Farming has historically served as the primary source of livelihood for the majority of Filipinos. To generate additional income from their agricultural activities, they ought to consider goat farming. With a growing impact on farming revenue, goats are gradually receiving support and attention from both governmental and private entities.
Goats not only have the potential to bolster the Philippine economy but also to reduce farming costs and combat child malnutrition, says Jethro P. Adang, the director of the Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC).
“Although they are often referred to as the ‘poor man’s cow,’ goats can provide farmers with a reliable source of income in the event of crop failures,” he says. “Given that goats are generally smaller than cattle and carabaos, they are simpler to manage and necessitate a lower initial investment. Farmers can seamlessly incorporate goat raising into their existing crop-based agricultural practices.”
Goats have been raised since time immemorial. In his book, Goat Husbandry, David Mackenzie wrote: “When man began his farming operations in the dawn of history, the goat was the kingpin of the personal life, making possible the conquest of desert and mountain and the occupation of the fertile land that lay beyond. The first of Man’s domestic animals to colonize the wilderness, the goat is the last to abandon the deserts that man leaves behind him.”
Historical records indicate that goats were the first hoofed animals to be domesticated. In the Biblical city of Jericho, domesticated goats were kept as early as 6,000 to 7,000 years before Christ. The ancient Greeks and Romans placed significant emphasis on goat husbandry. Those familiar with classical literature will recall the frequent references to these animals, particularly in pastoral poetry.
Adang notes that there are numerous benefits to raising goats in comparison to other dairy livestock. For instance, they reproduce more rapidly than cattle or carabaos. “Before a goat reaches the age of three, she can give birth to as many as five kids,” he states.
Another benefit is that goats require less feeds than cows and carabaos. “Approximately 10 native goats can be sustained on the same amount of feed that is adequate for one cow,” Adang asserts. “About 6-7 purebred dairy goats can be nourished on the feed needed for one dairy cow.”
Despite their small size, “a purebred goat can yield up to 4 liters of milk if the doe is provided with a diet that fulfills all her nutritional needs,” Adang emphasizes.
Unknown to many, goat’s milk is closer to mother’s milk. “Thus, it has a wide variety of health benefits,” wrote Dr. Edwin C. Villar in an article, “The ‘udder side’ of goat.” “Goat milk has smaller, well-emulsified fat globules, without agglutinin protein, hence easier to digest. This is very ideal for infants and senior citizens which constitute approximately 16% of the population of the country.”
That’s not all. “Goat milk has higher levels of amino acids and a significant proportion of medium chain triglycerides, recognized as highly beneficial to a number of health issues, and has higher amounts of vitamins and minerals with greater bioavailability,” Dr. Villar wrote.
A research done by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) showed that goat’s milk per 200 milligram serving can provide 20% of the daily requirements for calcium, 4% for vitamin A, and 8% for iron. Interestingly enough, goat milk is easier to digest and assimilate in the human body with every 3.8 times more calcium than a mother’s milk.
In the cosmetic industry, goat milk is the new trend. “It has naturally occurred alpha-hydroxy acids which is a good skin exfoliant,” Dr. Villar reported. “It is also high in capric, caprylic, and capronic acids, which makes it a good moisturizer with good fats (the medium chain fatty acids) that keeps the skin’s oil in balance.”
Adang says successful raising of dairy goats starts with the right kind of breed. Highly recommended are the Anglo-Nubian goats. Its average weight is about 65 kilograms. Some are born with horns while others are hornless. It has long drooping ears, distinct Roman nose and prominent forehead. Some strains are predominantly black, others brown, and the coat is long.
“Anglo-Nubian goats produce an average of two liters of milk daily,” Adang says. The butterfat content is about 5.6% (in comparison, the common goat has a butterfat content of 46%). This breed, a native of Northeastern Africa, is found to have a satisfactory performance in the country.
“If you cannot secure purebred stock, you can start with the best female goats available in your area,” Adang says. “Mate them with purebred or upgraded stock. Then, select only their offspring and discard the undesirable ones (you can either sell them or butcher them for meat). Continue this procedure each year, and you will have desirable goat stocks.”
But here’s a timely thought from Bryan Regencia, a recipient of Gawad Saka for small animal raising in 2013. His Sagana Farm, as he calls it, is located in Mati City, Davao Oriental. He started raising goats in 2008.
Bryan B. Regencia is one of the young farmers who raises goats.
In 2011, he shifted into raising well-selected, purebred Anglo-Nubian goats. “Unlike other dairy-type goats,” he said, referring to Saanen, Toggenburg and French Alpine, “the Anglo-Nubian breed has Asian, Middle Eastern, and Western blood in them.” Which is why, he added, they are good for milk production.
There are several ways of raising dairy goats. The MBRLC, touted as Davao del Sur’s goat capital, recommends zero grazing. In this system, the goats are not allowed to graze in the field. Instead, the pasture area is planted to recommended varieties of grasses and legumes.
The forages are cut by the strips and carried to the goats’ house. The goats are completely confined in their assigned pens. Although this system is recommended mainly for milk production, it has become a popular method also in meat production.
Dairy goats need a simple house for protection. It can be constructed using local materials available in your area. Bamboo slats, ipil-ipil poles, and coconut leaves make fine flooring, siding and roofing, respectively. Nipa or cogon grass can also be utilized for roofing.
A mature goat needs a maximum floor space of 4 by 5 feet or 20 square feet. The floor is raised by about 4 feet off the ground to facilitate easy cleaning and manure collecting. A fact to remember: goats don’t like rain and damp places.
Dairy goats should be fed nutritious feeds on a year-round basis. But the question is, what kind of forage should they be given? Native grasses decline fast, have low volume per hectare, inadequate for high stocking rates, and do not respond well to fertilization.
Obviously, the solution is to plant new, improved, and more efficient grass and legume species, which are palatable to goats. MBRLC recommends the following legumes: Flemingia macrophylla, Desmodium rensonii, Indigofera anil, and Gliricidia sepium.
“A combination of these legumes provides three advantages,” Adang says. “They improve milk production and chevon quality of the goats, aside from making the soil fertile and helping prevent soil erosion.”
The MBRLC has been raising dairy goats since the 1970s. Today, people come to the center not only to undergo training on raising goats but also buying breeding stock. And there’s money in selling goat milk. “With fresh goat milk, you can be sure that the milk your child is taking is free from harmful chemicals,” Adang assures. (To be concluded)
