type of fence will both be economical and functional. Do not use aluminum wire as it tends to stretch and sag and be easily broken.

Age Feeds
3 days and below Colostrums
4 days to 2 weeks Whole milk(goat/cow’s milk) Vitamin-mineral Water
2 to 16 weeks Whole milk or mil replacer Grass-legumes hay or
quality fresh forage Vitamin-mineral mixWaterStarter
4 months - kidding Forage, vitamin-mineral mixWaterConcentrates
Dry, Pregnant Bucks Forage, vitamin-mineral mixWaterConcentrates
Lactating Forage, vitamin-mineral mixWaterConcentrates

To be continued…



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 16, 2008, 07:22:18 AM
Raising Goats(Part 3)
Part 3 of a practical guide to raising goats in the Philippines.

Keeping the herd healthy
Sanitation plays a vital role in keeping your goat healthy and in perfect shape. Make sure you do the following: clean the pens daily and wash it at least three times a week; disinfect at least twice a month; provide a pit or lagoon to store the goats’ accumulated feces and urine to prevent giving disease-causing micro-organisms a breeding ground; provide separate pens for diseased goats; and train your personnel to observe proper sanitation processes and methods. It’s also advised to limit visitor animals in the farm, and quarantine newly-arrived stocks for at least a month before mixing them with the rest of the herd.

High mortality rate of goats are also attributed to parasites. Next to pnemnonia, parasites rank Number 2 on the top goat killers list. Some of them are tapeworms, protozoa-like coccidian and amoeba. To prevent this, have your goats checked regularly for worm loads and schedule them for regular deworming. But before doing so, distinguish what parasite you’re dealing first.

The rainy season, most especially, is the peak season of diseases for livestock, most notable of which is parasite infection. Worms consider the wet season the best time to infect your livestock.

However, use of anthelmintics, though risky, will help. Without proper and prior knowledge about its use can lead to parasite resistance development. Thus, to minimize expenses and achieve the best results, carefully plan the deworming processes.

Lice and ticks can also be a problem. If this happens, mix powder-form chemicals with 7-10 parts of starch or flour, or apply acaricide against the parasites. Never use the liquid or spray form chemicals.

Effective worm control Dewormers may be given once or twice only a year for goats that have been completely confined for a year or during the rainy season only. However, strategic deworming applies to goats that are stalled on wet months but were allowed to freely graze on the pasture when the grasses are dry or 1-2 days after the rain had stopped.

Animals that have been given their first deworming dose a month before the rainy season, with the second dose given at the peak of the rainy months. Though optional, three doses, too, are usually enough for two years.

These strategies work best with a holistic approach to worm control which includes the following: providing the herd with a proper pen, accompanying them with tree leaves and shrubs that’ll ensure better nutrition and minimize parasitism, and delaying grazing for partially confined animals until the sun has totally dried the grasses.

Other management practices
Aside from the abovementioned, there are few management procedures one must do to properly manage the herd. Experts advice goat raisers to disinfect their pens at least twice a month.

Identifying your herd.
To denote ownership of the goats, one must identify his herd. Due to its legal significance, branding with hot iron comes as first choice to some. Branding your goats helps in keeping a record of your animals. Tattooing or ear notching, though may be a little costly, are also two of the most common practices to properly identify your herd. Never use plastic tags- goats can easily destroy them.

Castration.
Castration of unwanted male goats should take place within the first month of age, where their testicles at the time are still undeveloped. It is during this time that there’ll be less stress and bleeding. Castration is done for males for them to grow faster.

Dehorning.
Dehorning your goats is also critical, especially in milking herds. Aside from making them more docile, dehorning helps lessen wounds during goat fights. Dehorn (luring the first two to four months using hot iron cautery.

Hoove trimming.
Same goes with trimming goats’ hooves. Use a rose pruner and a small curved knife to cut excess hooves. If left untrimmed, the hooves might cause lameness and make your herd prone to foot rot.

Keeping records.
Keeping individual records of your herd will provide you a good breeding herd program. They’re practically useful in management decisions that include proper selection of who and who not to breed. Keep a record with the following information: goat name, sire, dam, sex, method of disposal, date of birth, birth-weight, color, littermates, weight at disposal, as well as breeding information like date of breeding, date of kidding, lactation days and others.

Producing good breeds
Female goats reach puberty in 4 to 18 months but breeding is best done during its first 10 to 12 months, given their desirable weight. Does are in heat with the following signs: if mucus starts discharging from their vulva, matting the hair in their tails; if they stay near bucks and willingly let them mount them; and if they constantly urinate, feel uneasy and have lost their appetite.

It is advised by experts to keep the ratio of bucks to does in 1:25, thus limiting yearling bucks to 25 does a year. However, older bucks can cover up to 75 doe services.

In the beginning, introduce the doe to the buck and not to the doe herd. It will be dangerous to mix bucks with a herd of pregnant does for they might breed indiscriminately. Does’ failure to come in heat is another problem that you might encounter. This can be caused by mineral, vitamin and other nutrient deficiencies, infection of the genital tract and other hormone deficiencies.

Although, also check your buck’s health condition before breeding, especially their genitor-urinary tract. Preputial scraping, blood and sperm tests are also some useful procedures that can help you to better manage your bucks. Always consult a vet before during these tests.

Free mating may cause breeding of immature females that could impede their growth, shrink their vigor and produce offsprings of low birth, weaning and mature weights. Control in breeding can also reduce chances of parasitism in your herd and increase profits. A new technology option-which others call `controlled mating’adopts a change in the management of free-grazed goats.

Mating can be done during April to December, where kidding will fall towards the end of the rainy season the year after. Proper timing is everything.

Embryo technology and artificial insemination
Though not yet as common as other breeding techniques in the country, Embryo Technology contributes to a faster pace of genetic improvement and more reasonable costs. All one needs is to surgically transfer the embryo of a boer, even to native goats. The developed fetus of the boer will not inherit whatever traits the host goat has, but instead preserve the integrity of the boer quality.

Artificial Insemination (AI), another breeding procedure used even to humans is done by collecting semen and then introducing it into the uterus with sexual interaction. It is used in animals to propagate desirable characteristics of one male to many females or overcome breeding problems, particularly in the cases of animals such as pigs, dogs, horses, cattle and even honeybees. Process includes collecting the Semen, extending, and then cooling or freezing it. It can then be used on site or shipped to the female’s location through a small plastic tube holding the frozen semen referred to as a “straw”. For the sperm to remain viable before and after it is frozen, the semen is then mixed with a solution containing either glycerol or other cryoprotectants. A solution that allows the semen from a donor to impregnate more females by making insemination possible with fewer sperm is then used. Antibiotics like streptomycin are sometimes added to the sperm to control some venereal diseases that the offspring might inherit if the insemination is successful.

