Agriculture Business Week

According to The Philippines Recommends for Goat Farming, a publication of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), one of the many suggested pointers to have a healthy goat herd is to provide the animals with salt lick in a perforated bamboo tube and a UMMB or urea-molasses-mineral block to supplement their diet.

The publication also reported that aside from encouraging the goats to consume more forage, the salt lick also provides them the required amount of sodium and chloride, which are the main components of ordinary salt. Normally, Philippine pastures contain low amount of the microelements sodium and chloride and, hence, it is a standard practice to provide goats with ordinary salt, either free choice or as part of mineral mixture.

Sodium is important in the regulation of body fluid volume, acid-base balance, and osmotic pressure. In general, symptoms of sodium deficiency include slow growth and reproductive failure. Milking goats may show unthrifty appearance and low milk yield.

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Posted on December 18th, 2008 under Livestock. Tags: Goat, PCCARD. Comments: None

Everybody loves December. Not only the diligent mall owners or the retail depot landlords and vendors, but everybody; down from the cart wheeling four-year-olds that await their daily ration of merienda after every afternoon nap, to the in-the-know corporate slaves that yoke themselves all year long for the most looked-forward-to 13th month pay.

And it’s all because the 12th month holds a number of special occasions every year. There’s the Jewish holiday Hannukah from the 5th to the 12th that taught us that kindergarten song “Dreidel, drifdel, dreidel! I made it out of clay”; Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and Bodhi Day for the Buddhists on the 8th; commemoration of our planet’s full revolution around our star (New Year’s Eve); and the commercial extravaganza and every Catholic’s favorite, Christmas.

Even so, good presents, as we all know, pick no special holiday. Perfect gifts are wrapped every day of the year. But, if you’re still dragging yourself to completing your own random wish list this time of the year. Why not explore these wonderful choices:

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Posted on December 4th, 2008 under Agri Tips, Special Report. Tags: Candles, Christmas, Coffee, Goat, Milk, Mussels, Xmas. Comments: None

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.

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Posted on November 27th, 2008 under Livestock. Tags: Goat. Comments: 1

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.

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Posted on November 22nd, 2008 under Livestock. Tags: Goat. Comments: None

How to stand out among a sea of local products meaning to be recognized? Two words: niche marketing

Value-added agricultural products-from the simple pre-weighed and pre-priced vegetables and fruits like carrots, mandarin oranges, celery, beef, chicken or fish in sanitary trays; to the more process-intensive forms like premixed cut-up vegetables like chopsuey and pinakbet and ready-to-grill boneless bangus, fish fillets, de-boned and breaded chicken breasts-were last year’s highlight in Agrilink, the Philippines’ grandest and most influential trade fairs on agribusiness, food and aquaculture.

This addressed farmers and fisherfolk’s problems of extracting a bigger share of the prices paid for their farm produce at supermarkets and grocery stores.

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Posted on November 12th, 2008 under Livestock, Special Report. Tags: Goat, Niche Marketing. Comments: None

In the Philippines, technology transfer falls significantly on the shoulders of technicians of local government units. They are expected o perform multiple functions. However; due to limited resources and concrete programs within the local government unit, these technicians failed to serve efficiently.

On one hand, there are technicians who are industrious, innovative, and practice what they teach. They are more effective in transferring technologies and effecting changes in their clients or their recommendations are based on experience. They also effectively ink farmers to the support service and even help market farm produce.

One of them is Marlyn Lilagan, an agricultural livestock technician who has spent almost three decades assisting and extending information to farmers Balungao, Pangasinan. A significant part of the success of this fifth class municipality in eastern Pangasinan in, goat raising is attributed to her and to the support of LGU.

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Posted on October 18th, 2008 under Livestock, Technology. Tags: Goat, Technology. Comments: None

Camiling, Tarlac - The Civil Service Commission (CSC) has conferred its Pag-asa Award on a government “goat school” project now enhancing the development of rural communities, particularly those in Tarlac.

Called “Enhancing Goat Productivity Through Adoption of Technologies of Farmers Livestock School on Integrated Goat Management” (FLS-IGM), the project is being implemented in this province by the Tarlac College of Agriculture-Institute of Veterinary Medicine (TCA-IVM) in this town.

The project is funded by the Bureau of Agricultural Research (BAR) of the Department of Agriculture headed by Director Nicomedes P. Eleazar.
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Posted on October 11th, 2008 under Livestock. Tags: Goat. Comments: None

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.

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Posted on September 18th, 2008 under Livestock. Tags: Dairy, Goat. Comments: None

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.

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Posted on September 17th, 2008 under Livestock. Tags: Disease, Goat. Comments: 1