Showing posts with label Philippines. Show all posts
Goat Farming is Profitable
Posted by Unknown in Goat Farming, Philippines on Monday, 13 May 2013
By Henrylito D. Tacio
Sun Star
GOAT farming is gaining ground in the Philippines.
"Goats are
very popular among Filipinos because they require low initial capital
investment, fit the smallhold farm conditions, and multiply fast,"
explained the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry
and Natural Resources Research and Development (Pcarrd) in its
investment briefer.
"Culturally,
goats are integral to every special occasion such as birthdays,
baptisms, weddings, and fiestas," Pcarrd added. "Hence, they command a
higher price compared with other meats in the market."
Bryan Regencia
and his brother Harold think so, too. That was the reason why after
buying a 3.6-hectare land in Mati City in Davao Oriental, they decided
to raise goats in what they called as Sagana Farm.
Actually, it
all started as a hobby. When they were still young, the two of them love
having animals in their backyard. Bryan grew up and became an
information management graduate working in a prestigious company in
Cebu. Harold, who is two years younger than his brother, finished
nursing and worked in a government hospital.
Both were at
the peak of their careers when they decided to raise goats with support
from their parents, Fe and their late father Cyrus.
"It was the
passion for animals that drove us to go into farming," the two said. "It
was our utmost dream to have our yard full of farm animals like goats,
pigs, turkeys and chickens."
They started
with five native does and an upgraded buck of Nubian. "We intended to
raise goats for meat as there was a great demand at that time," Bryan
recalled.
Since the farm
they bought had already mangoes and coconuts, they adapted an integrated
farming system and plant more fruits like durian, lanzones, mangosteen,
and banana.
But farming is
easier said than done. Neophyte as they were in farming, the number of
goats dwindled to three. Based from that sad experience, both realized
they could do it on their own. So, they decided to seek help from
experts and experienced livestock farmers.
From them, the
two learned what the problems were why two of their goats died. For one,
it was due to poor nutrition as the animals were only fed with banana
leaves, cogon, and other indigenous grasses. For another, the goats were
tethered believing that was how meat goats are raised.
But despite
this setback, it didn't deter the two to stop what they had started. The
brothers bought more goats. They also improved their method of
management. They shifted to cut and carry method of feeding their goats;
they planted different varieties of legumes and grasses like flemingia,
indigofera, ipil-ipil, kakawate, tricanthera, malunggay and napier as
forage for their goats. They also dewormed their animals periodically
and provided them with supplemental vitamins and minerals.
Despite this,
the income they would realize didn't happen. In January 2011, the
brothers sold all their meat-type goats. They used the money as their
initial capital for their dairy goat project. They started with 10
purebred American Nubian does and one purebred buck.
While waiting
for the goats to arrive, Bryan sent his brother and farm helper to the
Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) in Barangay Kinuskusan in
Bansalan, Davao del Sur to undergo training in dairy goat management.
"I wanted them
to equip themselves with proper knowledge on how to handle and
management a dairy goat farm operation," Bryan said.
After a few
more months, they acquired an additional 10 heads, bringing their stock
to 20 females and one male. Offspring were produced and the stocks grew
to 47 heads, which they branded as the "Black Delight."
"With dairy
goats, you don't need a very big area and a large herd for it to be
sustainable," Bryan now realized. "You will not earn only from milk but
also from manure, culled meat and breeders."
Special Fertilizer Ups Tobacco Yield
Posted by Unknown in Fertilizer, Philippines, Tobacco on Sunday, 12 May 2013
By: Zac B. SarianManila Bulletin
 |
| THE BIG DIFFERENCE — Photo shows the big difference between the Burley tobacco (left) sprayed with Power Grower Combo and the unsprayed plants at right. Power Grower Combo is a special fertilizer formulation by Alfonso G. Puyat which results in very fast growth of the plants when it is sprayed on the leaves. The sprayed tobacco grew to about six feet compared to less than four feet for most of the unsprayed tobacco plants. The leaves of the sprayed plants are bigger and more numerous than the unsprayed ones. The sprayed plants are owned by Frederick Pinpinio (right) of San Miguel, Balungao, Pangasinan, who is shown here talking to visitors Fernando Gabuyo and Oftoficiano Manalo. |
A special
fertilizer that has been proven to more than double the yield of
sugarcane and fruit trees also does wonders on Burley tobacco. This is
the Power Grower Combo, a plant growth promotant formulated by Alfonso
G. Puyat.
Earlier, the
special fertilizer formulation doubled the yield of sugarcane in the
farm of Mauro Merculio in Victoria, Tarlac. This time, the trial in a
farmer’s farm in Balungao, Pangasinan, shows the yield of Burley tobacco
could be more than doubled with the Power Grower Combo.
Frederick
Pinpinio of San Miguel, Balungao, Pangasinan has a standing crop of
Burley tobacco on one hectare from which he has harvested two times as
of this writing. His tobacco plants that were sprayed just two times
with the Puyat growth enhancer have grown to about six feet tall whereas
the plants of the unsprayed adjacent field were mostly four feet or
less in height.