One must follow the following guidelines to ensure successful breeding procedure: Since goat semen is very sensitive, always keep it warm. If a heated facility is unavailable, use a heating pad or hot water to keep the semen and other related equipment at proper temperature. Deposit the semen deep intracervically and very slowly. Rapid expulsion can damage sperm cells and cause irritation of the doe’s reproductive tract. Most inseminators agree that conception is most successful when breeding is done during the later third of standing heat. For best results, inseminate does that have regular recurring heats and no history of breeding or kidding problems. Never attempt to inseminate a doe on her first heat cycle of the season.

Also, keep a detailed record of your At breedings, noting factors like color, consistency of cervical mucus, difficulties in cervical penetration and other important information.

To be continued…



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 18, 2008, 10:58:47 AM
Raising Goats(Part 3)
Part 3 of a practical guide to raising goats in the Philippines.

Keeping the herd healthy
Sanitation plays a vital role in keeping your goat healthy and in perfect shape. Make sure you do the following: clean the pens daily and wash it at least three times a week; disinfect at least twice a month; provide a pit or lagoon to store the goats’ accumulated feces and urine to prevent giving disease-causing micro-organisms a breeding ground; provide separate pens for diseased goats; and train your personnel to observe proper sanitation processes and methods. It’s also advised to limit visitor animals in the farm, and quarantine newly-arrived stocks for at least a month before mixing them with the rest of the herd.

High mortality rate of goats are also attributed to parasites. Next to pnemnonia, parasites rank Number 2 on the top goat killers list. Some of them are tapeworms, protozoa-like coccidian and amoeba. To prevent this, have your goats checked regularly for worm loads and schedule them for regular deworming. But before doing so, distinguish what parasite you’re dealing first.

The rainy season, most especially, is the peak season of diseases for livestock, most notable of which is parasite infection. Worms consider the wet season the best time to infect your livestock.

However, use of anthelmintics, though risky, will help. Without proper and prior knowledge about its use can lead to parasite resistance development. Thus, to minimize expenses and achieve the best results, carefully plan the deworming processes.

Lice and ticks can also be a problem. If this happens, mix powder-form chemicals with 7-10 parts of starch or flour, or apply acaricide against the parasites. Never use the liquid or spray form chemicals.

Effective worm control Dewormers may be given once or twice only a year for goats that have been completely confined for a year or during the rainy season only. However, strategic deworming applies to goats that are stalled on wet months but were allowed to freely graze on the pasture when the grasses are dry or 1-2 days after the rain had stopped.

Animals that have been given their first deworming dose a month before the rainy season, with the second dose given at the peak of the rainy months. Though optional, three doses, too, are usually enough for two years.

These strategies work best with a holistic approach to worm control which includes the following: providing the herd with a proper pen, accompanying them with tree leaves and shrubs that’ll ensure better nutrition and minimize parasitism, and delaying grazing for partially confined animals until the sun has totally dried the grasses.

Other management practices
Aside from the abovementioned, there are few management procedures one must do to properly manage the herd. Experts advice goat raisers to disinfect their pens at least twice a month.

Identifying your herd.
To denote ownership of the goats, one must identify his herd. Due to its legal significance, branding with hot iron comes as first choice to some. Branding your goats helps in keeping a record of your animals. Tattooing or ear notching, though may be a little costly, are also two of the most common practices to properly identify your herd. Never use plastic tags- goats can easily destroy them.

Castration.
Castration of unwanted male goats should take place within the first month of age, where their testicles at the time are still undeveloped. It is during this time that there’ll be less stress and bleeding. Castration is done for males for them to grow faster.

Dehorning.
Dehorning your goats is also critical, especially in milking herds. Aside from making them more docile, dehorning helps lessen wounds during goat fights. Dehorn (luring the first two to four months using hot iron cautery.

Hoove trimming.
Same goes with trimming goats’ hooves. Use a rose pruner and a small curved knife to cut excess hooves. If left untrimmed, the hooves might cause lameness and make your herd prone to foot rot.

Keeping records.
Keeping individual records of your herd will provide you a good breeding herd program. They’re practically useful in management decisions that include proper selection of who and who not to breed. Keep a record with the following information: goat name, sire, dam, sex, method of disposal, date of birth, birth-weight, color, littermates, weight at disposal, as well as breeding information like date of breeding, date of kidding, lactation days and others.

Producing good breeds
Female goats reach puberty in 4 to 18 months but breeding is best done during its first 10 to 12 months, given their desirable weight. Does are in heat with the following signs: if mucus starts discharging from their vulva, matting the hair in their tails; if they stay near bucks and willingly let them mount them; and if they constantly urinate, feel uneasy and have lost their appetite.

It is advised by experts to keep the ratio of bucks to does in 1:25, thus limiting yearling bucks to 25 does a year. However, older bucks can cover up to 75 doe services.

In the beginning, introduce the doe to the buck and not to the doe herd. It will be dangerous to mix bucks with a herd of pregnant does for they might breed indiscriminately. Does’ failure to come in heat is another problem that you might encounter. This can be caused by mineral, vitamin and other nutrient deficiencies, infection of the genital tract and other hormone deficiencies.

Although, also check your buck’s health condition before breeding, especially their genitor-urinary tract. Preputial scraping, blood and sperm tests are also some useful procedures that can help you to better manage your bucks. Always consult a vet before during these tests.

Free mating may cause breeding of immature females that could impede their growth, shrink their vigor and produce offsprings of low birth, weaning and mature weights. Control in breeding can also reduce chances of parasitism in your herd and increase profits. A new technology option-which others call `controlled mating’adopts a change in the management of free-grazed goats.

Mating can be done during April to December, where kidding will fall towards the end of the rainy season the year after. Proper timing is everything.

Embryo technology and artificial insemination
Though not yet as common as other breeding techniques in the country, Embryo Technology contributes to a faster pace of genetic improvement and more reasonable costs. All one needs is to surgically transfer the embryo of a boer, even to native goats. The developed fetus of the boer will not inherit whatever traits the host goat has, but instead preserve the integrity of the boer quality.

Artificial Insemination (AI), another breeding procedure used even to humans is done by collecting semen and then introducing it into the uterus with sexual interaction. It is used in animals to propagate desirable characteristics of one male to many females or overcome breeding problems, particularly in the cases of animals such as pigs, dogs, horses, cattle and even honeybees. Process includes collecting the Semen, extending, and then cooling or freezing it. It can then be used on site or shipped to the female’s location through a small plastic tube holding the frozen semen referred to as a “straw”. For the sperm to remain viable before and after it is frozen, the semen is then mixed with a solution containing either glycerol or other cryoprotectants. A solution that allows the semen from a donor to impregnate more females by making insemination possible with fewer sperm is then used. Antibiotics like streptomycin are sometimes added to the sperm to control some venereal diseases that the offspring might inherit if the insemination is successful.

