Characterization of Ruminant Husbandry Systems in Protected Areas of Batanes Islands, Philippines

Abstract

The Batanes islands are few of the remaining preserved natural landscape and seascape areas in the Philippines. The major source of income in the islands is ruminant husbandry. The study was conducted to document and assess the traditional husbandry systems in these areas with the specific aim of providing baseline data for policymaking and future intensification projects. Six villages were identified as study sites, and ten households per village with a total of 60 respondents were interviewed using a guided questionnaire. Findings from this survey revealed two husbandry systems namely: pasture based and mixed pasture based systems. The dominant livestock species in the islands were cattle, goat and carabao, quantified as Total Livestock Unit (TLU). The major reason for raising ruminants in the islands was for food. Tethering, feeding and breeding were the major husbandry activities done by the heads of the families and their children. Pasture based system mostly relied on vegetation in the wild and grassland areas while mixed-pasture based system added more plant protein sources from crop residues including cassava, sweet potato and corn. There were no feed and fodder materials coming from external feed resources. In general, traditional ruminant husbandry systems are still practiced by most farmers in Batanes. These practices contribute to the maintenance of the good landscape in the many areas of the islands.