The sprayed
plants produced much bigger and more numerous leaves. The leaves of the
sprayed plants were two feet long and one foot wide. On the other hand,
leaves of the unsprayed plants measured only 17 inches long and seven
inches wide. When the leaves were dried in the sun, as is the usual
practice in Burley tobacco, the dried leaf of the sprayed plant weighed
12 grams whereas the one of the unsprayed plant was 5.1 grams.
As per the estimate of Frederick, one plant could yield as much as one kilo of dried leaves.
He has planted
15,000 plants in the one hectare that he rented for P5,000 per planting
cycle. That means, he could harvest about 15 tons from one hectare. At
the usual price last year of P70 per kilo, the 15 tons could be worth
more than one million pesos. Even if the yield is only ten tons, that
would still give the grower P700,000.
Compared to
corn, which is also a major crop in Pangasinan, tobacco requires more
labor to produce. The cost of production includes the cost of seedlings
which is supplied by the buyer of the cured leaves at 70 centavos per
seedling. The other costs are land preparation, fertilizer, daily
attention to the plants while they are growing to prevent insect
infestation, irrigation, cost of harvesting, sticking and drying. At any
rate, Burley tobacco is still profitable to grow.
According to
the National Tobacco Administration, Burley tobacco is being produced
largely in Pangasinan which accounts for 51 percent of local Burley
production. The other provinces growing Burley tobacco are Tarlac (16%),
Nueva Ecija and Mindoro.
The NTA adds that there are about 11,376 farmers involved in planting Burley tobacco on 7,198 hectares.
The good thing
about Burley tobacco is that unlike Virginia tobacco, it is not cured in
flue-curing barns. Burley is dried in the sun like the native tobacco.
Burley is a
light colored aromatic tobacco that is used in making cigarettes. About
75 percent of local production is used by local cigarette manufacturers.
The rest is exported to countries like the United States, Germany, Hong
Kong, Singapore, Russia and Japan.
Agri Plain TalkZac B. SarianA veteran agriculture journalist who also runs a one-hectare nursery of exotic fruit trees. I am currently the Agriculture Editor of Manila Bulletin, a 113-year-old daily newspaper. My agriculture page appears every Thursday and Saturday where I write my Agri Plain Talk column. This twice weekly column has been running for more than 21 years now.
Forage Crops for Goats in Philippines
Posted by Unknown in Goat Farming, Grass, Grazing, Philippines, Silage and Forage on Tuesday, 29 January 2013
(Sun Star Davao)
The increasing demand for goat meat is a boon to farmers engaged in
goat-raising, making backyard and commercial projects a promising
investment field.
As
in any other industry, a decisive factor in the development of a
commercially viable goat raising industry is the product. As everybody
in livestock-raising knows, the right choice of feeds has a direct
bearing on the quality of the meat.
"Goats should
be fed nutritious feeds on a year round basis," says Roy C. Alimoane,
director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation
Inc. in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur.
The question is
how? "Native grasses decline fast, have low volume per hectare, are
inadequate for high stocking rates, and do not respond well to
fertilization," Alimoane explains.
Obviously, the
solution is to plant new, improved, and more efficient grass and legume
species, which are palatable to goats. A 50-50 combination of both
provides three advantages: 1) it improves milk production and chevon
quality, 2) fertilizes the soil, and 3) helps prevent soil erosion.
Every pasture
land is unique. The variables are soil, elevation, climate, and
location. Certain types of grasses and legumes will grow well in one
area, badly in another. Goat raisers should put up test plots and secure
technical advice and, depending on the performance of different
species, gradually expand.
Some of the
promising pasture and forage crops for goats are star grass, napier
grass, guinea grass and para grass for grasses and ipil-ipil,
centrosema, stylo, siratro, kakawate, kadios, flemingia, and rensonii
for legumes.
Star grass (Cynodon plestostachyus)
-- A very aggressive, creeping perennial, this East African native
grass can easily crowd pasture grasses and legumes. It is very resistant
to trampling and drought but tends to become very stemmy when mature.
Above average in crude protein, young stands are relished by goats. It
responds well to fertilization and, with cuttings, is easily
established.
Spreading
quickly, star grass effectively holds sandy soils along waterways and
embankments. It's very tolerant to grazing and trampling and is
particularly useful in alleys and paddocks near the corral which are
frequently over stock.
Star grass
grows well in the Cagayan Valley, Negros Occidental, North and South
Cotabato and Davao provinces. It blends well with centrosema.
Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) --
Also known as elephant grass, this is the most popular improved pasture
species in the country because of its vigor, productivity, drought
tolerance, and relative ease in establishing it. Like the star grass, it
responds well to fertilization.
