PCC continues to upgrade 

Native carabaos for dairy 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan 14 (PIA) – In this time of the pandemic, the authorities at the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in Bohol in Lomangog Ubay wants livestock growers to take the opportunity to upgrade their native stocks and get into a promising dairy production. 

The premium: calves that are considerably of better breed, an additional income from carabao milk and a potential windfall if one sells the calf after weaning. 

And if the calf is female, it adds to the home dairy production capacity, additional income and better meat than the native breeds. 

New PCC Center Director Dr. Ma. Dinah Loculan highlighted the significant difference in size and in dairy output between a native carabao and the hybrid varieties their center is offering to farmers who would want to improve their livestock breed for the promised improve potential. 

Descendants of the swamp carabaos particularly used as draft animals, the native carabaos here need an upgrading to also improve their meat and dairy potential, explains Loculan, whose extensive studies in upland agricultural technologies earned international recognition. 

According to the PCC, a native carabao produces between one to two liters of milk a day, while a Brazilian breed has topped 18 liters a day. Crossbreeds here in Bohol have averaged 6-10 liters a day, for the 180-300 days while in lactation. 

In Bohol, PCC which has recently sealed an agreement with the local government, has successfully convinced some livestock farmers to go into dairy farming, to support the province’s supplemental feeding program. 

Carabao milk contains 7-8 percent fats, which provide more nutritional energy to develop body muscles mass. 

Over cow milk, carabao milk has 10% less lactose, so that this is perfect for ice cream for those with lactose intolerance. 

With cow’s milk cholesterol content at 3.14, a carabao’s milk has only 0.65 miligrams per gram and contains 42 percent higher protein over the usual cow\s milk. 

Carabao’s milk is also an extremely rich source of calcium and other essential minerals like potassium, iron, magnesium and phosphorus edging a cows milk at +9 percent calcium, +377 on iron and +118% in phosphorus. 

That, with higher levels of immune globulin, lactoferrin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase make carabao’s milk ideal for special dietary and supplementary food for the health conscious. 

Now used to supplement the diet of Boholano kids, it is imperative that carabao milk production increase, and the PCC is exactly on to the task. 

With their bull entrustment program for communities with a considerable female carabao catchment and artificial insemination for hard to reach communities, the PCC in Bohol has reached out to communities in Bohol, to start benefiting from the extra income. 

Interested farm families may visit their municipal agriculture offices and be connected to the PCC for more information or visit the PCC at their Lomangog Ubay Center. (rahchiu/PIA_7/Bohol) 

BETTER PROSPECT FOR THE NATIVE CARABAO. PCC Ubay Bohol center director Dr. Dinah Loculan explains the edge that a crossbred carabao keeps over the native swamp carabao as the center in Bohol intends to upgrade the local herd in a bid to get more farmers into carabao dairy production to get additional income. (PIABohol) 

POSITIVELY SUPPORTIVE. PCC has been openly crediting the critical help of the Provincial Government through the Office of the Provincial Veterinarian under Dr Stella Marie Lapiz for the unconditional support for the farmers, even as Bohol has looked into the potential for caramilk in its food supplementation program for the malnourished kids here. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)