Capitol allots P3M for goat breeding station

THE Iloilo Provincial Government is about to implement the construction of goat house, water system, fencing and electrification for the proposed goat breeding station in Concepcion, Iloilo.

The project is in coordination with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), which will provide the imported goats for breeding.

The province allotted P3 million as counterpart for the project, which will be put up in a 50-hectare lot in Barangay Belen, Concepcion donated by the Tirol family.

Governor Arthur Defensor Sr. said the goat breeding station is expected to benefit many farmers, particularly animal raisers, in the province and the entire Western Visayas.

Provincial Agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo said the breeding station will produce the Boer goat variety which is known for good meat quality.

He said the breeding station will serve as grazing and housing facility for the Boer goats.

He said DA-BAI initially proposed to raise 500 heads of Boer goats in, which 30 percent of the offspring will be turned over to the province of Iloilo.

Boer goats are typically white in color with red head, blaze and pigmented skin, drooping ear, long leg and good conformation. Average wither height is reported to be 78 cm.

The breeding age of Boer goats is about 6 months. Boer goats offer a carcass that is generally lean with low cholesterol and this has resulted in the growing demand from the health conscious human populations in Europe and other developed countries Boer goats are not good milkers because they are not selected for milk yield; however, they have a milk yielding ancestry and can lift their milk yield to about 3 kg per day.

The project, which is part of the government’s Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program, aims to enhance food security and alleviate poverty among farmers and also to propagate quality livestock for distribution to Multiplier Farms in the six provinces of Western Visayas and Masbate. (PR)