Four Mindanao Provinces have joined the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) initiated Cattle Breeding and Fattening Program aimed at boosting local food production in the face of an impending food shortage and establishing an economic enterprise project to earn revenues for the local government units.
Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeney “Bambi” Emano has accepted MinDA’s challenge to be one of the five Pilot Provinces for the implementation of the LGU-funded Cattle Development Program.
Provincial Agriculturist Apollo Pacamalan informed Northern Mindanao Area Management Office head Olie Degala that Gov. Emano eagerly welcomed the project because livestock development is one of his priorities for the province.
Gov. Emano thanked MinDA for the opportunity to join the program which is being pushed to ensure food self-sufficiency for every province in Mindanao.
MinDA currently is helping Misamis Oriental establish a digital database for its agriculture and fisheries sector complete with satellite imagery to come up with accurate data for the sector and its stakeholders.
Earlier, Gov. Edwin Jubahib of Davao del Norte, Gov. Nancy Catamco of North Cotabato and Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur have manifested their interest to join the program.
The Cattle Breeding and Fattening Program involves the establishment of a facility in each of the province where at least 1,000 steers or bullock (neutered young male cows) will be fattened for 100 days under the supervision of MinDA Livestock Consultant Arnel Corpuz and his team.
The fattened steers be initially acquired from Australia’s Northern Territory which had been shipping young cattle to the Philippines for decades now.
A Cattle Ship which sails from Australia to Mindanao could load up to 5,000 heads which explains why the program needs five provinces with a 1,000-head allocation to start with.
Another 500 local cows (female cattle) to be acquired by the provincial government will be impregnated through Artificial Insemination using semen from outstanding bulls to upgrade the local cattle population.
The third component of the program is the province-wide AI for farmer owned cows using semen from outstanding bulls to upgrade the local cattle population.
The fourth component is the establishment of an abattoir and processing facility to ensure that the province will enhance value adding on the fattened steers.
Under the program, the Development Bank of the Philippines, MinDA’s financing partner, will provide low-interest loans to assist the LGUs establish the facilities under the Mindanao Livestock Industry Development Program.
The estimated cost of the project which will fall under the Economic Enterprise Program of each province is P100-M.
With the identification of the 5th participating Pilot Province this week, the Cattle Breeding and Fattening Program is expected to roll out by June this year.
Every month thereafter, five provinces will be encouraged to participate in the program to ensure that every month starting September 2021, Mindanao will be producing 5,000 heads of fattened steers for its consumers.
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(Video of the visit of Gov. Adiong to the Adelaide River Farm Cattle Fattening Facility was taken by Mayette Tudlas, MinDA OC)
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