ABOUT 10,000 animal raisers, breeders, association members, enthusiasts, and technical people from both livestock and poultry sectors in Negros Island Region (NIR) and from other provinces will converge during the 25th Panaad sa Negros Festival in Barangay Mansilingan, Bacolod City on April 15 to 22.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said on Tuesday the annual livestock and poultry fair comprises various activities that highlight best industry practices of Negros Occidental, which will be shared and eventually replicated to other provinces in the country especially to its counterpart Negros Oriental.
The development of livestock should be focused on both Occidental and Oriental sides comprising the Island Region Livestock Development Goal, he said.
“Given that Negros Occidental is advance in livestock raising well as in other types of animals, our counterpart from Negros Oriental will get from us technical information which they can use in implementing their own projects and programs,” Decena added.
The annual fair kicks off with lechon parade, boodle fight, and ribbon- cutting activity on April 15.
The “Adlaw sang mga Manugbaboy, Manugsagod Manok kag Pet Lovers” on the second and third day comprise animal production seminar and paravet animal production quiz bee, pet parade, consultation, and poultry and gamefowl seminars.
On April 18, which is the “Adlaw sang mga Manugsagod Karnero, Kanding, Baka kag Karabaw,” there will be meat processing seminar and demonstration on good meat handling.
Also scheduled is the “Adlaw sang mga Manugsagod Manok, Beterinaryo, Teknisyan kag Paravets,” which includes seminars on meat processing, disease management, sample collection, and animal production seminar, cooking demonstration and contest, paravet refresher course, and awarding of provincial veterinary achievers.
“The livestock and poultry fair is intended not only for raisers and enthusiasts, but also for the project and program implementers in the region that will be converged through the Panaad Festival to acquire technical knowledge and information,” Decena said, adding that industry stakeholders and partners will be mobilized to further enhance their capabilities on livestock and poultry raising.
This year’s event is also seen to greatly contribute to the sustainability of the province’s status as leader in terms of swine, sheep, goat and gamefowl production.
“If you are declared number one in the national level, it is very hard to formulate policies and programs that will attune in maintaining the status thus, concerted efforts from both public and private sectors are needed,” Decena added.