RESEARCH TITLE:

ASSESSMENT OF TECHNICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING UNPRODUCTIVE SMALL-

SCALE GOAT PRODUCTION IN PROVINCE OF CATANDUANES

RESEARCH DISCIPLINE:

This study will provide relevant contribution for the goat industry, backyard and commercial
goat raiser and also for the researcher in the field of animals, veterinary, animal technician and
agriculture students.
SCIENTIFIC/THEORETICAL BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY:

Catanduanes has a total land area of 149,216 hectares, of which 47,901 hectares were use in
farming. Most of the areas surveyed are located in mountainsides or hillsides and have rivers.

The domestic goat or simply goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) is a subspecies of C.

aegagrus domesticated from the wild goat of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe (Wikipedia).  There are
over 300 distinct breeds of goat. It is one of the oldest domesticated species of animal, according to
archaeological evidence that its earliest domestication occurred in Iran at 10,000 calibrated calendar
years ago (Z. Melinda & H. Brian, 2000).

Goats are herbivores, which means they eat only vegetation. Their favorite food is grass, though
mountain goats also eat mosses and plants. Many domestic goats will also eat trash, house plants or any
other items they find lying around (A. Bradford, 2015). Everyone knows that goat milk is healthy, but many
people wonder: Is goat meat healthy? Turns out, goat meat is lower in cholesterol than beef. You can
take a goat to be butchered without a trailer and not have several hundred pounds of meat to freeze.
Goats make just as good (or better) pets as dogs or cats, but they give back more than just
companionship.

As of 01 January 2020, the total goat inventory in the country was estimated at 3.81 million
heads. The total goat production from January to March 2020 was estimated at 19.07 thousand metric
tons, liveweight. This was 1.1 percent higher compared with the previous year’s same quarter output
of 18.87 thousand metric tons, liveweight. Central Luzon was the highest producer of goat during the
quarter followed by Ilocos Region and Central Visayas. Bicol Region reported the highest increase of  5.4
percent, from 0.70 thousand metric tons, liveweight in the same quarter of 2019 to 0.74 thousand metric
tons, liveweight this quarter (PSA, 2020).

According to Governor Joseph C. Cua highlighted to the members of Catanduanes Goat and
Sheep Raisers Association (CAGSRA) that it’s about time to give attention to goat raising. Goat
production is a dormant treasure of our island, only waiting to the right time to come out,” the chief
executive remarked. Assuring the raisers of his support, he committed of whatever he can share to the
association to further its development. And also according to Provincial Veterinary Officer, Dr. Jane
Rubio, (2017) said that goat production in Catanduanes is very low with about 1,200 population
increasing only to 2.5% each year compared before which reached to almost 7,000.

Raising goats for meat can be a great thing to do for your own family, to provide for your food
needs, but it can also be a profitable small farm business. If you are a small farmer, goats can help you
achieve a goal of producing value-added products like cheese, and yogurt—or just sell fresh goat milk.
There is a good market for it with folks who can't tolerate cow dairy (Dairy Goat Milk
Composition.UC,Davis). Goats are great browser (M. Osman, et.al, 2011) and they love to eat weeds and
blackberry brambles (B. Darren et al, 2013). Pasture them on whatever you want to clear out and let them
act as living brush hogs.

Although all farmers are vulnerable, the type of crops they cultivate carries different levels of risks. Rice
farmers can replant within months while coconut and abaca farmers will take about 3 years to replant and
harvest again.

Usually, goat was gave a large impact to the people in terms of benefits and utility; use them as
pack animals, use their dung as fuel, use their skin and hide, and give meat and milk (L. Arcuri, 2021). In
a study conducted by a government agency, it was found out that goats are multi-purpose ruminants
producing 58.4% milk, 35.6% meat and 4.3% hide, and 1.7% fiber. These small ruminants can provide
the answer to the improvement of nutritional requirements of the predominantly rural farm families
scattered all over the archipelago (Agriculture Business Week, 2009).

KNOWLEDGE GAP TO BE FILLED:

The study is all about the assessment of technical and socio-economic factors influencing
unproductive small- scale goat production. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and
economic limitations of the current management practices of backyard goat. Although some
farmer/goat raiser have ability to raise but there is a gap holding to establish the mindful ideas in
managing goat. Actually, province of Catanduanes are aware in extension, seminars, and project in goat
production and the topographic area is suitable for farming. The inventory and production of goat in
province was still falling down.

Main research question:

Generally, this study generally aims to assess the technical and socio-economic factors
influencing unproductive small- scale goat production in catanduanes. More specifically it sought to
answer the following objectives;

1. what is the demographic profile of goat raiser in province of catanduanes?

2. what are the technical know-how in managing backyard goat production?
3. what are the problem/constraints encountered of a goat raiser?
4. stocking density in given area and breeds in province of catanduanes?
5. What are the government support given in goat raiser to improve the stocking density of goat
breeds.

RESEARCH DESIGN, METHODS AND MATERIALS (outline the key aspects of the design, methods
and materials for the research.)

Research Design
The study uses a descriptive research using survey questionnaires which focus on the
assessment of technical and socio-economic factors influencing unproductive small- scale goat
production in province of Catanduanes.

Methods and Materials

 The research material uses in gathering data is a survey questionnaire which underlying
the different references before its constructed. The questionnaires composed by parts based on
the objectives created. The target population are the goat raiser in province of catanduanes with
no limit in the number of heads to raised. Before conducting interview, letter of request and
preliminary survey will be conducted for the validation of questionnaires. The period of time
consume in data gathering at least two months in data gathering.

MOST RELEVANT REFERENCES

This study will determine the possible problem/ constraints of goat raiser in managing backyard goat.