Mountain Province farmers had undergone a forage development and management training last June 13-15, 2017. This is in preparation for the incoming dairy cattle that would be given this October, under the Cordillera Dairy Cattle Project of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – CAR. Three municipalities of the province– Bauko, Bontoc, and Tadian– were the first ones to take the seminar.
Dr. Anthony Bantog, DA-CAR Livestock Chief, welcomed the participants and encouraged them with some advices. “It’s good if your farm is near or beside the road so that you wouldn’t have a hard time in bringing equipment and materials. I hope that your forage and housing will be ready when the cattle arrive,” said Dr. Bantog.
Ronnie Erni and Flordeliza Reyes from the National Dairy Authority (NDA) gave an in depth lecture on the types of forage and how these can be planted. Forage plants come in different varieties and must be adapted depending on the location. Reyes echoed that “other countries are more advanced than us. The situation in the Philippines is different so we need to adapt.”
Forage is the most important factor when it comes to dairy farming. According to Erni, “dairy cattle need double the sustenance compared to a regular ones. This is necessary for the cows to be able to produce milk.”
The farmers were then made to experience the actual planting process. Fodder trees and forage grasses brought by the NDA were planted in select sites.
Thereafter, the participants took home a one kilo bag of stylosanthes as a starter pack for their forage. **Ayra Galanza
