RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Being a research and development agency of the government, primarily concern in the livestock industry, the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) is one of the leaders of research and development in the country. As can be read from their vision and mission, and as mandated by the Philippine government under the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Carabao Center is expected to improve the farming system in the country through intensive research and development of carabaos as the primary helpers of the farmers in cultivating the land. Moreover, in line also with the mandate, PCC is expected to promote the significance not just for the farmers but also for the community as whole, thus, providing knowledge about the value of carabaos.

Basic and Applied (Operations) Researches

The PCC has continued conducting basic and applied researches in various disciplines and particular thematic areas as determined under the agency’s R&D Agenda. Many of the basic researches have applied the concepts and methodologies in biotechnology. This is in keeping with the designation of PCC by the Department of Agriculture as its lead agency for livestock biotechnology R&D. The latter is complemented by relevant researches that explore and address problems or issues that are being encountered in the course of the agency’s implementation of the Carabao Development Program.

Research “for” Development

Research “for” Development (R4D) is the new research and development agenda of PCC. It was launched early January 2014. The trditional R&D places research and development on equal footing while the R4D agenda of the PCC gives emphasis on the practical application of research for development of the industry, particularly the requirement of the stakeholders especially the farmers. With the new research paradigm, the PCC has also revisited its Carabao Development Program (CDP) and in the process has redesigned its structure, priority programs, and directions in the long term..

The 10 Thematic Areas

PCC categorizes their research into ten thematic areas. These are:

Animal Nutrition and Health Policy and Industry Analysis Reproductive Biotechnology Socio- economic Dimension Product Development Genetic Improvement Production Management System Biosafety and Environment Climate Change Enterprise Development

Product Development

One of the thematic areas of PCC’s research for development agenda is product development. This involves developing new meat and milk products from carabaos and improving the quality of current products. Product development also brings opportunities to PCC to offer more diverse products.

Part of the areas that would require attention is the post- production intervention, particularly for milk, in order to reduce losses due to spoilage.

Development of new meat and milk products from carabaos and improving the quality of current products, including those coming from hide, horn and hoof, to increase product value are post-production concerns.

Reproductive Biotechnology

This involves the development of the reproductive capability of buffaloes to bring the desired genetic improvement in livestock species. The most common technique used to improve livestock species is the Artificial Insemination (AI) but through the years of continuous research, PCC has come out with different successful techniques to improve the reproductive capabilities of buffaloes. One of the most recent completed research is the Ovum Pick-UP (OPU). This technique offers a great potential in reducing genetic interval and producing more offspring from superior female animals.

Enterprise Development

Animal Health and Nutrition

The Nutrition Unit supports the Carabao Development Program of PCC on the development of feed technologies for sustainable production and supply of feed and forages to improve the nutrition and productivity of dairy buffaloes. Establishment of year-round feeding systems through the use of practical and least-cost animal rations utilizing the locally available feed resources or with the use of supplementary concentrates and mineral mixtures to augment energy and protein requirements and to correct the nutritional problems/ deficiencies are being undertaken. Production and conservation of forages and legumes in the most practical manner such as silage production and urea-molasses treatment of rice straw to improve its feeding value for feeding buffaloes are established and are being practiced at the institutional and at the small-hold farms.

Feeds and Feeding Technologies Developed:1. Zero Suckling in Rearing and Early Weaning of Calves2. Feeding Milk Replacer in Calf Production and Management3. Flushing with Concentrates to Improve Milk Production and Reproduction Buffaloes

Health

PCC proactively responds to animal health issues and related concerns through provision of diagnostic services, among other support services, to its various clienteles.

As part of the Animal Health Unit’s research thrusts and to promote international/collaborative research exchange, an understanding between PCC and Hokkaido University-Center for Zoonoses Control (HU-CZC) was formalized. In connection with this, there is an ongoing collaborative research on the establishment of rapid diagnostic system for mycobacterial infection in ruminants using gene-based and immunological methods for surveillance in the Philippines. 

