Seaman turned farmer finds success in goats

A FORMER seaman turned farmer scientist had discovered a technology that increases goat milk production as he integrated science and technology in his goat farm in Tugbok District, Davao City.

He transformed his mono-crop five-hectare farm into an integrated farmland planted with inorganic rice, fruit trees like durian, pomelo, coconut and other crops. It is also the home of his Anglo Nubian stock goats in which he tried out his Science and Technology-Based Farm.

It is in this farm that farmer scientist Darwin Tinasas expanded his market from local buyers to highly-specialized industries like coffee, dog breeders, beauty shops, gourmet restaurants and more.

Increasing demand on goat milk products pushed him to improve his traditional practice on goat production and integrated the S&T approach.

Data showed that increasing demand for fresh milk will push the numbers for local milk production. Domestic milk production grew 3.44 percent from 12,870 metric tons in 2006 to 13,320 metric tons the following year.

However, country still produces less than one percent of its total annual dairy requirement and imports the balance.

This gave Tinasas an edge to be awarded the Science and Technology-Based Farm grant of Pcarrd applying such on his milk production practices.

The farmer scientist personally tried out how feasible the S&T technique in producing goat milk with higher minerals, calcium, potassium, and other minerals.

His study was aimed to look for better feeding and pasturing, better housing, improved sanitation of milk products, and control of internal parasite diseases

Tinasas admitted that applying S&T at the start was quite expensive as it requires series of tests to check on parasite presence in goats and at the same time strictly ensure milk quality.

"But in the long run, the cost will pay off because of the technology ensures improved milk quality, more milk produced, and more goat milk by-products made," he said. Using the S&T practice, a goat's kid weight at three months old is about 18 kilogram, three-kilogram heavier than the weight of a goat applied with the traditional practice.

Tinasas also saved a month of weaning thru the use of S&T. He also gets 700 ml more of daily goat production. The milk quality also favored the goat milk producer as it expands shelf life from 7 months to 10 months.

He bared that a single Anglo Nubian could produce as much as two liters of milk a day, unlike before which only plays around 700 to 800 mg.

The farmer scientist has also learned the ropes in marketing as he explored the national market. Highly-specialized beauty shops in Manila are ordered by bulk from his own production of goat milk soap.

"My goat-milk soaps have found a market in highly-specialized health and beauty shops in Manila," he said.

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