San Carlos farm produces more free-range chicken, Pekin duck

THE local government-run multiplier farm in Barangay Buluangan, San Carlos City has registered a significant increase in the production of free-range chicken and Pekin duck.

This is based on the result of the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) Semestral Assessment conducted earlier this month.

Records showed that of the 200 original free-range chicken stocks as breeders, a total of 977 offspring heads were produced in less than a year.

This has paved the way for the farm to disperse 403 heads to qualified farmer-beneficiaries in the northern Negros Occidental locality.

In terms of Pekin duck production, the PVO noted a tenfold increase.

From the original stocks of 50 heads, it produced 512 heads in a period of less than a year.

Of which, a total of 138 ducklings were dispersed to the farmer-beneficiaries.

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said the "remarkable performance" of the multiplier farm is attributed to the sound management of the local government unit (LGU).

Decena also underscored the strong collaboration of the PVO District Field Unit that provided the technical support and assistance in the management and operation of the free-range chicken and Pekin duck multiplier farms.

"The province, through the PVO, is currently producing its own upgraded animals for breeding and dispersal purposes under its Provincial Animal Genetic Improvement Program," he added.

The program aims to sustain production efficiency of existing local breeds of poultry animals in the province through the establishment of multiplier farms operated by the LGUs.

"The establishment and operation of multiplier farms is a continuing project of the provincial government anchored on agricultural productivity and food sufficiency under the Abanse Negrense Development Agenda in partnership with the LGUs," the provincial veterinarian added.