Miarayon, Talakag, Bukidnon – The study on free-range chicken farming in the highlands of Mindanao is now focused on its adaptability to locally available feed materials.
Last week, the first two batches of Manok Pinoy 60 days and 75 days old were gradually weaned from mixed feeds and given Cracked Corn and Carror rejects.
Corn is one of the major products of Bukidnon while Carrots are grown in the highland area, including Miarayon, Talakag.
The boys initially introduced Cracked Corn as a noontime “merienda” for the chicks given between the morning and afternoon feeding.
After two days, however, the chicks preferred the Cracked Yellow Corn over the mixed feeds.
My brother, former congressman Jun who is also a chicken breeder, explained that the natural instincts of the chicken to ingest food that would give more body heat in the cold highlands led them to prefer Cracked Yellow Corn over ground mixed feeds.
A few days ago, tribal farmer leader Ryan Danio gave the chicks deformed and cracked Carrot tubers which account for about 10% of the total Carrot production in the area.
After an initial inquisitive pecking, the chicks feasted on the whole tubers of Carrots.
This is an interesting part of the study on the raising of free-range chicken in the highlands because feeding them with locally available feeds would make free range chicken farming in the highlands viable.
It is in the highlands of Mindanao where the poverty incidence is very high, especially in tribal communities.
Free-range chicken farming, along with the planting of Purple Yam and fruit trees, is one of the livelihood activities I intend to introduce in our Adopt-a-Tribal Family Program.
The next phase of the study will be the quality of meat of chicken fed with Cracked Yellow Corn and Carrots.
Remember that both these products are rich in Beta-Carotene.
I am excited to know whether chicken given feeds rich in Beta-Carotene would be more nutritious than commercially grown broilers or those fed with commercial feeds.
#FarmIsTheBestClassroom!
#LearningNeverEnds!
#AgricultureIsCommonSense!
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