Bagulin farmers' group gets new cattle breeders

THE Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD), delivered cattle to boost the livelihood of raisers in the highland town of Bagulin in La Union.

Dina Pascua, president of the Sinabugan Farmers Association Inc., said the seven upgraded male Brahmans they received were large ruminants that are in addition to the 26 cattle given to the association in June 2023 reared alternately by each of their 87 members.

«For these new sets of cattle, we will also alternately feed and herd them,» she said, adding that since the houses of the 87 members are remote from each other, the farmers agreed to rear the cattle by group and by schedule.

According to the DA-Region 1 (Ilocos Region) office, cattle raising is one of the enterprise choices by the association as a result of the beneficiary needs assessment that the SAAD unit of the department conducted during its pre-implementation phase.

It said the program's objective to alleviate poverty in rural communities is expected to be achieved with the success of the given enterprise to the farmer association.

Pascua thanked the Agriculture department for the continued support given to their association, whose aspiration is to put up a dairy farm in their community.

«I am glad to have received these additional cattle for our association. I hope that we can multiply them and succeed in establishing a dairy farm. We are thankful to have been chosen as a beneficiary of SAAD. I wish the interventions we receive would not falter,» she said.

Dina said the cattle given to the association will be raised for fattening. «Once sold, we will purchase female cattle for breeding and soon venture into milk production.»

The association also received drugs and biologics for the cattle, and vegetable seeds and other farm inputs.

In addition to various training on cattle raising and vegetable farming the association has undergone, the DA said the association's members are set to undergo financial management training this month «to upskill each member in the proper management of their livelihood.»