by Noel T. Provido
Goat raising is now gaining prominence as more and more farmers and entrepreneurs embark into this once unpopular but profitable venture.
One person who had been instrumental in promoting goat production is Darwin Tinasas. As a farmer scientist of Southern Mindanao Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (SMARRDEC) in Davao City, he has trained a lot of farmers on how to raise goats profitably.
His five-hectare integrated goat farm in Sitio Balengaeng, Los Amigos, Tugbok District, Davao City has been chosen to showcase the science and technology-based farming (STBF) interventions for other farmers to appreciate and learn the benefits of technology application in goat production. STBF is one of the projects of the Philippine Council for Agriculture Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).
Although he is happy that the number of goat farmers in the country keeps rising, he also anticipates the increase in goat’s meat and milk production.
“While the demand for chevon and goat’s milk is still high, developing other products would also be worth the try,’ Darwin said.
Value-adding
While breeding goats, he also focuses on milk production after learning that aside from having plenty of nutritional benefits a lot of products can be derived from goat’s milk.
“There are a lot of food products you can make out of goat’s milk such as cheese, pastillas, and yoghurt,” he said.
Darwin said he is processing at least 100 kilos of cheese weekly and sells it around P900 a kilo. He has also developed a ricotta cheese, a by-product out of the whey drain and sells it to dog breeders.
“Several dog breeders confirmed that feeding their dogs with ricotta cheese helps develop their muscling formation,” he said.
Another valuable product that he developed is goat milk soap which is highly in demand nowadays with the proliferation of beauty shops and spa business. Darwin is supplying at least 500 pieces of soap weekly to local beauty shops and spa.
“Our soap has no extenders but produce a lot of suds which is preferred by customers in spa and beauty shops. The lactic acid in goat’s milk helps smoothening skin by exfoliation, and it also contains vitamins A and D whose benefits include giving skin strength and suppleness,” Darwin said.
Aside from cheese and beauty soap, Darwin has also tried processing goat’s milk into yoghurt and pastillas which he finds promising.
Improved system
Developing various products from goat’s milk would also mean increasing the herd’s milking capacity. Darwin said the recommended technologies being observed in his farm as STBF has done a lot in meeting the required amount of milk.
“Improved milk production starts at the selection of breeder stock. It is important that you choose the right breed that can supply the amount of milk you need. For milk production, he recommends Anglo-Nubian stock as they can tolerate heat, making it ideal for tropical countries like the Philippines ,” Darwin explained.
He also observed that this breed has 4.5 grams of butter fat which is higher compared to other breeds which usually produce only 3.5 to 3.8 grams.
Another consideration in milk production is its feeding system. Darwin said the capacity for the herd to meet the increasing demand for milk production lies on the nutrients you are feeding them. For his herd, he said he has at least 42 types of nutritious forage and legumes. His forage collections include Setaria, Attratum, Native Napier, Florida Napier, Cetronilla, Ratun Maize, Kornivia, and Tully. Some of the legumes he grows include Flemengia, Indigofera, Tetragona, Centrozema, Madre de Cacao, Acacia and Calliandra.
Aside from feeding the Anglo Nubian goats with these forages and legumes, Darwin tried to supplement their diet with mulberry leaves which he learned could help in promoting milk production owing to its excellent protein concentrates. He observed that it has increased its milk production from 2.8 liters to 3.2 liters per goat per day with mulberry leaves feeding.
“I highly suggest that mulberry will be part of the diet for milking goats,” Darwin said.
Aside from nutritional feeding, Darwin observed that the time of feeding is also crucial in milk production.
“We used to equally feed our goat three times a day but I observed that it would be better to feed them more late in the afternoon where they have lesser activity and will continue eating up to night time. The food that they eat will be converted into milk the following morning,” he said.
Another basic consideration for animals to produce enough milk is to promote animal health care. Darwin said he observes deworming every three months and fecalisis before and after breeding.
“Fecalises helps in identifying presence of parasites as well as the exact dose and medicine you have to give them. In this way you can minimize production cost,” he said.
Showcase
The introduction of STBF in his farm had been very instrumental in the improvement not only the breed of his herd but also in enhancing the quality of his products. Darwin said PCARRD extended funding support for the purchase of needed equipment and technical assistance.
“The milking machine not only hastens milk collection but also improves its quality as contamination is avoided. The pasteurizing machine on the other hand prolongs the milk’s shelf life,” Darwin said.
He has also attended various trainings and exposure trips abroad which further honed his expertise in goat and dairy production. In return, Darwin is more than willing to share the knowledge and expertise he has acquired in this field. As a showcase of STBF in goat and dairy production, he has at least 30 farmer cooperators who are part of the “learning by doing” approach in scientific farming.
Although Darwin has come a long way in goat and dairy farming, he humbly admits that much still needs to be done. He is planning to expand his processing area to increase milk production and at the same time help generate more jobs in the community. He is also working towards improved packaging so as to expand the market for his goat’s milk soap.
“A farmer must be open to new technologies and continue to learn to improve not only production but also in marketing his products,” is his advice for those who would like to make goat farming a profitable venture.