One must follow the following guidelines to ensure successful breeding procedure: Since goat semen is very sensitive, always keep it warm. If a heated facility is unavailable, use a heating pad or hot water to keep the semen and other related equipment at proper temperature. Deposit the semen deep intracervically and very slowly. Rapid expulsion can damage sperm cells and cause irritation of the doe’s reproductive tract. Most inseminators agree that conception is most successful when breeding is done during the later third of standing heat. For best results, inseminate does that have regular recurring heats and no history of breeding or kidding problems. Never attempt to inseminate a doe on her first heat cycle of the season.

Also, keep a detailed record of your At breedings, noting factors like color, consistency of cervical mucus, difficulties in cervical penetration and other important information.

To be continued…



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 18, 2008, 11:01:28 AM
Raising Goats (Conclusion)
Last part of a practical guide to raising goats in the Philippines.

After delivery
Remember to wipe the mouth, body and nose of the newborn using a dry cloth. Massage its thoraric area to initiate proper breathing immediately. The mother normally does this for you but most mothers would be too weak after delivery. Difficulty in delivery, often called dystocia, is one common case encountered during birth. Before attempting to pull out the kid, make sure the presentation is right-both legs and head are presented in posterior position. A practicing vet should be present in difficult cases.

Newborns must be able to stick an hour after birth. Colostrums will do for those who can’t. First time mothers are often reluctant to suckle their young so restraining them could help. Those who are weaned early can go back to being in heat after i to 2 months.

Milking and proper caring
If conception and breeding is successful, milk production drops after one month and the abdomen’s right side will start to fill up. You must be able to establish a strict milking period for your herd, say twice a day, which must not be advanced or delayed from the exact time. Goats can and might withhold milk, so, routine changes should be avoided. On the other hand, mill: letdown can be set off by washing the udder with lukewarm water and wiping it with a clean towel. Make sure to clean all milking utensils.

Stop milking a pregnant doe at least a month before kidding date. This will give her enough for proper lactation after birth. Put the does in one separate pen and separate them one week before kidding dates. To avoid any difficulty that might occur, help the pregnant doe during kidding.

Common goat diseases
Aside from parasites, look out for a few diseases you must protect your goats from. Some of them are:

Anthrax - Anthrax infection is rare in humans though it occurs very occasionally in ruminants such as goats, antelopes and cattles. It is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis and is typically deadly in some forms. Anthrax most commonly occurs in wild and domestic ruminants, but it can also occur in humans when they are exposed to infected animals or the slightest tissue from animals that have been infected. The infection of ruminants proceeds as follows: the spore is located and engulfed by phagocytes of the immune system. The spore turns into a bacillus, multiplies, and eventually bursts the cell, releasing bacilli into the bloodstream. There they release lethal toxin and edema which are known to target many distinct cells and tissue types. Characterized by sudden fever, loss of appetite, swelling of chest, head, belly and legs and even sudden death; caused by direct ingestion of infected material, like eating flies and indirect contact with other carriers.

Bacterial pneumonia - Symptoms include high fever, coughing and other respiratory distress that might lead to gradual emaciation and even death. Respond with antibiotic on early cases, clean the infected environment. Antibiotics are the treatment of choice for bacterial pneumonia, depending on the nature of the pneumonia, the microorganisms most commonly causing pneumonia in the geographical region, and the immune status and underlying health of the individual.

Bloat - Also known as torsion, gastric torsion, and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a medical condition in which the stomach becomes becomes overstretched by excessive gas content. Bloat becomes fatal within a matter of minutes. Treatment usually involves resuscitation with intravenous fluid therapy and emergency surgery. The stomach is initially decompressed by passing a stomach tube, or if that is not possible, multiple trocars can be passed through the skin into the stomach to remove the gas.

This is caused by eating copped green grasses, feeding whole, chopped or pellet grasses or inability of the animal to eructate usually with systemic disease or due to foreign bodies and abscesses, inflaminatory swelling, enlarged thoratic nodes and also dysfunction such as athropy of the muscles.

Contagious ecthyma/ORF - Caused by contamination in feces, manure, feeds, bedding or equipment. It is also known as contagious pustular dermatitis, sore month, contagious ecthyma, and scabby mouth. ORF virus can also infect humans, through direct contact or formites. It is characterized by scabs and mucus in the skin of the face, genitalia, feet, month, ears, gums, tongue, palate and other parts of the body. Proper vaccination will prevent further cases. Symptoms also include papules or pustules on the lips and muzzle, and less commonly in the mouth of young goats and on the eyelids, and feet. The lesions progress to thick crusts which may bleed. Orf in the mouths may prevent suckling and cause weight loss. A live virus vaccine is made from scab material and usually given to ewes at the age of two months, but only to goats, during an outbreak.

Hemorrhagic septicemia - Normally present in the nasopharyngeal area and caused by ingestion of inhalation of infective agents. Symptoms include swelling of the throat ad brisket congestion of mucus membrane. Prevent with parenteral antibiotics and sulfa drugs. The therapy rests on antibiotics, surgical drainage of infected fluid collections, fluid replacement and appropriate support for organ dysfunction. Ensuring adequate nutrition, if necessarv bv parenteral nutrition, is important during prolonged illness.

Infectious arthritis - Characterized by swollen knees, lameness and pain in the joints-hock, elbow and knees-of the animal. It should be suspected when one joint is affected and the goat is feverish. In seeding arthritis, several joints can be affected simultaneously; this is especially the case when the infection is caused by staphylococcus or gonococcus bacteria. Minimize infection by treating the wound with and proper hygiene management in infected areas. Antibiotic and sulfa drugs might help.

Mastitis - This is often referred to as the inflammation of the mammalian breast. It is called puerperal mastitis when it occurs to lactating mothers. Caused by the blocking of the mill: ducts while the mother is breastfeeding. It can cause painful areas on the breasts or nipples and may very well lead to fever of flu. Except in heavy cases it is not necessary to wean them because of mastitis; in fact, nursing is the most effective way to remove the blockage and alleviate the symptoms, and is not harmful to the baby. Sudden weaning can cause or exacerbate mastitis symptoms. When milk starts being bloodstained and fever, loss of appetite, depression and dehydration can be observed, start intramammary infusion of antibiotics. Early and repeated treatments must be applied to prevent further complications.

Tetanus - The wound must be cleaned; dead and infected tissue should be removed. To decrease the bacteria, you can use metroninazole. Penicillin, too has been used to treat tetanus, All tetanus victims should be vaccinated against tetanus or offered a booster vaccine if they have been previously vaccinated. Treat wounds with hydrogen peroxide until completely healed using clean instruments in castration and dehorning. Might be caused by direct infections from microorganisms in their wounds.

Marketing the herd
PCARRD and the Livestock Development Council (LDC) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) recently held a forum on the “Competitiveness of goat marketing system in the Philippines, where strategies for breeders, slaughter animals, and milking animals, addresses the marketing-related issues and proposed possible interventions were discussed. Participants saw the need to establish a Goat Marketing Board (GMB) that would address issues such as variations in prices, quality, and standards, as well as seasonality of demand. Moreover, to standardize the marketing system, some proponents spoke of putting in place a breed registry to curb the lack of accredited breeder farms.



