Low cattle population in the PHL compared with total PHL population

"Food for every ones table and every homes"

Rizal Philippines
March 23, 2016

The total cattle population in the PHL (not updated ) show this to be on a decline and only about 2/100 of the total population

Index Mudi

As of 2015, according to the Phil Stats Authority

The total cattle inventory in the country as of July 1, 2015 was 2.54 million heads. This was 0.82 percent higher than last year's record of 2.52 million heads. Of the total inventory, about 2.38 million heads or 93.44 percent were raised in backyard farms. The remaining 6.56 percent or about 0.16 million head were raised in commercial farms.

The backyard cattle production outstrips the commercial production.  The current farm gate prices (about a P100) and retail prices of P250.00 seem to be the current numbers.

My uncle is right in his opportunity scanning

We could increase the number cattle with little inputs

"Food for every ones table and every homes"

                                 US Brahman cattle, a full grown cattle can weigh 500 kgs
Rizal Philippines
March 23, 2016



My lecture to a agri business company made me close to an uncle who is a DVM and whose current passion is cattle raising.  What started as a hobby and experiment, I think is one of the solutions towards food security.  He started with 2 pairs of Brahman cattle and which he does not mind much really.  His main business is broiler and table eggs (their company has about 160t layers)

He has now about 100 cattle heads in 3 locations.   One is breeder farm where he gathers new breeders, the next one is the quality farm where he has the best stocks on display (even looking better than the newly arrived breeders) and the 3rd one is the fattening farm.  This all happened in the last 5 years.  His cattle farm he says is just like biking to me.  A recreation.

His goal is to have 500 heads and to be consolidated in one location (the pro for the 3 distant location is to promote order and as a counter measure in case of disease outbreak.

But his business model is an example of how to grow livestock.  The usual model of having cattle grown by a farmer and sharing the offspring does not work.  When there is a shortage of cash.

He pays his hands with money salaries and employs such scientific process as choosing bloodlines, observing animal behavior, cool places as location for the farm, selection of breeders, pest control (deworming)

He told me secrets on having lower cost of inputs.

Why is he doing this?

Well without knowing and without large expense on his part, his herd grew 20 fold.   And besides, there is a shortage.  Australia the nearest source of beef is only selling PHL culls at P100/kg live weight.  Other countries are paying much much more for younger stock.

He could not supply even  the local market. At a local town, and which he prices at P110/kg of live weight, he could not keep up with the 10 requirements weekly.  (Wow that is P55,000 sale per head for a 500 kg cattle)   Selling price of beef we know ranges from P250 to P350 for choice cuts

                                         Farm hands quarters

                                    One of the horses being used by cowboys when cattle are grazing

                                       Deworming operations

                                      Hybrid goats.  They are large