ASIDE from raising chickens and pigs in one’s own backyard, a farmer can build a shed and get a couple of goats as an addition to his versatile livestock.
A homestead goat can be raised for meat, cheese and milk, which is becoming a favorite among people since goat milk has a more easily digestible fat and protein content than cow milk.
Other popular goat-based enterprises are goat milk-based personal care products such as soaps and lotions; processing of organic fertilizers from goat manure; production of flavored yogurt, pastilles and milk gelatin, feed materials.
Take for example Juanito Bala Jr., who is determined to raise goats as his sideline, aside from leading his village as punong barangay.
Bala’s determination is inspiring, said Dr. Darwin Lloyd Sulay, focal person of GMA-Livestock program of the Department of Agriculture regional field unit IX (DA-RFU9).
In the near future, the village chief will be able to produce a herd of dairy goats, according to Sulay, when Bala uses the loan from DA’s Community Goat Production Enterprise (CGPE) under the Small Ruminant Genetic Improvement Program (SR-GIP).
First among Bala’s breed is a Boer Anglo Nubian, crossbreed oriental buck and one of the five principal breeds of dairy goats propagated abroad.
This was given to Bala in April, last year, by DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) nucleus farm located in Bagalupa, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
Based on his loan contract with DA, Bala will settle up the Nubian buck with two female offspring less than eight months old within two years.
At present, Bala owns 30 offspring and 15 does are pregnant. He claimed that soon he will have a viable enterprise with these because goat buyers from Misamis Oriental are interested in his breeds and are willing to procure these in volume.
But Bala’s goat raising livelihood is limited only to raising and selling goats for slaughter.
Indeed there is money in raising goats as a sideline and Bala, along with his wife, Aida, proved it by grossing big earnings with their goats and having sent their two children to school.
Meanwhile, the DA is continually expanding its goat production program to meet the increasing demand for goat meat locally and overseas.
DA’s goat production technologies such as the selection of breeds, housing, nutrient and health management practices are already available for duplication and adoption by interested farmers.
REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9
A homestead goat can be raised for meat, cheese and milk, which is becoming a favorite among people since goat milk has a more easily digestible fat and protein content than cow milk.
Other popular goat-based enterprises are goat milk-based personal care products such as soaps and lotions; processing of organic fertilizers from goat manure; production of flavored yogurt, pastilles and milk gelatin, feed materials.
Take for example Juanito Bala Jr., who is determined to raise goats as his sideline, aside from leading his village as punong barangay.
Bala’s determination is inspiring, said Dr. Darwin Lloyd Sulay, focal person of GMA-Livestock program of the Department of Agriculture regional field unit IX (DA-RFU9).
In the near future, the village chief will be able to produce a herd of dairy goats, according to Sulay, when Bala uses the loan from DA’s Community Goat Production Enterprise (CGPE) under the Small Ruminant Genetic Improvement Program (SR-GIP).
First among Bala’s breed is a Boer Anglo Nubian, crossbreed oriental buck and one of the five principal breeds of dairy goats propagated abroad.
This was given to Bala in April, last year, by DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) nucleus farm located in Bagalupa, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
Based on his loan contract with DA, Bala will settle up the Nubian buck with two female offspring less than eight months old within two years.
At present, Bala owns 30 offspring and 15 does are pregnant. He claimed that soon he will have a viable enterprise with these because goat buyers from Misamis Oriental are interested in his breeds and are willing to procure these in volume.
But Bala’s goat raising livelihood is limited only to raising and selling goats for slaughter.
Indeed there is money in raising goats as a sideline and Bala, along with his wife, Aida, proved it by grossing big earnings with their goats and having sent their two children to school.
Meanwhile, the DA is continually expanding its goat production program to meet the increasing demand for goat meat locally and overseas.
DA’s goat production technologies such as the selection of breeds, housing, nutrient and health management practices are already available for duplication and adoption by interested farmers.
REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO, DA-9