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 19, 2008, 11:01:57 AM
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.



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 21, 2008, 12:54:06 PM
Goat Raising in the Uplands of the Cordillera

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Introduction
Consider these facts: about 15,800 metric tons of chevon (goat meat) is required to fill in the need of the country, while more is required for export to other countries specially the Arab nations in the Middle East. In addition to the meat and mild obtained from goats, the goatskin is also saleable to manufacturers of hand gloves, bags, shoes and drum heads.

Goat raising can be added source of income for upland farmers, although it is not given much attention as poultry and pig raising. However, the special attributes of goats like high fertility rates, inquisitive feeding habits, short interval of kidding, and their small body size make them very competitive for generating additional income.

Goat meat is greatly in demand today because it is prepared into special delicacies like kaldereta and kilawen which are the favorite menus of many Filipinos. It can also be a good ingredient for fresh or smoked sausages.

Goat raising therefore in the uplands of the Cordillera is one way of encouraging the farmer to plant leguminous forage and fodder crops including grasses. The planting of these crops will help insure the sustainability of fresh feeds for the goats and at the same time enriching the fertility of the soil.

In terms of ecological contribution, the established forage and fodder crops will provide vegetative cover that would minimize soil erosion.

Following the simple information guide on goat raising as embodied in the Technology Transfer Series will help the upland farmers generate additional income as well as helping the government in its program on reforestation and sustainable development.

Source: DENR-ERDS-CAR, 1992. Technology Transfer Series, Vol. 2(3).

 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on October 01, 2008, 10:28:50 AM
 Home > Nation > Top Stories DA urged to look into development of goat milk amid melamine scare
09/30/2008 | 08:29 PM

Email this | Email the Editor | Print | Digg this | Add to del.icio.us MANILA, Philippines - The government is looking into the development of the country’s goat industry, including the provision of financial support, in the light of reports that dairy products imported from China are contaminated with the toxic substance melamine.

Presidential Adviser for Central Luzon and concurrent Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said had already endorsed to the Department of Agriculture (DA) a request made by groups working with the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija to develop and expand the goat's milk industry in the country.

"Breast milk is still the best for babies, but as an alternative the goat's milk in its purest form could be given to the infant already," she said, citing results of medical findings and studies conducted by the CLSU.

Fajardo did not say how much they are asking from DA, but said the funds would be necessary to boost the goat's milk industry that is still "very small" if compared to the cow's milk industry.

She said the funds could be used to increase the production goat's milk in as well as the goats by mixing local livestock with the bigger, foreign goats to produce more milk.

Fajardo noted that goat’s milk is a safe and healthy alternative to powdered milk especially with the current melamine scare.

She said the goat's milk could be taken by both infants and adults. - GMANews.TV


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on October 02, 2008, 11:59:54 AM
Hermaphrodite goat raised in Pozorrubio
Posted on September 30, 2008 - Filed Under Inside News, News |

POZORRUBIO–She’s got balls!

A backyard goat farmer here was amused to find one of her female animals growing testicles.

Encarnacion Pulido of Barangay Inoman here said one of the female goats born early this year started to manifest testicles last month instead of nipples.


It's a tomboy goat! Pulido said, showing members of the local media the goat's female sex organ plus testicles.

“High jumper din ang kambing na ‘yan katulad ng mga lalaking kambing,” she added.

“Akala ko babae ‘yung kambing dahil may ari ng babae pero ang kilos naman ay parang lalaking kambing,” said Gabriel Balicao, caretaker of the goats.

Pulido said she has yet to take the goat to a veterinary for tests but does not really feel the need to do it.—CSR



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on October 03, 2008, 10:43:05 AM
An alternative to cow’s milk


By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:46:00 09/30/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- Amid the scare caused by melamine-laced milk from China, one of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's aides is proposing a switch to goat's milk, which she said was the healthier alternative to cow's milk.

Citing studies by the Central Luzon State University (CLSU), deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said goat's milk was next only to breast milk in terms of nutrition.

"Goat's milk is better than cow's milk. It's more pure. I am advocating that like brown rice," Fajardo, concurrent presidential assistant for Central Luzon, told reporters at the Palace Tuesday.

"This is a good opportunity for us. The crisis can be turned into an opportunity for these goat farmers," she added.

Fajardo acknowledged that the government would need to invest more to commercialize goat's milk. She said goats from other countries like
Australia, which produces more milk, could be imported to breed them with local goats.

She said goat's milk was initially more expensive compared to cow's milk, but once its industry was developed, goat's milk could be cheaper than cow's milk since goats required less maintenance compared to cows.

The government has banned milk products from China after hundreds of babies there fell ill while several others died after they consumed milk containing melamine, a toxic chemical that could cause kidney failure.

Also on Tuesday, Health Secretary Francisco Duque met an inter-agency group tasked to enforce the milk ban. The group includes representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Bureau of Customs, and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG).

"The instruction is to file charges against the violators immediately," Fajardo said.


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on October 03, 2008, 10:45:58 AM
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Palace eyes alternative milk source

MANILA – Malacañang is looking into goat’s milk as an alternative milk source should there be any shortage of milk supply caused by the scare of the melamine tainted milk from China.

An interagency body composed of six government agencies was also created on Tuesday to handle the ongoing milk scare in the country.

What's your take on the Mindanao crisis? Discuss views with other readers

Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said she already sent a letter to DA endorsing the earlier request of small ruminant centers that are working with the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in Nueva Ecija to develop and expand the goat's milk industry.

She said the funds could be used to increase the production of goat's milk as well as the breeding of the goats by mixing local livestock with the foreign breed to produce more milk, and on the packaging and commercial distribution of the milk, among others.

A CLSU study showed that goat’s milk is closed to mother’s milk and is better that cow’s milk.

"This is a good opportunity for us. The crisis can be turned into an opportunity for these goat farmers," she added.

According to Fajardo, goat's milk is a "safe and healthy" alternative to powdered milk and to cow's milk.

She said the goat's milk could be taken by an infant or an adult.

"Breast milk is still the best for babies, but as an alternative the goat's milk in its purest form could be given to the infant already," she said.

Fajardo said aside from the good taste, the goat's milk is clean as the goat's diet is only limited to grass. She added that unlike the goat's meat, the milk has no bitter taste or aftertaste after consumption.
She said at present, the goat's milk is more popularly known as a soap or beauty bar ingredient.

Data from the Philippine National Dairy Authority (NDA) showed that despite the continuing government and industry efforts to increase dairy production, Philippine milk production remains at less than one percent of total dairy requirements with import filling most of the supply.

Imports of milk and milk products increased by over 10 percent in 2007, and are expected to continue to grow in 2008 due to rising demand and the appreciation of the peso. Dairy product is the country's second largest agricultural import.

