The carabao can be a good source of income

More than just a beast of burden or work animal, the carabao can be a source of income.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) wants to change the perception that the carabao is a mere production input giving its draft power to farmers in cultivating their field. Instead, the carabao should be viewed in the light of its value as a source of income either in the form of meat or milk.

Such recognition of the new role of the carabao in the country’s economic scenario has prompted the DA through the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) headed by Executive Director Dr. Libertado Cruz to implement the Carabao-based Enterprise Development (CBED) program. The purpose of the program is not only to raise the overall income of the carabao raisers through the full utilization of the animal resource but also to increase the carabao population in the country.

Under this program, efforts are being taken to elevate the genetic potential of the animal for growth and milk production. This is being done by cross-breeding the native carabao with murrah buffalo through artificial insemination or bull loan program.

The improved growth rate among cross bred animals can lead to profitable carabao raising for meat, the improvement of milk production potential of animal.

In step with the carabao development program, the PCC has put up module of 25 pure breed dairy buffaloes and cows, within the "impact area" to demonstrate the economic viability of a buffalo-based dairy enterprise using the pure breed highly productive dairy buffaloes.

The concept of the ‘impact zone’ module is putting together all ingredients for a sustainable carabao development program in a pilot area. This means that activities such as artificial insemination, pregnancy and calf drop monitoring, social orientation and training on cooperatives development and other activities will be established by PCC in a specific area with the objective of creating a sustainable village level carabao-based enterprise.

For this purpose, the province of Nueva Ecija was identified as the National Impact Zone (NIZ) since the main office of the PCC is located in the area.

As such the province will serve as the model for production of specialized buffalo-based products and quality pure breed buffaloes through the establishment of viable coop-led buffalo enterprise.

Since the NIZ establishment in 1999 a total of 34 primary cooperatives in Nueva Ecija have already availed dairy buffaloes provided by each.

After the installation of modules in both national and regional levels, the PCC continues to provide technical assistance to cooperatives particularly on areas covering production, marketing of product and cooperative capability building to ensure the success of the program.

Recognizing the significant role of the stage colleges, and universities, the local government unit and other institutions in extension and technology dissemination, PCC also supports them in terms of establishment of buffalo modules. In fact 10 institutions including an LGU and a unit of the AFP have already been assisted by PCC.

In a determined bid to institutionalized extension research in the agency, the PCC is maintaining a so-called SWAT team composed of veterinarians and animal extensionists which regularly visits farmer-cooperative recipients of dairy buffaloes in the NIZ. In the process extension services are readily rendered at the same time pertinent data regarding animal health, breeding nutrition, and milk production and other related activities are continuously gathered and analyzed. Documentation of field data is done as a major activity. The same is being undertaken by the network center which also monitors their own impact zone.

The extension staff members also undergo continuous training to hone their skills and make them more effective extension agents and researchers.

To support the marketing of milk by the participating dairy buffalo-based cooperative, PCC facilitates the provision of equipment such as motorcycle with sidecar for milk collection and transport, freezer and plastic sealer. The various regional centers likewise will continue to link cooperatives to commercial milk processors such as Arce Dairy, Goldilocks and others.

PCC continues to conduct training activities that would support the capability building needs of the farmer clienteles, particularly on the area of carabao production and management.

More farmers are expected to undergo the same training sessions in the coming months to change their perception on the carabao and turn to buffalo dairy enterprise as income generating activity. – PNA