THE YAMANG Bukid Farm in Palawan is expected to produce quality “dairy and cheese” products following the aim of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) to make it as model production farm.
With this development, Yamang Bukid has started to plant Napier cuttings which will be used as forage for the number of Murrah buffalos coming from the PCC.
Forage is the edible part of Napier which can provide feed for grazing animals, or can be harvested for feeding the buffalos.
The Napier plantation will be situated at the Farm No. 6 of Yamang Bukid which is located in Barangay Bacungan, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
It is important to note that the feedstuff which the buffalos will eat will alter the nutrients in their body, thus it is vital to supply these animals with nutritional feeds that can have a positive and beneficial impact on the animal’s body and their overall health.
The continuing efforts of the PCC to encourage the Filipino farmers to venture into carabao-raising and carabao-based enterprises has given rise to a new kind of partnership with the private entrepreneurs, like the Yamang Bukid Farm, which have the capacity and willingness to help pursue the goals of the agency.
The development of carabao-based products and creating demand for these commodities are therefore essential.
Market development opens doors for opportunities, which will motivate the growth of production in the rural areas, thereby creating prospects for the marginalized farmers in the countryside.
After all, carabao-based dairy farming has become a viable enterprise in the Philippines, and experts now say that it is an emerging industry, which is seen to have the ability to address food security and offer income-generating opportunities for the farmers.
Along the way, the animal wastes that can be collected daily from the farm can be transformed into organic fertilizer, which Yamang Bukid can apply to its forage area.
Once the project becomes fully operational, hands-on training on processing of carabao’s milk, particularly the production of cheese and milk candy (pastillas), will be held in Yamang Bukid for its farm workers.
Aside from processing, the farmers can also learn about milk quality testing, maintenance of milk quality and the dairy supply chain, which covers production, processing, and delivery to the consumer.
It is important to have knowledge and maintain the quality of milk because if it turns bad, the product also becomes bad.
Dairy buffalos should be provided with sufficient nutrients to reach their optimum milk production capacity.
Under the program of the PCC and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) titled “Enhancing Milk Production of Water Buffaloes Through S&T Interventions,” nutrition is underscored as among the more important aspects.
It was learned that the project is aimed at increasing the milk production of dairy buffaloes, more specifically their average daily milk production from 4.5 to 7 kilos through the establishment of a year-round practical feeding system using nutritionally complete home-grown forages. (jaypeeyap@ymail.com/PN)