As of January 1, 2007, there were estimated 26,172 dairy animals, an increase of about 1.65 percent from 2006, comprised of cattle (12,094), water buffalo (13,155) and goats (923), however, the average milking capacity per animal remains low due mainly to inadequate feeding and poor animal management practices.

The average farmgate price of cow’s milk rose by 6.2 percent to P17/liter in 2006 from P16/liter in 2005, while the price of carabao’s milk remained steady at P45.00/liter. Goat’s milk declined by nearly six percent from P35/liter in 2005 to P33/liter in 2007, as supply increased.

Milk shortage

On the other hand, milk wholesalers are asking the Department of Health (DOH) to hasten the examination of milk products with possible melamine contamination.

Henry Ang, a milk wholesaler, in a television interview said milk supply has decreased by 50 percent due to the melamine scare and the government ban.

The government has also organized a task force to undertake an information campaign to clear the confusion created by the milk scare.

The interagency body, to be headed by Duque, is composed of representatives by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Justice, Bureau of Customs, and the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group.

Last week, the DOH imposed a temporary total ban on all milk products and by-products following the discovery of melamine contamination in China.

The tainted milk from Sanlu Group Co. has so far claimed four lives in China and caused illness to at least 55,000 Chinese children.

The ban will remain until BFAD has accomplished its laboratory testing on the questionable products and declared them fit for human consumption. It also prohibits the importation, selling, and consumption of the products that bare the label "Made in China."

During its initial meeting at the BFAD national office in Muntinlupa City Tuesday, the panel agreed to pursue immediate legal actions against any establishments found selling banned milk products and by-products after the order was issued last September 23.

On the other hand, the DILG is set to coordinate with local government units in gathering support to the campaign headed by the health department.

China at the same time is willing to extend assistance to those with claims against Chinese companies embroiled in the controversial “melamine” content of Chinese-manufactured milk.

Ambassador Song Tao said, “The Chinese government has taken some measures and I firmly believe that the milk products from China is safe in terms of quality now.”

Song said the incident is now in control in China and emphasized that the milk scare is just a small percentage of China’s over-all trade that its government could very well handle.

”But our hope is that we would like to have this kind of issue (solved) in the spirit of seeking the truth and facts… We don’t want this issue to be exaggerated and (it) not to flare up… we would urge these (Chinese) companies involved in this matter to solve this commercial moral (standards).”

BFAD had earlier released a list of 54 products they are testing, but added that not all in the list are automatically banned in the market. (FP/JMR/ PNA/ Sunnex)


For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Bacolod.

(October 1, 2008 issue)

 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on November 13, 2008, 10:49:48 AM
Why You Should Not Let Goats Graze During Rainy Days
Posted by: Leo in Livestocks 877 Views
When it rains, it likewise pours diseases.

The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) said that goats, for instance, may continually be infected with worms throughout the year, but clinically apparent signs occur mainly during the wet season.

Goats, especially growing kids, the PCARRD explained, succumb to respiratory diseases, diarrhea and worm infestation during the rainy season. Worms reduce the production of meat and milk, and reduce the animals resistance to infections. Infected animals excrete worms.

The council noted that it is during the rainy season that eggs of worms transform into infective larvae in 3.5 days, since eggs survive only in an environment that is warm and moist. During rainy months, these eggs mature into infective larvae and travel to moist leaves of grasses and shrubs. When goats are let loose or tethered just after the rain or early in the morning when grasses are still moist with dew, they are able to eat the leaves laden with infective larvae. These larvae then mature into full-grown worms in the stomach of the animals, the council explained.

To alleviate this goat health problem, PCARRD advises farmers not to graze their goats during rainy days or even during very early hours of the morning when the sun has not yet dried up the dew. Farmers can confine their goats in pens during the wet season, do strategic drenching with chemical de-wormers or go into rapid rotational grazing.

More farmers are now implementing these technology options through the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the PCARRD project sustainable endoparasite control for small ruminants, likewise of ILRI, PCARRD and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

PCARRD suggests that farmers use the rapid rotational grazing (RRG) since the method is an effective strategy to control worms.

RRG is a scheme originally intended for farmers with access to large grazing areas. It involves subdividing all the available and possible pasture areas into 10 grazing areas and allowing goats to graze in each paddock for three to four days before moving on to the next paddock. The goats should not be returned to the same area within five weeks after rotation. In dividing pasture into paddocks, it is more important to consider the amount of available forage more than the size area.

However, the scheme also works for smallholder farms. This can be done through rotational tethering or tying the animals to different grazing spots every three to four days.

Tethered animals are transferred to nine to 10 different areas in a month. Other animals are not allowed likewise to graze the previous areas for 30 days. The objective is not just to improve the condition of the pasture but also to minimize parasitic infection by avoiding the infective stages of the parasites left in the grazed areas.

Eggs begin to be infective only after the fourth day. If goats can avoid ingesting them at this stage, the parasites will be left in the soil without a host. Without the proper environment, they will eventually die and their life cycle ended.

RRG is successfully used for goats in regions I and III. It is also adopted at the small ruminant center of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) as well as in the San Miguel breeding farm in Leyte.

Farmers and farm caretakers attest to the fact that rotationally grazed animals have lower worm count than those that freely graze the pastures. Further RRG reduces the frequency of drenching by using chemical dewormers; hence production cost is reduced.

Next Read: Raising Goats

Author: Ana Marie Alo, www.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph, photo from bangsari.blogspot.com



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on December 04, 2008, 10:25:34 PM
The Next Phase in Goat Business Is Fattening
In the past several years, the name of the game in the goat industry has been the production of purebred as well as upgraded animals for breeding. This period has seen the importation of the latest breeds such as the Boer and the long-time favorite which is the Nubian.

Interest in goat raising got its impetus from the improved technologies in taking care of the animals. Many years back, investors were reluctant to go into commercial goat production because after achieving a population of 80 animals, various problems would arise such as diseases and parasites, especially when the animals are on pasture.

Thanks to the efforts of government as well as private individuals, improved technologies in goat production have been developed. Raising the animals in confinement on elevated floor has been a major reason why goat farmers are now more successful in raising healthy and productive animals. One of the experts who has been doing a lot in propagating the improved techniques of goat production is Dr. Emilio Cruz of the Small Ruminants Division at the Central Luzon State University in Nueva Ecija.

With the improved technologies, smart entrepreneurs saw the money-making opportunitv in the industry. They imported the latest breeds so that they can produce breeders for sale at a high price. The first ones who multiplied the improved breeds, of course, made a fortune. That’s because the high-quality animals were bought at very high prices. Purebreds were sold at P35,000 each or even more. Upgraded animals also sold at a premium of P12,000 or more per head, depending on the status of the animal.

Today, there seems to be a saturation of the market in breeding animals. That is why the more entrepreneurial investors in the industry are gearing for the next phase in the business. The next phase is fattening goats for slaughter, according to Neo Abalos whose family is one of the biggest in the business.

