Goats in Philippines

(Philippines)

Goats are becoming ever popular in the Philippines, with people raising them on farms, backyards and ranches. Goat raising started in the 1970’s and demand has been growing ever since. In general supply is unable to meet demand and many are investing in breeding stock from within and outside the Philippines. In the well know goat book from Mackenzie he wrote "As a milk producer, the goat is inevitably more efficient where the available fodder is of such low quality that a cow can barely live," and in another longer lived quote
"Indeed, I find among the writers, that the milk of the goat is next in estimation to a woman; for it helpeth the stomach, removeth oppilations and stoppings of the liver and looseth the belly," wrote William Harrison echoing the opinion of 2,000 years of medical writing. It is a fact that even Hippocrates commended the virtues of goats' milk, and even the great Homer is quoted as saying “some of the gods and goddesses themselves were reared on it.” There are at least 12 goat species however only a relatively small number of breeds are used economically

The Philippine or common goat is a tough but small animal weighing around 25 kilograms when mature. The average daily milk production is approximately 350 grams, with a butterfat content of around 4.6 percent. The color range is either red or black or a combination and these goat types are widespread throughout Asia.

The Dadiangas goat is common in the city of Dadiangas (which is now called General Santos City), South Cotabato. The breed is a mixture of native, Nubian and Jamnapari goats and some animals may even have some Alpine or Saanen blood. The milk production and butterfat content are marginally higher than native goats and they do best in the dryer areas of the Philippines.

Of the other breeds Anglo Nubian performs the best along with the newer introduced Boer goats. The dairy breeds such as the Sanaan, Toggenburg and French Alpine perform relatively poorly.