Rene Almeda’s Legacy! Indigofera Leaves Boost Goat’s Milk Production

Several years ago, a goat farmer from Alaminos, Laguna, Rene Almeda, planted several leguminous shrubs in a portion of his farm which he fondly called “Goat’s Salad Garden.”
Among the legumes that caught the attention of Ka Rene was the Indigofera (sn: Indigofera tinctoria) belived “to be native to the Malaysian Archipelago and grows spontaneously in Africa, although the species’ origins remain unclear” and “was widely cultivated in India, China, Java, Africa, Malagasy, and tropical America.”
Ka Rene discovered that when he fed his dairy goats with Indigofera, there was a marked improvement in the milk production which prompted him to seek the help of the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) in conducting a research on the legume.
Indeed, when CLSU conducted a study, it was found that Indigofera increased the milk production of dairy goats by as much as 29%.
“Indigofera has 27─31% crude protein, which is relatively higher than any of the locally available leguminous forages” and its “Leaves and twigs are harvested every 30 days to maintain their succulence,” according to the study.
Today, Indigofera is considered as one of the best feeds for dairy goats which could be given in the form of silage or pellets, thanks to the passionate goat farmer, Rene Almeda.
Ka Rene passed away in July 2019 and his farm operations had been taken over by his son, Art, who is equally passionate about goats.
HIs findings on the benefits of the little-known Indigofera, however, will be remembered as his greatest legacy to the Philippine goat industry.
(Two accompanying photos show Rene Almeda in his “Goat’s Salad Garden” and in my office when I was Agriculture Secretary. Others in the second photo are the late Atty. Domingo Duerme, Usec Evelyn Laviña and Rene’s son, Art.)
#UnsungFarmerHero!
#ReneAlmedaLegacy!