He points out that there are so many males that are now being produced which could not be sold as breeders. So they have to be fattened for slaughter. Fattening could be a lucrative business, especially if you fatten the upgraded animals such as those with 50 percent foreign blood or even higher. Right now Abalos is fattening 40 animals for meat.

He explains that there is a dearth of goats for slaughter. As per their study, some 1,500 goats for slaughter are brought to Manila every week from Masbate, Negros (Bacolod, particularly) and other places in the south. These end up at the Farmers’ Market in Cubao, Quezon City and as far as the Ilocos. Other supplies, also come from the livestock market in Padre Garcia, Batangas.

Abalos said that the demand is particularly big in the Ilocos and Central Luzon because the Ilocanos seem to be addicted to eating goat meat. He observes that the increase in goat population in the north is slow because even the females which could be used as breeders are being slaughtered.

Right now the price per kilo live weight in the Ilocos is P120 for the mestizos or upgrades while the native is P100 per kilo. Why the price discrepancy? Neo explains that the upgrades have a higher carcass recovery of 45 to 50 percent. In the case of the native it is usually 40 percent carcass recovery. The upgrades also have a higher meat to bone ratio than the native animals.

That is why Neo recommends the fattening of upgrades as they grow much faster and with more muscle. Fattening operation is quite simple. The animals should be confined in a house with elevated floor, about five feet above the ground. The animals should be provided unlimited forage plants that include Napier and leguminous crops like ipilipil, flemingia, indigofera, rensonii and others. The green feeds should also be supplemented with concentrate at the rate of 150 grams per head per day. The trick is to feed them with feeds that are high in protein, according to Neo Abalos.

Abalos said they confine 20 to 30 animals in a goat house measuring 40 feet by 10 feet whose floor is five feet above the ground. Plastic flooring is used.

As the supply of slaughter animals with bigger bodies increases, Abalos sees an eventual new development. He said that special cuts of goat meat will be sold through the supermarkets and other outlets. Examples would be choice cuts for kaldereta, leg of goat, cuts for tapa, and others.

Another new interest in the goat industry is milk. So far, there are a number who are getting started in goat dairying. One of them is Elmer Garcia who has a farm in Batangas. He is now producing and marketing not only fresh goat milk but also goat cheese. Another is Charita Puentespina of Davao City who also processes goat milk into chocomilk. yoghurt and cheese. Abalos said they will soon start raising dairy goats.




Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on December 06, 2008, 05:53:49 AM
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.



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on December 08, 2008, 10:03:13 AM
What alot of people fail to understand is, some of the goats imported into the Philippines from Australia are inbred animals due to Australias own import restrictions (dairy breeds).Now we have all these inbred animals in the country inbreeding.Thanks to a few good people who had the insight to imported goats from the USA to help with the dairy industry,it will take years to get the new bloodlines into the mainstream.

Gabrielle strongly believes in a thorough knowledge of animal husbandry. Good breeding does are expensive and difficult to find, and many, bred for show use, are not particularly good dairy animals. There is an additional problem in that Australian goats are often inbred because import restrictions make it difficult to inject new bloodlines. Consequently the serious goat dairy farmer must concentrate on building his or her own herd of speciality dairy animals, and this is what Gabrielle has done. The herd is predominantly cross-bred, but some pure-bred goats have been introduced. The results, she says, are 'thrilling' and exactly what she'd aimed for.

show goats are show goats
meat goats are meat goats
dairy goats are dairy goats
They are not the same animals

Taken from a leading dairy goat producer in Australia


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on December 24, 2008, 08:07:58 AM
Philippines tribe on the edge as development comes to highlands
21 hours ago

TAYUM, Philippines (AFP) — Goats and oxen graze among the ruins of a paper mill by the Abra River, a big-ticket project which brought war on the Tingguian tribal people of the northern Philippines highlands.

"It would be nice if we could have our farm back," said Daniel Briones, 54, as he sat outside his nearby hut weaving bamboo and rattan baskets, his remaining means of feeding his family of nine.

The pulp mill, which the government seized and tore down for scrap after the 1986 fall of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, remains a sore topic around this mountainous region, the ancestral home of upland farmers and gatherers collectively known as Tingguians.

Residents claim the government forced them to sell their farms to make way for the Cellophil Resources Corp. plant, which won a franchise in the 1970s to harvest pine on some 400,000 hectares (nearly a million acres) of forest land.

Pura Sumangil, a social worker and former teacher, saw hundreds of her Tingguian students take up arms to join a widespread communist insurgency.

The new government signed a peace treaty with the hill people in 1987, and Sumangil helped at least 300 Tingguian former rebels get presidential pardons, government jobs or payoffs.

"The project provoked social unrest because it encroached on the Tingguians' ancestral domain," she told AFP.

Yet as electricity came to the upland communities in the 1980s, traditional Tingguian society was on its last legs.

The government lists the Tingguians as one of nearly 100 ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines. They number about 98,000, mostly in Abra province's highlands, and each of the 11 sub-groups have their own distinct language.

Though nominally Christian, Tingguians were traditionally guided in their decision-making by shamans who divined from the internal organs of chickens or pigs when to sow crops, get married, or even where to find lost livestock.

These days weavers, sugarcane wine makers and traditional medicine men are a dying breed, Tingguian elders said.

"We feel hurt that some of our young people have forgotten some of our customs and traditions," said Nestor Guyo, a former vice mayor of the town of Luba and an elder statesman of the Maeng, one of the largest Tingguian groups.

"Worse, some of them actually are ashamed of their Tingguian identity," Guyo said, blaming the spread of Christianity, modern education and the failure of the land to provide adequate sustenance.

"There are areas where the Tingguian culture is still dominant, and there are areas where Tingguian influence is practically subordinated to a more dominant one," said Roman Catholic Father Cirilo Ortega, an anthropologist and president of the Divine Word College in nearby Bangued town.

"Before, the Tingguians would bring their products to the lowlands. Nowadays the traffic has reversed," he said.

"Of course there's always a danger of them disappearing from the face of the earth," said Ortega, a member of a Tingguian group called the Binongan.

He said the survival of the culture would depend on how the community "confronts the so-called outside influences, and maybe the internal cohesiveness of the group".

Ortega said the Cellophil issue "heightened the Tingguians' awareness of their identity as a people," but the insurgency that ensued had also led to great suffering and strains on the community.

Provincial governor Eustaquio Bersamin said the upland people needed something other than rain-dependent farm plots to feed them.

But as a result of the old Cellophil issue, the locals are generally wary of the outside world, including potential mining investments.

"The elders have a negative mindset, that if we bring this, it would destroy the environment," Bersamin said.

"I tell them mining is good, as long as it is properly regulated."


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on December 28, 2008, 11:07:17 AM
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.




Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on January 08, 2009, 08:24:06 AM
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.



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on January 08, 2009, 08:38:03 AM
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.

 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on January 17, 2009, 08:42:50 AM
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.
 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on February 07, 2009, 01:44:32 PM
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
 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 05, 2009, 01:55:49 AM
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.