Local research collaborations were also established through agreements with the College of Veterinary Science and Medicine, CLSU-Small Ruminant Center, and the UP Diliman-Molecular Protozoology Laboratory of the Natural Science Research Institute. 

Through the PL480 Fund, a project entitled “Animal Health Biotechnology in the Prevention and Control of Endemic Diseases Including Emerging and Re-emerging Diseases that Affects the Livestock Industry” is concurrently being done to strengthen the molecular technique capabilities of the laboratory personnel. Laboratory staff members were also sent to trainings and seminars on DNA-based protocols for disease detection.

The Animal Health Unit sustains an effective implementation of its Preventive Maintenance System plan to ensure quality in its service delivery.

I. Strenghtening the Philippine Animal Health Biotechnology Towards Effective, Preventive and Control Management of Trypanosoma Ivansi Infection (SURRA)

II. Retrospective Study on the Prevalence of Sub-clinical Mastitis and its Association with Selected Risk Factors in PCC GenepoolIII. Bovine Vaccine Trial of Schistosoma Japonicum ParamyosinIV. Establishment of Milk Quality Standard for Dairy Buffaloes

Genetic Improvement

PCC’s efforts to conserve existing local germplasm are complemented with the judicious introduction of riverine buffalo germplasm into pre- identified population of swamp buffaloes. This is intended to improve the genetic potentials for milk and meat production, thus maximizing benefits from this specie to meet the immediate and medium-term requirements of the rural poor and the growing human population.

Top proven sires for wide-scale genetic improvement of existing purebred riverine herds and for upgrading of local (native) animal stocks are taken from the NGP in the form of semen, which is utilized for a nationwide artificial insemination program.

Intesified Upgrading of Carabaos

First generation crossbreeds produced from the crossing (mating) of Murrah buffalo and Philippine carabao grow as much as 70%-100% faster and produce 200%-300% more milk than their local parents without detrimental effects on draftability and reproduction. Continued backcrossing of crossbreeds with purebred Murrah has also resulted in increasing milk productivity. The additional income generated from this increased productivity is expected to significantly improve the economic

status of small-scale farming families.

Wide-scale upgrading to benefit more families is being carried out through the judicious use of artificial insemination (AI) and natural mating (via the PCC’s Bull Loan Program) in key carabao development areas.

In the earlier years of PCC operations, the AI activities are carried out largely by the AI technicians of the PCC and the Local Government Units (LGUs). Recent initiatives were undertaken by PCC to develop and empower hundreds of private, village-based AI technicians (VBAITs) who are currently providing more than 50% of the total AI output (services) in water buffalos across the country. More VBAITs shall be trained as the AI program continues to expand in the coming years.

To complement the AI services in the villages, outstanding bulls for natural mating are also loaned out to farmer groups in areas where AI services are not readily available.

Market Development

The Philippines is one of the biggest importers of milk in the world. It is believed that 98% of milk consumption in the country is imported milk products and only the remaining 2% accounts for the locally produced milk.

Having said that, Philippine Carabao Center targets to reduce the importation of milk products by means of training and educating all possible and willing clients to be trained and undergo training to learn the goodness of milk that can be extracted from buffaloes. As part of their campaign, PCC is creating demand for buffalo-derived products. PCC also finds the opportunities in engaging in to market development because they will be able exploit all the opportunities in creating a market for dairy buffalo products. Assistance shall consider the market niche advantage of buffalo-derived products such as milk for specialized processing of high-value items. Likewise, efforts shall consider the inherent advantage and quality of buffalo meat produced following recommended standards for meat production. Interventions shall be considered to address the low quality issue normally obtained from small-hold production system and the high quality demand in the commercial market.

As an overall strategy of PCC with regard to research and development, it is in line with the agency's mandate. The slow market growth within which PCC belongs to, and the continuous and relative slow changes of technology implicate that PCC should in-house their research and development activities. PCC, being a leader research agency, is subsidized by the Philippine government to do intensive research and development in house.

Research strategies and activities in the Philippine Carabao Center are continuous and on going. PCC also accommodates undergraduate thesis to do research and PCC is given a proper acknowledgement.