Leyte town expands dairy buffalo farm

JAVIER, Leyte, Dec. 9 (PNA) – The local government here is eyeing to expand its Dairy Buffalo Multiplier Farm (DBMF) in a bid to establish a commercial dairy enterprise in the province.

From the existing 100 heads of Italian Buffalo, the government is seeking to raise the population six times, to cope up with demand for milk to feed malnourished children.

“Aside from feeding, our vision is to offer alternative source of income for the community, increase domestic product through milk production and processing, and create a training center for large ruminants in the Visayas,” said Mayor Leonardo Javier.

The Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center, local government and private partners established the Javier DBMF last year through an initial Php60 million investment for the building and shipment of the first batch of Italian Buffalo.

Javier said there is an ongoing expansion of a 300-head capacity dairy buffalo building. The facility has water system, wallowing pool, pasture development and silo production.

Currently, the farm has been producing 60 liters of milk daily for processing into choco milk and white cheese, said farm manager Dario Divino.

“The farm has already produced 12 calves and 44 buffalo are now pregnant. We want to produce more because eventually, buffalo will be dispersed to farmers,” Divino said.

Considered as the country’s first dairy buffalo multiplier farm in the country, the facility is located on a four-hectare in Mapula subvillage of this town. (PNA)
FPV/SARWELL Q. MENIANO