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 05, 2009, 02:00:18 AM
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.




Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: alaminos_goatfarm on March 05, 2009, 02:40:56 AM
 
 

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
 
 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 15, 2009, 01:40:23 AM
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


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 19, 2009, 07:41:06 AM
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



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 24, 2009, 03:03:21 AM
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"???


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 24, 2009, 09:28:29 AM
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.





Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on March 29, 2009, 02:18:26 PM
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



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on April 08, 2009, 09:27:04 AM
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) 
 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on April 08, 2009, 09:49:42 AM
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


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on May 01, 2009, 08:01:21 AM
Farmers introduced to goat raising



Cebu Daily News
First Posted 14:44:00 02/04/2009

Filed Under: Agriculture, Livestock Farming


Taiheiyo Cement Philippines Inc. (TCPI) has come up with a comprehensive and sustainable goat-raising program for farmers in the hinterland barangays (villages) of San Fernando town, southern Cebu.

The first phase of the program is designed to improve the breed of goats in the town by introducing bigger goats, said TCPI senior HR/administration manager Esther Cola, who oversees the program.

TCPI pursued the program with the collaboration of the Department of Agriculture in Central Visayas (DA-7) and the San Fernando Municipal Agriculture Office.

At least 20 farmers in Barangay (village) Bugho have already benefited in the initial implementation of the project realized under the Social Development and Management Program of TCPI, together with Solid Earth Development Corp.

“If the first batch (in Bugho) becomes successful, then we will expand the (goat-raising) program (to other areas),” said Cola, referring to the mountain barangays of Cabatbatan, Ilaya, Magsico, Tabionan, Tañañas, Tinubdan and Tonggo, as well as the coastal barangay of Panadtaran.

The pilot beneficiaries first attended a training last December 16 at the TCPI recreation center on goat production, management and processing by DA-7 senior agriculturist Dr. Agapita Salces, beef keeping regional coordinator Emmanuela Bagares, animal products and by-products coordinator Alicia Laput and municipal livestock technician Rommel Pinatil.

On January 8, the trainers accompanied the farmers to assist them during actual farm assessment, especially in checking the availability of good forage to ensure a sufficient supply of food and the availability of a goat's shed.

In her remarks, Cola said the sustainability of the project will depend on the commitment of the goat-raisers, with the support of the technical experts from DA.

“The Taiheiyo Group is committed in this project, and we are providing you the opportunity. But it’s your endeavor and perseverance that will make the project work," Cola told the farmers


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on July 03, 2009, 01:20:34 PM
[3 July 2009] The Philippine Department of Agriculture is boosting its goat production program to meet the rising demand for goat meat and tap possible export markets. Livestock Development Council Executive Director Carlos Mendoza said the recently established Small Ruminant Center in La Union province in Northern Philippines will be the centre of research and also the source of breeder animals. Mr Mendoza said that by the third quarter this year, the Agriculture department will spend PHP 24 million (USD 500,294) to distribute goats in 80 municipalities. Current local goat production is just enough to meet the daily domestic demand of 2,000 heads, however, Mr Mendoza said if goat production increased, the country could tap the Middle East markets like Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which require about 4,000 head of goats monthly.


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on September 21, 2009, 11:39:28 AM
Goat’s milk, meat good substitute to beef, cow’s milk       
Agri-Commodities 
Written by Danny O. Calleja / Correspondent     
Monday, 08 June 2009 19:48 
SORSOGON CITY—The Department of Agriculture (DA) is encouraging Bicol farmers to raise goats and tap the breed’s full potential as a source of milk and meat.

The goat is the poor man’s cow because children and the elderly who cannot afford expensive cow’s milk prefer drinking its milk which is cheaper and easier to digest, according to DA regional executive director for Bicol Jose Dayao.

Besides, the goat is a clean animal—contrary to beliefs—and does not eat thrash. Male goats emit a stinky odor that lasts during breeding season but not the female, he said.

Presently, a handful of farmers who own a handful of goats raise the animal in Bicol—except Masbate province.

In Masbate Island, several commercial goat raisers merge herds of goat in their cattle ranch. The goat is used mainly for its meat, as ranch owners prefer selling live goats to traders who supply specialty restaurants in Metro Manila and other parts of the country with its meat.

“They are less interested in producing goat milk,” Dayao said.

In a study, Dayao said the DA found out that goats are multipurpose ruminants producing 58.4-percent milk, 35.6-percent meat, 4.3-percent hide and 1.7-percent fiber.

These ruminants can help improve the nutritional needs of the country’s rural farm families, he said.

Goat population in the country in 2000 was estimated at 3,125,556 compared with 2,981,900 in 1995, or an average annual increase of 2.57 percent.

The rate of increase is low, and Dayao said the DA Regional Field Unit (RFU) is initiating an aggressive campaign to encourage farmers to raise goats on a commercial scale for both meat and milk.

This would make goat milk available to households in the region, particularly those that cannot afford cow’s milk while giving farmers a new source of income, he said.

Farmers who want to engage in commercial goat raising but do not have the capital should form a cooperative and take advantage of loans from lending institutions like the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The Sorsogon Goat Raisers Association also provides guidance on the proper ways of goat raising, breeding and marketing.

Backyard goat raising is advisable as it does not require much time and effort, not to mention a large amount of capital. Dayao said, if a barangay household could afford backyard hog raising despite the high cost of feeds, the more they could afford raising goats that thrive on grass and leaves.

The DA regional executive recommends several high-breed goats that are more expensive but deliver more profit: Anglo Nubian, Boer, Saanen, Toggenburg and Alpine.

The Anglo Nubian is basically a tropical breed that has a long, slender body and usually weighs 70 to 90 kilograms at maturity and produces as much as 21 liters of milk a day.

The Boer is a meat-type breed with distinct white body and weighs 90 kg on average, while the Saanen, which originates from Switzerland, is pure white to off-white in color and holds the distinction as the highest milk producer compared with other breeds. It weighs 70 kg on average.

The Toggenburg, also from Switzerland, produces 1.5 liters of milk daily, and the Alpine is a European breed whose color ranges from off-white to red and black. It weighs 70 kg and produces 1.5 liters of milk per day.

Backyard and commercial raisers in the region prefer the native breed. Small, stocky and low set, it weighs 20 kg to 30 kg and produces milk enough for its kids.

Stock of high-breed goats could be obtained from commercial raisers particularly in Pangasinan and Batangas, Dayao said. The DA regional office has a demonstration nursery of appropriate grass varieties suitable for goat feeds, he added.


IN PHOTO -- HiGH-breed goats are a good source of meat and low-cost milk to those who cannot afford the more expensive cow’s milk. Danny Calleja

 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on October 19, 2009, 12:09:02 AM
  Sunday, October 18, 2009 
 
Forum pushes for a competitive goat marketing system
 
   Picking up from a renewed interest in goats, PCARRD and the Livestock Development Council (LDC) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) recently held a forum on the “Competitiveness of goat marketing system in the Philippines.”

