February 22, 2013

Philippines to develop technology on improving goat production

To be able to improve goat production, the Philippine Government is firming up a programme that will develop technologies as goat-raising has been identified as a priority thrust for state research and development intervention.

This is according to the Department of Science and Technology (DoST) in a recent statement.

The department, through its Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), has formulated an Industry Strategic Science and Technology Plan (ISP) that spells out general thrusts for such state intervention. The thrusts are summarised as: improving health and feeding protocols that can increase kid survival rate by 20%; enhancement of breeding protocols to double slaughter weight; enhancement of the national goat farm recording system; development of a halal system for goat-based products; standardising slaughtering and cutting process; and diversifying products.

"ISP is about partnership with government and the industry and where science can make a dent on the goat industry," the statement quoted PCAARRD Livestock Research Division Director Edwin C. Villar as saying.

PCAARRD targets the country's goat production to hit 81,330 tonnes this year; 82,320 tonnes in 2014; 90,550 tonnes in 2015; and 99,600 tonnes in 2016. By 2020, the target is to produce 145,830 tonnes.

To achieve these goals, PCAARRD plans to reduce pre-weaning (introduction of adult food) mortality rate to 10% from 25%; cut "kidding interval" (the period between two consecutive births by a dam) to eight months from nine months; and raise slaughter weight to 30 kilogrammes (kg) from 15 kg.

Besides DoST, the programme also involves the Agriculture department's offices in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao and the South Cotabato-Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Sarangani-General Santos City (Soccsksargen) cluster in southern Mindanao.

Once technologies developed under the programme prove effective, PCAARRD plans to share them with the private sector, the statement said.