Bohol notes 48% increase

in 2023 dairy production

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Feb 17 (PIA) – From the remnants of a traumatized livestock surviving after typhoon Odette, the milk volume in Bohol increased 48%, in 2022 to 2023, revealed Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Stella Marie Lapiz.

“Actually, from 2022to 2023, around 48% ang increase sa milk production,” Dr Lapiz, who has been on the reins of the project since its inception in 2020, shared.

Although the increase may not be as grand considering that before the super-typhoon hit in December of 2021, which left most of Bohol farms in shambles, Bohol has already attained a consolidated daily dairy production of nearly a thousand liters.

As to the market enterprise business plan which the provincial dairy council submitted for funding from government funding institutions in 2022, the funded dairy enterprise project targeted some 15 to 20% increase in production, the veterinary head of office added.

This is also considering that the herd has to recover from the traumatic experience of weathering the storm, farmers growing the proper forage sources to feed the animals for milking and draft.

For time immemorial, Bohol has topped Central Visayas provinces in keeping the most number of carabaos, which are mostly used as draft animal and for meat, as to Dr. Lapiz, who shared Bohoano fiestas would seem incomplete without stewed carabao meat.

“Based on the proposal, ka kini gu’ng atoang Bohol Dairy Project marketing and enterprise, aduna man ‘ni siya’y gihimong business plan pagsugod, nagtarget ‘ta og at least between 15 to 20% annual increase in production, she informed listeners and viewers of the Kapihan sa PIA, which was streamed live on PIA Bohol facebook and youtube channels and broadcast over DyTR AM, Friday 4:00-5:00.

Based on the proposal, this Bohol Dairy Project Marketing and Enterprise has an accompanying business plan, and when we started, we targeted between 15-20% annual increase in production.

“So, last year, we overshot the target and for this year, while we sat down with the Bohol Dairy Council, and we set a target,” she remarked, although she admitted she is not confidently sure of the figure, but adds that they are confident that the target could still be surpassed.

Funded by the Philippine Rural Development Project, the dairy enterprise, as operated by Bohol Dairy Cooperative (BODACO) has established institutional buyers assuring them of sure market.

Dr Lapiz bared that the Department of Education’s annual feeding program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development also uses the locally produced milk for their nutritional feeding and supplementation program.

More than that, the Provincial Government in its Community based Feeding program has allocated P10M annually for the purchase of the milk required for the program.

For these markets alone, Bohol’s daily milk production is still way not enough to supply the huge need.

In fact, according to Dr. Lapiz, they are using toned milk for the PLGU feeding program, which decreases the fats in the milk to be sure it does not upset kids’ stomachs, and stretches the milk to get to the most number of nutrition deficient kids.

Because of this, authorities continue to resound the call to go into dairying to supplement the family income and finally improve their lot a little bit.

With milk now selling at P70 a liter and a proposal to go even higher in the next few months, having a milking cross-bred carabao means an additional P500 a day, Dr Lapiz said.

Compared to a native carabao which can only produce 1.5 liters a day after feeding the calf, a cross breed can give you 7 to 12 liters a day, the lady veterinarian said.

And to be truly seeing the benefit, Dr. Lapiz recommends having 3 to 5 heads of milking carabaos.

It is still the same work that you do for one or five heads: build an animal milking shed, plant some forage grasses, dig azolla pond and add in a mineral block for the livestock.

That is of course, with the proper animal care, deworming, right feeding practices and minerals and vitamin supplements and good breeding practices, she pointed out during the livestreamed Kapihan sa PIA. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)