Coming soon: Bigger, meatier, milkier carabao

Farmers in Central Mindanao can now breed bigger, meatier hybrid carabaos that produce more milk than the native variety.

In a memorandum of agreement, the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), based in the University of Southern Mindanao, agreed to provide farmers in the provinces of Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat with Bulgarian Murrah bulls and technical assistance in raising them.

The propagation of hybrid carabaos is part of the Support to Agrarian Reform Communities in Central Mindanao (STARCM), a project of the Department of Land Reform (DLR) that covers 52 agrarian reform communities (ARCs) in Central Mindanao.

The project is funded by official development assistance from the European Union.

"Support to farming activities of farmer-beneficiaries is very important for them to become productive members of their community (and) serve as strong allies to boost the economy of the country," said Land Reform Secretary Rene Villa.

He told The STAR that for every 30 native female carabaos a farmer owns, the PCC will provide one Bulgarian Murrah bull.

The local government units of the two provinces, on the other hand, will provide veterinary services, particularly regular deworming and vaccination of the animals.

"The Bulgarian Murrah (buffaloes) are usually much bigger and therefore stronger. They are also meatier and more milk could be extracted from them. They are ideal for field work," Villa said.

He added that the Bulgarian Murrah buffaloes "are as sturdy as local cattle. They are not delicate or sensitive, (and) are very adaptable."

Buffaloes belonging to the Bulgarian Murrah breed are usually black in color, with closely curved horns. A bull can grow as much as 145 centimeters tall and weigh up to 900 kilos, while a cow can grow as tall as 136 centimeters and weigh up to 600 kilos.

A Bulgarian Murrah cow, which has a lactation period of eight months, can yield up to 1,650 liters of milk.

Meanwhile, the Department of Science and Technology said small hold farmers raise and breed 99 percent of the three million Philippine carabaos (Bubalus bubalis) in the country.

The native carabao nearly became extinct after livestock imported from India spread rinderpest, a highly fatal viral disease of domestic cattle, buffaloes and yaks.

The DLR said under the STARCM project, a total of 700 carabaos were distributed to farmer-beneficiaries in 52 ARCs in the region.

The DLR started the project, which will last seven years, in May 2001. Aside from Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, the project also covers Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

Villa said the DLR is currently working out a grant with the French embassy to cross-breed carabaos by using bottled semen to artificially inseminate native female carabaos. He said this method may be cheaper than actually importing bulls of various breeds.