Alaminos Goat Farm (AGF) - A Model Dairy Goat Farm

[mulawin]

Tomorrow marks another milestone in AGFs quest to prove skeptics wrong in using Saanen for dairy goat farming in a tropical country. PCARRD and NDA are presenting a report attesting to the success story of AGF. It is a pity that all of us cannot be invited and offer our handshake to the father and sons team of the Almedas. Our hats off to all of you. Your success is the success of the dairy goat farming in the Philippines.

If you visit AGFs website, you will note that majority of their top 10 milkers are not purebred Saanen. They are if I am not mistaken cross of their purebred Saanen bucks and their Mitra line Anglo-Nubians. They are the Snubians. This cross has well acclimatised to the local conditions and with proper nutrition has proven that it can be done.

Congratulations.

[alaminosgoatfarm]

The Winds of Change is Sweeping the Goat Raising Industry in Tropical Philippines

The past several years have seen advancement in the commercialization of technology in raising goats under the tropical condition of the Philippines. The entry of private investment and the government PL 480 program in the goat industry have been very positive in terms of infusing good genetic materials from the United States and Australia. The past years have seen big improvement in the genetic make up of Anglo Nubians and Boer goats in commercial farms never seen before in the history of Philippine Agriculture.

Nutrition

I remember way back when we first started raising goats, the idea at that time was that if you have a big land buy female goats and a buck,free range them and they would double in number in a years time. My Dad and I were in for a big surprise, it was the complete opposite of that notion. Because of the tropical condition and the rains in Alaminos, Laguna the imported Boer goats from Australia requires adjustment in animal husbandry practices.

Housing plays a vital role to protect them from the elements during the rainy season and hot days. In the area of nutrition, the imported Boers and Anglo Nubians being double the size of the native goats would require a higher plain of nutrition. The better appreciation of nutrition is now well taken by goat raisers to be successful in this business.

The Alaminos Salad Garden is our contribution to the development of the goat raising industry. The focus of the salad garden is producing more legumes. Legumes which have a higher level of protein and are more digestible compared to tropical forage grass which have higher fibers. The fast growth rate of indigofera and its high biomass yields attracted us to make it the centrepiece of our Alaminos Salad Garden. In selecting the tree legumes indigofera, we chose a drought resistant specie that will perform on poor soils.

The easiness in establishing indigofera in Alaminos during the wet season further cemented our decision to make it the flagship of our Alaminos Salad Garden. The soil is fertilized with goat manure. For volume we have a lot napier grass and slowly we are adding signal grass. For variety we have centrosema, leucania, mulberry and a little malunggay in our salad garden.

Genetics

I remember years back when we get invited to forums in goat development, I would mention the need of a purebred buck in upgrading the native herd but they will say that due to limited funds we have to compromise with an F2 buck “ puede na yan”. From that day I have marked people in government and in the industry who will say “ puede na yan better than using a native buck“.

Today we have a lot of progressive farmers around, leading our list are: Ex- Governor Mannny Pinol with his fine line of Anglo Nubians from the United States. Edwin Dumlao who have imported quality Nubians from the United States. Sandy Javier, who owns the most expensive Boer Buck in the Philippines. His Boer Buck Stately is the reserve champion in the Sydney Easter Royal Show. Mos and Camilo Velasco of Urbistondo Goat Farm in Pangasinan. In Bicol we have Dr. Boying Llorin of Naga City Goat Farm, who have invested heavily in genetics and Ayie Alsua of Bicol with his spotted and mottled Anglo Nubian and his improved pasture. In Bulacan, we have Eric de la Cruz with Nubians from Australia.

There are a lot more not on the list, I just mentioned those we have met and whose goats we have seen. With the good Anglo Nubians genetics now in commercial farms we see that in three years time the Philippines will be at par or better in the production of quality Anglo Nubian breeder goats adapted to perform in tropical settings.

Mitra Line

We continue to develop our Mitra Line and we are starting to start a new family towards the dairy line. The original family of the Mitra line started with upgraded Anglo Nubians does we bought from Dado Mitra in 2006. We find them very prolific and fast growers. In upgrading the Mitra Line through the years we would like to show a cost efficient way of producing a well bred Anglo Nubian herd locally. Investing in a good line of purebred Anglo Nubian bucks from Australia have been the key in the success of our Mitra Line breeding program.

This year we have added an island born Anglo Nubian buck from Braveheart Farm of Tito Manny Pinol for our Mitra Line dairy breeding program. In developing a new family of the Mitra Line towards a dairy type herd, we intend to find out if they can do a 305 days lactation period which up to this time we have not achieve with our Mitra Line.

We are proud to contribute the work we have done for the Mitra Line in helping develop the goat industry in tropical Philippines.

Conclusion

This year and the coming years are exciting years for goat raising in the Philippines. The industry have the genetics and technology in place to be successful in raising goats in the tropics. The new players brings with them the logistics and financial muscle to achieve their goals. The changing of the guards is happening, for those who still adhere to “ puede na yan “ their days are numbered.

With the big improvement in the genetic makeup of island born Boers and Anglo Nubians, government must include purchasing from commercial goat farms in the Philippines as part of its long term program in helping develop the goat industry. The island born bucks would be more cost effective and adaptable to the tropical condition of the Philippines. It would be ideal for government Local Government Units, dispersal program for farmers in the countryside.

Now the Philippines, next South East Asia as the Philippines goat raisers produce world class Anglo Nubians suitable to the tropical condition of South East Asia.The winds of change is sweeping the goat industry in tropical Philippines and we are proud to be part of it. Its just a matter of time we are almost there.