Sibugay farmers finish radio course on goat production

ZAMBOANGA Sibugay will soon become a goat raising realm once the graduates of the University on-the-air (UOA) on goat production will put into practice their six months course learned over the radio.

DA regional executive director Oscar Parawan and Livestock Development Council executive director Felix Valenzuela share this mental picture during the graduation held, Feb. 25, at the Provincial Capitol.

Leo Galicia of the Livestock Division represented the DA chief while WESMIARC Chief Francisco Geromo stood in behalf of Valenzuela.

Some 490 UOA graduates on goat production and another 397 farmers enrolled in Farmers Field School (FFS) on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for rice and corn graduated that day. They came from 11 towns of this province.

Parawan, in his message, said he is optimistic the province will create a distinction in the Annual Search for the Gawad Saka with one of the participants hopefully coming out as an outstanding small animal raiser.

The DA official added that Zamboanga Sibugay is the first province in the country which established a Community Animal Health Volunteers (CAHV), a network of people who are trained to recognize and report clinical signs of fatal diseases in farm animals.

Valenzuela’s message also challenged the graduates to persevere since nothing can go wrong in raising small ruminants when one is equipped with the basic knowledge and familiarity. News grabbed from http://www.micmedina.tk

He elaborated that goat-raising is an emerging business alternative to livestock raisers and farmers with big potentials for export because of its increasing popular demand in meat, milk potential and by-products.

Goat meat from younger animals is called kid or cabrito and from older animals is called chevon, sold in the market per kilo at which price is higher than that of chicken, pork or beef.

The DA-9 and the Provincial Government embarked on UOA for farmers to receive basic knowledge in sustainable goat production, feeding, reproduction, health, marketing and profitability.

The UOA broadcasts on weekdays at 5:00 in the morning over DxKT-FM and the program, called “Kambingan sa Kahanginan,” is presented by veterinarian Efren Davin and agriculturist Rex Lagasca.

A regular program of DA’s information division offering courses to farmers for free, a particular UOA season depends on prevalent needs of farmers in a certain locality.

UOA top 10 graduates are Josephine Lumabog, Flordeliza Matavia, Josephine Apawan, Billy Jorgio and Mary Grace Samillano, all from Naga; Helen Santos of Ipil, Lorena Valdez of Alicia, Rosebelle Ladiero of Titay, Evelyn Bajo and Evelia Bernaldez.

REPORT BY REMAI ALEJADO DA-9

http://www.micmedina.tk