While
unable to tolerate water logging, this species grows under many soil
conditions. Although commonly used for soilage and silage, it may be
grazed. It also makes excellent stands with legumes like centrosema and
siratro.
Napier grass,
which is a similar to sugarcane in appearance, can be propagated
commercially by means of stem cuttings. If it is not grazed and allowed
to become overgrown, napier grass becomes tall and stemmy. It is an
excellent species for zero grazing in goat-raising. Napier grass is low
in crude protein.
Guinea grass (Panicum maximum)
-- This African native grows on a wide range of soil but is better
suited to medium to highly fertile soil. It responds well to high level
of nitrogen fertilization.
Like the napier
grass, it cannot tolerate water logging. Guinea grass can be
established commercially using rootstocks and seeds. It grows well with
legumes, like centrosema and stylo, and under trees of semi-cleared
conditions. Guinea grass is only average in crude protein.
Para grass (Brachiaria mutica)
-- This species has become popular due to its ability to grow well
under waterlogged conditions. A trailing grass that roots freely at the
nodes, it responds well to nitrogen fertilizer. It is best suited for
low flat lands and where poor drainage is a problem.
Para grass is a
common weed in irrigation channels and drainage ditches. It is
extensively used in Davao's low coastal goat and coconut farms as well
as in the Bukidnon's highlands (up to 760 meters above sea level).
Like napier
grass, it’s very easy to establish from stem cuttings. It is not as
resistant to grazing as guinea grass, but para grass seems to be the
goats’ favorite grass. It is average in crude protein.
Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) --
This is a perennial shrub or tree. Ipil-ipil leaves are bipinnate with
white head inflorescence. It is recommended as a folder crop for
backyard goat-raising. The young stem and leaves can be dried and
pulverized into leaf and stem meal or it may be fed as fresh-cut forage.
Although
ipil-ipil contains an undesirable alkaloid called mimosine, which causes
feather loss in poultry and hair loss in horses and pigs, goats can be
fed high levels of ipil-ipil without any adverse effects. Ipil-ipil is
very high crude in protein.
Centrosema (Centrosema pubsecens)
-- This is a trailing and climbing perennial with bright purple flowers
weakly rooting at the nodes. Centrosema grows well even on acidic soil
and is adaptable to the high rainfall areas in the eastern part of the
Philippines.
Like other
species, it combines well with many grasses. Moderately tolerant of
waterlogged conditions, it is recommended for grazing under coconut
trees. In feed value, it is high in crude protein and goats find it
every palatable.
Siratro (Phoseolus atropurpureus) --
A twining perennial with many branched hairy stems and trifoliate
leaves with distinctive indentations on the margins, it grows on a wide
variety of soils, is drought resistant, mixes with grasses, and seeds
profusely.
Although
siratro is susceptible to Rhixonctonia during the rainy season, it
recovers quickly in summer. This species is not widespread and seed are
very hard to obtain. Siratro is high in crude protein.
Calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus)
-- A shrub that rarely reaches more than ten meters tall, calliandra
with its red flowers is usually grown as an ornamental. While it does
not produce seeds readily, it grows very well in Mindanao.
Calliandra
grows on many different soils, including infertile ones; it even grows
in heavily compacted clay-type soils with poor aeration. Per fresh and
dry weight basis, it has crude protein content of 9.42 percent and 28.26
percent, respectively. But the leaves are high in tannins which may
restrict absorption of the protein. As such, it should be fed with other
legumes and grasses.
Kakawate (Gliricidia sepium) --
This is small tree that grows up to 10 meters high. It has an open
crown and often contorted trunk that is 30 centimeter or less in
diameter. It does well in moist and dry soil, even with heavy
concentration of limestone. In addition, it can tolerate acidic soil.
The leaves
contain over 20 percent crude protein and are nutritious for livestock.
When given to goats, it should be mixed with other legumes and grasses.
Kadios (Cajanus cajan)
-- A woody shrub that can grow as tall as 3.6 meters, it can be grown
in a wide range of soils but cannot withstand water-logging. It thrives
in light sandy soils, but grows best in neutral deep loams. The pods,
husks, and foliage can be used for feeding goats. The dry seeds contain
about 22 percent protein.
Flemingia (Flemengia macrophylla) --
This is a shrub attaining two to three meters in height. It has deep
root system and produces dense foliage. It looks somewhat similar to
kadios but does not produce edible beans. It is somewhat shade and
fire-resistant. Per fresh and dry weight basis, it has six percent and
18 percent crude protein, respectively.
Rensonii (Desmodium rensonii) --
This is an erect shrub which grows well in moist areas with even
rainfall distribution. It can be planted by seeds or by cuttings. It is
very fast growing with good foliage production, yielding 1.9 kilograms
per linear meter of hedgerow. Its coppicing ability is excellent.
With a crude
protein content (23%) rivaling alfalfa in the temperate climates,
rensonii has been successfully tested at the MBRLC as an animal feed not
only for goats, but sheep, cattle, rabbits, and swine as well.
