THE Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has initially produced five tons of napier silage at the Negros First Ranch (NFR) at Barangay Sta. Rosa in Murcia.

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said the silage production project is part of their mitigating measures and adaptation strategies to sustain livestock production in the provincial farms and breeding centers in different local government units (LGUs).

Also, this is in preparation for the possible adverse effect of climate change especially with the impending El Niño phenomenon, Decena said.

“Climate change affects the livestock sector, it has a negative impact on the productive and reproductive performance of animals,” he said, adding that it increases the incidence of livestock diseases and parasitic infestation.

Climate change also depletes feed and fodder resources as well as water, among others, the provincial veterinarian stressed.

PVO recalled that in Negros Occidental alone, there have been serious threats of climatic change like severe droughts, floods, intense rainfall, and landslides.

These “risks” negatively impact the development programs and goals of the government especially those aimed at reducing poverty, it said.

PVO recorded about P13 million worth of damage and losses brought by extreme heat in 2017 for both livestock and poultry sector in the province.

It was lessened, though, through various initiatives of the Provincial Government like providing assistance to animal raisers.

Decena said silage production adopted by PVO complements the existing mitigation and adaptation strategies specifically pertaining to sudden changes in the climate.

He said climate change, which may hit the province anytime, may affect animal production especially of two provincial farms such as NFR and Provincial Livestock Breeding Center and Dairy Farm at Barangay La Granja in La Carlota City.

These are on top of the production centers in various localities, he added.