LIPA CITY BATANGAS, November 24, 2023 – Aimed at improving and optimizing profitability in goat production, nineteen (19)  staff  of the Department of Agriculture – Special Area for Agricultural Development (DA-SAAD) CALABARZON who are responsible for creating stronger and more connected communities prior to the delivery of agri-livelihood projects, attended a Training on Enhancing Productivity and Profitability through Selective Breeding Programs on  October 26, 2023.

Led by former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, the activity in coordination with Dr. Vivencio Mamaril, DA Central Technical Adviser to the Assistant Secretary for Operations, was also participated by 34 technical staff from the DA CALABARZON Research Division and Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture (AMIA) Program. 

Piñol discussed goat breeding, including the establishment of breeder farms in the region. Through the training, participants gained an insight in choosing the right goat breed based on their primary use. This means that the types of stock should be sufficiently flexible to be productive across a range of environments, as it is a contributory factor in achieving sustainable production. 

Goat feeding management was also tackled. As they are ruminants, feeding them properly will help them grow healthy and improve milk production – they have the ability to convert forages and crops fed to them into meat, milk, fiber, and milk.

At the end of the seminar, Pinol shared essential tips to the team that they can share to the farmers prior to their goat farming journey. First, he emphasized the need to secure an adequate supply of silage materials. Second, he highlighted the importance of clearly defining goals or objectives for the livestock – determining whether they are intended for meat or dairy production. And last, the most crucial, is to identify and establish a market for the goat products. Understanding the market dynamics, customer demand, and distribution channels is essential for a successful and sustainable venture.

Additionally, DA CALABARZON Regional Executive Director and SAAD Focal Person Milo delos Reyes shared how the regional office remains invested in research in pursuit of better production for our goat farmers.

“Ang araw ng training na ito ay napakahalaga para sa mga taga-CALABARZON dahil ang kambing ay hindi nawawala sa mga handaan katulad ng piyestahan lalo na sa mga Batangueno. Kami ay patuloy sa pananaliksik dahil nais pa naming palawakin ang aming kaalaman sa pag-aalaga ng kambing,” Dir. de los Reyes pointed out.

(This day of training is important for the people of CALABARZON because goats are a common staple in various events such as fiesta especially for Bataguenos. We, DA CALABARZON are constantly doing research to expand our knowledge in goat husbandry.)

The said activity will help the program implementers inform the goat farmers of the proper breeding, management, and nutrition for the small ruminants. Learnings from the training will be used by SAAD CALABARZON in improving the goat production in Tingloy, Batangas. In 2024, seven (7) farmers associations in the area will receive goat production training as part of the program’s capacity building activities, aimed at preparing them for sustainable project management and empowering the communities through agri-livelihood assistance suited to their needs. ###

Writers: Pamela Faith M. Garcia, Information Officer, SAAD CALABARZON, Jayvee Ergino , Information Officer, SAAD CALABARZON