MOUNTAIN PROVINCE, March 17, 2021 – The Department of Agriculture (DA) through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program provided Php 175,000 worth of 350 head Dekalb brown chicken to Sagada farmers to ensure sufficient food and livelihood development during the CoViD-19 pandemic.

SAAD is not just dedicated to carrying out agricultural livelihood interventions to marginalized rural farmers but is also committed to delivering quality and community-complemented interventions.

The 16-week-old Dekalb brown chicken pullets benefited 7 farmers from Ankileng Rumang-ayan Organization (ARO) of Sagada, as part of the Backyard Brown Egg Production sub-project, funded under SAAD FY 2020.

Previously, the group received 63 bags of chicken-layer mash (9 bags each), 7 anti-infective boxes with vitamins, 7 dewormer boxes, 14 thread mesh rolls (2 rolls each), and 7 insect-proof black net rolls worth Php 245,350.

About ARO

ARO is a SAAD-organized farmers’ association, established in February 2019 with 70 total members, belonging to the APPLAI, Bontok, Betwagan tribes.

Upon establishment, they were initially granted the Swine and Rambutan Production Project.

In 2020, they also received interventions on organic and conventional Vegetable Production Project.

The FA started cultivating vegetables and leveled up their swine project which led them to operate a small community-based enterprise on meat and etag processing.

The members of the organization are in an alternate cropping system between rice and vegetable, and raising minimal domesticated animals like pigs and native chicken mainly for consumption before the arrival of the program.

But with the intervention from the program, they are now into production activities of wider scope. The members that are engaged in pig production are dedicated to raising from 7 to more than 20 animals which are sold to local hog traders.

Dekalb Brown Chicken

Dekalb brown chicken is the most popular breed in cage-free egg production producing brown eggs.

It is developed from several heritage breeds including Leghorns and Rhode Islands (Braganza, 2020). They are said to be a perfect fit for the modern chicken farmers for excellent laying persistency and productivity.

With this, Dekalb brown chicken is chosen for the group’s backyard brown egg production project.

During the distribution in Ankileng, Sagada, Mr. Christian Fortin, SAAD Program Provincial Agriculturist I for the province, conducted an orientation on proper management of the stocks.

Mr. Fortin reminded them that the chickens came from a long journey thus intricate caring measure is needed until the animals are already adjusted.

Secondly, he informed them that the stocks were about 16 weeks that needed grower feeds for at least a month before gradually moving to the mash layer.

Thirdly, he reminded them that this type of chicken can be fed with greens such as sayote, sayote leaves, and camote leaves.

Mr. Fortin ended the orientation with the practice of proper isolation of stocks with observed symptoms of colds from strong ones.

With the additional intervention they received, the ARO FA is looking forward to creating a market for brown eggs and chicken stock for the Sagada community. ###

Writer: Dinah Ay-yango, IO Mountain Province

Sources: DA SAAD Mountain Province

References:

Lauro Braganza. October 12, 2020. What is DeKalb Chicken. Retrieved from: https://freerangeph.com/what-is-dekalb-chicken?