The Philippines loves beef, with popular dishes like kaldereta and bulalo. However, the country's beef cattle production is mostly small-scale and has been shrinking. National reports show a drop in cattle production from 270,451 metric tons in 2016 to 234,415 metric tons in 2023. Eastern Visayas has also seen a decline in its livestock sector.
To address this, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is working to improve the livestock industry. They focus on disease control, genetic improvement, meat safety, and farmer training. A key part of this effort is the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan (CFIDP), which promotes native cattle breeds to boost local production.
Most cattle in the Philippines are raised by backyard farmers (98%). To help these farmers, ATI-RTC 8 launched the "GAHP-anchored Native Cattle Production and Management", which teaches farmers about Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) that provide essential guidelines for raising healthy animals and producing safe food.
In the training, farmers learned to design their farms with proper zones for biosecurity (preventing disease), growing feed, housing animals, and managing waste. They also learned to make Urea-Molasses-Mineral Blocks (UMMB), a special cattle feed supplement that helps with better food digestion.
Mr. Raul Molabola, a participant, shared, "This training contributes a lot of knowledge to us participants, particularly in ruminant production and management. The topic was so timely since we are facing some scarcity in meat and other livestock products in the province.”
So far, 93 farmers have completed the training in three batches held from April to June 2025 in Baybay City, Leyte; Anibongon, Jaro, Leyte; and San Isidro, Leyte. A fourth batch is planned for July 2-4, 2025, in Almeria, Biliran. By empowering these local cattle raisers, the Philippines aims to improve its beef production and ensure a more stable supply of meat.
