DA introduces localized animal feeds in Caraga
By Nora
Lanuza Molde
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Caraga has introduced the use of animal and aquaculture feeds that were produced from locally available raw materials.
The
development of the feed formulation was funded under the OneDA Sustainable Feed
Development Program.
The DA
Caraga organized a specialized team known as ‘Team Bahug,’ from the Bisayan
word ‘bahug’ which means feed, to realize the breakthrough of feed formulation
in the region.
The
finished animal feed product, which was formulated from yellow corn, soybeans,
and sardine fish, or tamban, was used to feed ducks and other poultry animals
during a public demonstration.
According
to the DA, Caraga has all the resources needed to formulate feeds, so there is
no reason why it cannot come up with quality and effective feeds. Aside from
the production of yellow corn, the region is number one in soybean production
throughout the country, with a 55.5 percent average contribution to the
national production from 2016-2020, as per data from the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA).
The
region is also rich in palm and banana, which could produce palm kernel meal
(PK meal) and waste banana in large volumes that could reach 300 metric tons
(MT) and 500 metric tons per month, as other ingredients of the feed
formulation.
DA - Trento Research and Experiment Station led the formulation of the feed ingredients to be used for the feed trial. Shernelyn Palma, science research specialist, discussed the process of the feed formulation. Photo courtesy of DA-13 Team Bahug.
DA further shared that animal and aquaculture production in Caraga is largely dependent on commercial feeds, though available but often prohibitively expensive, which could reduce the income of the farmers. The cost of feeds, which contributes the most to operational expenses, emerged as the key constraint in increasing animal and aquaculture production in the region.
The need
for affordable and good-quality local alternative feed ingredients for feed
formulation could benefit our animal and aquaculture farmers. Utilizing locally
available ingredients further provided the added benefits of cost savings and
reduced imports.
DA Caraga
Regional Executive Director Ricardo Onate Jr. said “The innovation of Team
Bahug is our way of helping our local raisers who are engaged in animal
production like poultry, livestock, and aquaculture as they desperately face
the rising prices of commercial feeds.”
“We don’t
want to see our animal and aquaculture farmers give up and lose hope in
agriculture because they have difficulty managing the operating expenses in
this type of business,” Onate shared.
Team
Bahug has already evaluated the composition and nutritional values of the
locally available ingredients for various growth stages of pigs, poultry, and
aquaculture species.
DA - Trento Research and Experiment Station presented the different raw materials abundant in the region as potential ingredients in formulating affordable and quality feeds for animal and aquaculture production. Photo courtesy of DA-13 Team Bahug.
Gemma Asufre, Team Bahug project leader, said, “A database of 136 locally available raw materials was analyzed for their composition and nutritional values for feed formulation.”
“Team
Bahug also completed the feeding trials with positive outcomes and results for
ducks at the Jinayon Duck Farm in Trento, Agusan del Sur, as facilitated by the
Trento Research and Experiment Station (RES), while the chicken and swine feed
tests were conducted by the Tagbina RES in Surigao del Sur and Del Monte
Rainfed RES in Agusan del Sur,” the team leader revealed.
The
alternative and affordable feeds of Team Bahug were supported by Marvin
Jinayon, the owner of the Jinayon Duck Farm, who said, “The innovation of DA on
affordable feed options benefited poultry raisers like me. This is very
inspiring, as it will put an end to our daily struggle with expensive feeds.”
“We
commend DA for its discovery of feed formulation using ingredients we can find
around us,” Jinayon said.
For Team
Bahug, locally available ingredients can expand the production of affordable
and quality feeds, as this is crucial to the development and sustainability of
animal production in the region. This also served as an immediate response by
DA Caraga to the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to utilize local
resources for food sufficiency and security.
DA Caraga foresees the success of Team Bahug in alleviating the lives of the animal and aquaculture farmers and their families in the region by increasing 30 percent of their income in 2026. (NCLM, PIA-Caraga)