With backyard farms keeping 99.30% of the total goat population in the country, support from all sectors was seen as the key to improving the goat industry’s marketability.
 
 
 
 
Through the forum, commercial private goat raisers, goat meat processors, and representatives from DA regional offices came up with an action plan to concretize the strategies to revitalize the goat industry.
The plan, which includes strategies for breeders, slaughter animals, and milking animals, addresses the marketing-related issues and proposed possible interventions.

For example, participants saw the need to establish a Goat Marketing Board (GMB) that would address issues such as variations in prices, quality, and standards, as well as seasonality of demand.

The DA-LDC and the private sector will create the board, whose implementation will be private sector-led.

The forum also identified the need for the marketing system to be “forward-looking, employing up-to-date strategies such as e-marketing through the Internet.”

 
 Moreover, to standardize the marketing system, some proponents spoke of putting in place a breed registry to curb the lack of accredited breeder farms.

Participants also saw the need for good goat genetics, which government could help smallholders acquire at affordable prices.

 
 
The need to establish centralized halal slaughterhouses and processing centers as well as triple-A slaughterhouses was put forward to address export market requirements.

In the end, even with problems such as seasonality of demand, low price of goats at the farm level, high cost of feeds, unavailable veterinary services, lack of capital and high interest rates on loans, and minimal profit due to high taxes and business permits, the forum highlighted the goat industry’s economic potential. (Maria Estela H. Facundo and Edwin C. Villar, S&T Media Service)
 


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: mikey on April 11, 2010, 10:44:08 AM
The Philippines Emerging Goat Export Market

The Philippines is emerging as a good market for Australian Boer goats. There is a proactive expansion to increase the quality and size of the country’s goat meat industry. The demand for the next 12 months quantified at 30,000 head! Within the last 12 months, Australia has supplied about 4000 breeding goats and it is predicted Philippine demand will exceed supply for another 3 years.

Malaysia is the largest importer of goats, with an predicted 2007 requirement of some 40,000 head. The main demand will be in the next 3-5 years of quality animals for herd improvement with also genetics potential in frozen semen and embryos. Prices per goat is in the range AUD$400 to $1500,



Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: Mustang Sally Farm on February 24, 2012, 03:15:21 AM
Canadian Cattle, Sheep and Goat Producers Gain Market Access to Philippines
 

Ottawa, Ontario, January 24, 2012– Canadian cattle, sheep and goat producers will benefit from new access to yet another international market. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and International Trade Minister Ed Fast announced today that the Government of Canada has secured live ruminant market access to the Philippines.
 
"The Philippines’ market is now open for Canadian exports of live cattle, sheep and goats," said Minister Ritz. "Step by step, market by market, the Harper Government is working closely with industry to increase market access for Canada’s safe, high quality products, in turn driving profitability for our producers and growing our economy."
 
"Canada welcomes this decision by the Philippines. This is yet another win for Canadian workers and producers and their families," said Minister Fast. "Our government understands the importance for our farmers and producers to gain access to new markets. We will continue to work on their behalf because we know that free and open trade is the best way to create jobs and prosperity for hardworking Canadians."
 
The Philippines imports $9 million annually worth of cattle and nearly $300, 000 of sheep and goats. Canadian producers now have the ability to compete for sales in this market. This new market access further strengthens the trade relationship between Canada and the Philippines. The Philippines is an important commercial market for Canada, importing more than $235 million worth of Canadian agricultural and agri-food products in 2010.
 
Following the announcement made last week that Canadian beef under 30 months of age can re-enter the South Korean market, today’s announcement demonstrates the continued efforts of the Harper Government to diversify international markets and maximize trade opportunities for the benefit of Canadian producers.
 
For more information, media may contact:
 
Media Relations
 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
 Ottawa, Ontario
 613-773-7972
 1-866-345-7972
 
Meagan Murdoch
 Director of Communications
 The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
 613-773-1059
 
Trade Media Relations Office
 Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
 613-996-2000
 Follow us on Twitter: @Canada_Trade
 
Rudy Husny
 Press Secretary
 Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
 Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
 613-992-7332


Title: Re: Philippine Goat News:
Post by: Mustang Sally Farm on August 03, 2012, 10:33:43 AM

There is money in goat raising
By Danny Q. Junco (The Philippine Star) Updated August 01, 2010


The father and son team of Jonie and Jeff inspect the sheep that they are about to buy in Australia


MANILA, Philippines - Indeed, there is money in goat raising, according to Ebenezer Goat Farm, the biggest goat and sheep importer in the country today, which has helped Filipino livestock raisers improve the breed of local stocks by crossing them with imported goats and sheeps.
 
Owned by businessmen father and son Jonie Valencia and Jeff Valencia, the agricultural company located on the hilly side of Capas, Tarlac, recently imported 2,400 heads of goat and sheep from Australia to be distributed to many Filipino livestock raisers, including the Philippine government for its livestock dispersal program for Filipino farmers. The imported animals are of the Boer, Saaneen and Dorpen breeds.
 
The goats and sheeps were transported by an eight-hour plane ride from Australia to the Philippines to minimize or prevent mortality while in transit.
 
“We help the Philippine government by supplying its requirement for goats and sheeps for some of its projects covered by its dispersal program of the animals to Filipino farmer recipients,” Jonie Valencia said.
 
The older of the two Valencias, Jonie said the imported goats and sheeps can help improve the bloodline of Philippine native animals.
 
Studiess show that the native goat can reach a maximum weight of only 15 kilos to 20 kilos while an imported breed like Boer weighs anywhere from 120 kilos to 150 kilos.
 
Valencia said his agricultural company doesn’t really earn much by selling goats, sheeps and even horses to Filipino farmers as his mark-up for each animal is minimal as this is not his main business which is supplying zinc to shipowners and builders.
 
“Goat farming is only my hobby and I find it meaningful and joyful as I can help the Philippine government, including Filipino farmers to improve the bloodline of their native goats and sheeps and to upgrade its meat and milk,” Valencia said.
 
He said his son Jeff is now taking over the goat farm business particularly the importation of the flocks from Australia and other countries. “I only handle the breeding of the livestock in the farm,” he added.
 
According to Valencia, the imported animals are adaptable to the climate of the country and they are not hard to be reared as they eat native grass though it should be complemented by concentrated feeds as the grass in the Philippines contains only two percent protein unlike in Australia where the grass contains 18 percent protein.
 
The breeding of the imported goats is a good business as each mother goat can give birth every six months or three times within two years. Normally, the mother goat can give birth to two offsprings for every delivery or six offsprings for every two years.
 
Some livestock raisers who obtained their imported stocks from the Ebenezer Goat Farm include former Reps. Dodot Jaworski, Toti Carino, Abdullah Dimaporo and Sandy Javier of the Andok’s chicken food business conglomerate.
 



“There is money in goat raising or in any agricultural business that is the reason why I go into it,” Jeff Valencia said.