The Philippines can emerge as a dairy country with its abundant rainfall that can adquately grow pastures.They say we cannot have dairy.But its more appropriate here because we have rainfall,so we can grow grass anywhere for pastures throughout the year.Two other assets of the country in dairy are numerous vacant areas and its many dairy technical experts.Low production cost is not impossible if grazing lands are developed.Cost of feeding animals from a pasture is at a very cheap P2 per animal per day compared to P300 per day for other types of feed.The country has,numerous indigenous grasses for grazing while many trees like kakwate,malunggay,ipil-ipil have rich nutrients,good for animal food supplement.One may be able to sell this milk at P17-P23 per litre.Pregnant heifers are sold in the market at P90,000 each.Production cost may only be P30,000-P35,000 per head.

Hi mikey What are the best breeds of cows are the best for milk in the phills?and the price range for a good breed?

Mr Hog,we have beef cattle,there is a hybrid cow for dairy tho,maybe someone into the cattle dairy business could give us the answer.
mikey

National dairy authority have holstein breed as their dairy cow.

I think there is a crossbred with a Friesian,comes in from Australia,would think the Holstein would have a hard time in the tropics,not known for doing well in tropical climate.She is known as a heavy milker.

My father Rene Almeda who was among the biggest importer of feedlot cattle from Australia in the nineties would tell us story about the Austalian Fresian Sahiwal cross (AFS). He saw it first hand in the border of Northern Territory and Western Australia around Konnunura with tropical climate ,minus the humidity in the Philippines delivering milk above 10 litters. He wanted to buy some AFS  heifers but the owners said they were all reserve, he ended up bringing to the Philipiines 100 heads of the young bulls for fattening. They performed very well in the feedlot with average daily gain of over 1.2 kilos per day.

This inspires me with our Saanen dairy goats which have adapted to the tropical condition of the Philippines. We are now milking 14 heads and we are getting 30 kilos of milk a day.There are a lot of things to learn and see about goat dairying in the tropics but we are moving ahead very nicely.

I think there is a crossbred with a Friesian,comes in from Australia,would think the Holstein would have a hard time in the tropics,not known for doing well in tropical climate.She is known as a heavy milker.

Yup mikey they do cross it with friesian. Holstein-fresian.

DA in baguio also have Saanen goat.
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my mistake... holstein-fresian is considered as one breed as is.

Doc,knew it had to be a crossbreed,livestock that are heavy milkers,usually produce lower quality milk (cattle/goats),refers to milk fat,animals that usually produce lower quanities of milk,have higher quality
milk (higher milk fat).Napier grass grows all over the country,in the rainy season I think silage would be the way to go,stock up,use it when you need it,would need to keep the rain of it tho,silage is given to dairy animals to increase milk yields.There are methods for improving the stocks but the Philippines does not have the infrastructure to support such ventures,I would love to be able to improve my stocks with better technology,may be someday.Crossbreeds have at times outperformed fullbloods/purebreeds.
Later: mikey Region 7

Silage is use to prevent shortage of food.

In some cattle feedlot here in the philippines they do not use silo they just a thick large plastic covering to facilitate for fermentation.

Silage done correctly,is high quality super charge feeds,given to dairy cattle/goats here to increase milk yields,given to cattle in feedlots as supplements.
Later: mikey

Large(er) commercial milk operations usually choose animals that are known to be heavy milkers,dealing with volume,and operators/business/farm has to make important management decisions,we all have to choose the one that suites our needs.Crossbreeds,have been known to have better hybrid vigor,at times outperformed purebreds,goats are animals that stress easily and takes time for a goat to adjust to a new enviromentThe cost factor alone makes a fullblood/purebred out of touch for most farmers,crossbreeding can really help a farmer build up a superior herd with linebreeding.The future looks bright for a dairy business/operation in the Philippines no matter what breed of goat one owns.A saanen can give you 3 litres of milk daily compared to a anglo at 1 litre daily.Cross the 2 and how many litres would the new goat give you daily.??I would think that depends which one was used as the sire and which was used as the dam,a saanen sire should help increase milk yield in the new offspring,and you gamble on a little higher milk fat %.Both goats cost alot,sannens more than the anglos.If someone had upgraded natives and could breed this dam to a sannen sire,the offspring would be better than the mother not as good as the father,still a good milking goat,if the daughter met production traits (no every daughter would be used for breeding,most terminal),choose only the very best for the breeding program,linebreed back to the father,(daughter/father).Breeding strategy.Helps the smallholder to improve his/her herd,If one looks at the breeding operations/farms,they all carry high numbers of stock??Until there is enough breeding sires available at affordable prices,the top quality breeds are reserved only for those who can afford them.Many people claim that if vinegar is added to the does drinking water they will have more female offspring,do not know never tried it.