FEEDING TIME. A worker of Pangasinan’s Laoac Dairy Farm feeds carabaos in this undated photo. The dairy farm recorded over PHP2 million gross income in 2023. (Photo courtesy of Governor Ramon Guico III Facebook)
MALASIQUI, Pangasinan – The provincial government-run Laoac Dairy Farm in Barangay Maraboc, Laoac town posted more than PHP2 million income from raw and pasteurized milk products in 2023.
Farm manager Nicanor Rovillos, in a phone interview on Monday, said the income is on top of the value of 91 calves, which exceeded their 2023 target of 20.
He said the sales were primarily from walk-in customers.
On a daily basis, the Laoac Dairy Farm produces at least 7.5 liters of milk per head from 40 cows and two liters of milk per head from 32 carabaos.
“The offsprings will be replacement stocks. Existing carabaos have 50 percent native bloodlines, and the other 50 percent have buffalo bloodlines. The purpose of calves breeding is to upgrade their bloodline so that the bloodline of the offspring or calves will increase to 75 percent to have a Murrah Buffalo bloodline, which produces more milk,” Rovillos said.
Rovillos said the carabaos were bought by the provincial government from different suppliers while the cows, which arrived already pregnant, were loaned by the National Dairy Administration (NDA) in September 2023.
He said the farm provides livelihood to him and 28 other employees.
Meanwhile, the construction of the dairy farm’s buffalo barn in Barangay Botigue, where the additional animals will be transferred, is targeted to be finished within the year.
Governor Ramon Guico III, in a previous interview, said the NDA provided technical assistance in running the dairy farm.
“We wanted the target number of heads of cows or carabaos to exceed the break-even income of the farm for its maintenance,” he added.
Aside from raw and pasteurized milk, the provincial government also eyes to produce ice cream, yogurt, and cheese.
Provincial officials want the farm to be converted into a school that would provide training to workers and open up opportunities for them to work abroad. (PNA)
