Specials NEWS

When the idea of eating rabbit meat is introduced, some folks still get taken aback, despite the animal’s long history as livestock and the health benefits of its meat.

When the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, farmer-veterinarian Mykhailo Travetsky was given two choices — to leave the country with his family or to stay behind. Travetsky chose the latter.

Raising rabbits for food has been gaining popularity, especially during the pandemic. Though rabbits can be a low cost, fairly low maintenance backyard livestock animal, one diseased animal, if left untreated, can wipe out one’s entire stock.

Filipino livestock growers and fish producers are cautiously optimistic for the agriculture sector’s prospects in 2022 despite myriad challenges the past two years.

Methane emissions from cattle are one of the top contributors to climate change that many are hoping to address. These gases are a product of ruminal fermentation where bugs in the rumen generate methane gas. 

Agriculture plays a relevant role in the Philippine economy. Many Filipinos rely on farming as a source of livelihood, but farming isn’t limited to growing crops. It involves raising livestock for their meat and other resources. As a result, livestock farmers provide the animals in their care with the proper requirements and feeds to aid their growth.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has already given up on its ambitious growth target of 2 percent for the agriculture sector, but it has remained hopeful that the sector could still pull off a growth of at least below 1 percent following four consecutive quarters of decline.

Agriculture Secretary William Dar assured that efforts to help the livestock sector, which heavily dragged the performance of the country’s agriculture sector during the first half of the year, recover from the African Swine Fever (ASF) are in full force.

The amount of plastic that has been produced since the 1950s is equivalent to the weight of one billion elephants. Today, the plastic crisis has reached the point where everyone is already consuming and inhaling microplastic particles.

A study suggests that cows have their own tone of voice and their pitch changes based on their emotions. They keep their individual voice throughout their lives, making it easier to distinguish who makes what sound in the herd.

Our families have a way of influencing different aspects of our lives, whether we like it or not. It manifests in a variety of ways like how we think or act, our preferences, or even in the career path that we choose, so it’s no surprise if those from later generations follow in the footsteps of the family members who came before them. 

The pleasure of having to scratch an itch is something that not only humans can understand, but cows, too.

The Philippines’ agricultural production fell by 3.3 percent in the first three months of 2021, a bigger decline compared with a 1.7-percent drop during the same period last year.

Livestock constitutes about 15 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. A single cow can produce an equal amount of a car’s gas emission through the methane they release through passing gas.

The Department of Agriculture (DA-7)-Central Visayas is now focused on improving the livestock industry of Negros Oriental by enhancing the San Jose Breeding Station at Barangay Janay-Janay in San Jose town as a satellite research outreach station (ROS) of Negros Oriental Research and Development Center (NORDC) of DA-Region 7 to cater to the livestock and other agricultural needs of the farmers in the province. DA-7 regional director Atty. Salvador Diputado in his recent visit at the breeding station, he found the area productive and functional that the center aside from being a livestock breeding station, is now a diversified ROS with the establishment of other crops production areas like cacao and coffee. “The agency’s plan for the ROS is to position it as a potential expansion area for the cacao-coconut intercropping as well as the super sweet jackfruit seedlings.  However, before the release of seedlings or any interventions to farmer-recipients, the area of the farmers must be validated first,” Diputado said. According to NORDC chief Evansueda Abbas that the station has one hectare each for cacao and coffee plantation and it has also 20 heads of breeder turkeys and 30 heads of native chicken with off springs intended for distribution under the provincial dispersal program. Provincial Agriculture Technology and Program Coordinating Office (PATCO) in Negros Oriental, Sarah Perocho bared that the station will continue to operate now that it is being facelifted and improved.  “Ang in-charge diri nga research station naglihok jud aron mapalambo ang station para sa mga mag-uuma,” Perocho said. (The person in-charge of this research station is really working hard to develop and improve the area for the farmers). Meanwhile the DA-7 has turned over 30 heads of upgraded heifer or female cows to farmers in the municipalities of Pamplona and Mabinay and in Guihulngan City with female cows worth P39,900 each or more than one million pesos.  Each local government unit was given 10 cow heads. DA-7 Livestock Coordinator Dr. Voltaire Zeam Amper said that the animals are part of the Expanded Livestock and Poultry Production and Livelihood Project for COVID-19 Response under the “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Kontra sa COVID-19 Bayanihan I.” Amper added that the project’s objective is to ensure that farmers during this pandemic can produce their own food and can raise additional income for their family. “Qualified beneficiaries of these animals for dispersal are farmer associations and members who are registered in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA),” Amper said. Amper also bared that DA-7 has already delivered 30 heads of heifers to farmers in Bohol and 19 heads were also distributed in Siquijor.  “We are also awaiting the delivery of another 24 heads of upgraded buffalos,” he added. Perocho on the other hand said that the heifers were delivered and distributed to the Fatima Farmer Association of Pamplona; Farm Family Association of Mabinay; and Kapunungang Makugihong Mag-uuma of Guihulngan City. Mabinay Municipal Agriculturist Leilanie Malacapay said the farmer-beneficiaries of the project expressed their gratitude to DA for this livelihood project they received. She hoped that agricultural support continues to pour to the farmers.

Bohol governor Arthur Yap wants to develop Sagbayan town as the livestock and poultry capital of the province as he has observed the abundance of livestock and poultry in this landlocked agricultural municipality.

Puerto Prinsesa City, Palawan- The Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) is seeing the good prospect of corn in the support the livestock production of the province of Palawan.  Dr. Romeo Cabungcal, provincial agriculturist said that corn is very important and one of the main ingredients for the products including feeds for the poultry industry. He said that they are also gearing up the corn production to support the needs of the local market and the livestock production. “Maganda ang production ng corn natin ngayon. Maganda ang prospect ng corn sa atin and I think maganda din ang presyo ng corn ngayon,” Cabungcal said.

Gamu, Isabela – The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 2 (DA RFO2) had opened the Center for Native Animal Development, Production and Learning in Region 02 at the DA-Isabela Experiment Station (IES) in Barangay Upi here.