Socio-demographic characteristics of the goat raisers
The mean age of the respondents was 40 years old (range 22-80 years old). Most of the respondents stated that goat raising was for additional income and personal consumption (113) and only few (18) of them stated that goat raising was their only source of livelihood (Fig 4). Aside from goat raising, respondents were farmers (corn and rice), local government employees, barangay council employees, store owners and plantation caretakers. Most of them are farmers which is in agreement in the study of
Kumar et al., (2018). These goat raisers also stated that they sell their goats for emergency and school expenses. They also used goats during religious observance and special occasions like Kanduli, Aqiqah, Ramadan, Eidl al-Fitr and Eidl al-adha. These events also increase the demand for goats as stated by most respondents.
Challenges in halal goat raising
There were 10 challenges on Halal goat raising as stated by the respondents (Fig 5). In these challenges, disease was the most common (65%) followed by lack of veterinary services (8%) and, shortage of land, inadequate pasture and the presence of predators (5%). Common goat diseases encountered by the respondents include diarrhea (57%), cold (13%), cough (11%), bloat (8%) and parasitic infection (7%) (Fig 6). According to the respondents, diarrhea, cold and cough were common during rainy season. Diarrhea and bloat were also attributed to the consumption and overconsumption of some forages like
Gmelina arborea, Chromolaena odorata and
Manihot esculenta. Parasitic infection was common in areas wherein raisers tethered or released their goats early in the morning.
Based on the results, ten (10) interlinked technical, socioeconomic and institutional bottlenecks in Halal goat raising were noted which includes disease, lack of vet services, shortage of land, inadequate pasture, predators, theft, poor breeds, no fences, shortage of water and labor intensive. This result is in congruent to the results of goat production research in the tropics (
Beruk and Tafesse, 2000;
Fisseha et al., 2010; Assen and Akilu, 2012;
Enwelu et al., 2015). According to
Tesfaye (2009), disease together with funding, labor and theft are the most pertinent constraints for goat production in Ethiopia. In the study of
Fikru and Gebeyew (2015), disease and parasitic infections were overriding problems in both sheep and goat production. The emergence of disease, as the most common constraint, can be attributed to the location of farm where goats are reared. Based on generated maps, most of the goat farms are in low-lying areas and run-off catch basin from surrounding hills. These sites are prone to flooding and development of waterlogged portions. Flooding and waterlogged conditions are known to enhance the prevalence of disease.
Munckhof et al., (2001) and
Musa et al., (2015) observed that flooding and waterlogging condition facilitates the increase of infections to both animals and humans. In addition, flooding had also been found to be an independent risk factor for exposure to infectious pathogens
(Chung et al., 2007; Su et al., 2007). Internals parasites of goats were also common in wet vegetation which can trigger parasitic problems (
Villaroel, 2003;
Das et al., 2018). Although indirect, waterlogging conditions hampers the access of goats to forages especially those species adapted to these areas.
A considerable number of goat raisers stated that it is seldom that they are visited by a veterinarian or livestock inspector. Due to this, various disease interventions were administered solely by raisers. Visitation and consultation can be possible upon schedule and goat raisers need to visit MAO and City Vet Office.
It is interesting that lack of veterinary services is a challenge on Halal goat raising. The presence of veterinarians and technicians that are capable in identifying diseases and administering preventive measures and solutions are important component of goat production in any region
(Gwaze et al., 2009). However, services of these skilled workers are not always available especially in rural areas which is also supported in this study.
Nuepane et al., (2018) stated that, more often than not, goat raisers depend upon consultation of unauthorized technician or colleague and usually bear loses of goat herd in the absence of agricultural technicians and veterinarians. In addition, coordination between technicians and raisers is very weak and services is not usually extended in less accessible areas. In small ruminant production in Africa, particularly goats, vaccination is possible upon goat raisers’ request. Some farmers do purchase medicine and inject animals themselves (
Ademosum, 1994). Lack of veterinary services is also considered as a hindrance in the adoption of recommended scientific health technologies in goat raising.
Tibbo (2000) recorded that 40% of the goat raisers consider the absence of door step availability of veterinary services as most serious input to adopt health technologies.
Shortage of land and inadequate pasture were primarily attributed to the expansion of agricultural lands for economically important crops like rice, corn and oil palm. These problems were encountered by goat raisers during planting season and also emerged considering the fact that several respondents do not have personal lands where they can place their goats. Based on the results of the interview and field observation, the most common forage species utilized by Halal goat raisers include carabao grass (
Paspalum conjugatum Bergius), walis-walisan (
Sida acuta Burm.
f.), napier (
Pennisetum purpureum Schum.), paragrass (
Brachiaria mutica (Forssk.) Stapf.), ipil-ipil (
Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit) and paragis [
Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.]. Most of the respondents do not plant improved and domesticated forage species and rely on open vegetated areas. These common species of forages were also observed in the study of
Salvaña
et_al(2019) and
Navarra et al., (2019).
Kumar and Pant (2003) noted that goats were generally reared in rain fed areas by landless or resource poor farmers whose average agricultural holding was either very less or not sufficient to devote for cultivation of crops. However, there should be available lands either for grazing or sources of forages. There have been forage shortage problems recorded in some areas of the tropical region. One main reason was deforestation due to expansion of agricultural lands
(Mancilla-Leyton et al., 2012). Planting economically important crops was another way of most goat raisers to generate income. Goats, in free grazing system, could encroach farmlands causing damage to crops like corn and rice. However, integration of livestock and crop production was also possible wherein goats can be reared under fruit trees like coconuts, mango etc. (
FFTC, 1998).
Respondents also pointed out that the presence of predators, like dogs and snakes, was a challenge in goat raising especially for those practicing free grazing and tethering. A total of 6 death cases caused by these predators were recorded in South Cotabato.
Theft was also considered a main challenge in the region. Goat raisers from Columbio, Pres. Quirino, Isulan and General Santos have experienced losses due to thieves. Also, these events were not reported to agricultural technicians.
Goat houses and fences protect goats from possible predators like snakes and dogs. However, most of the goat raisers tethered or placed their animals in open vegetated areas with no protection from predators. The presence of predators was also enumerated by
Maass et al., (2012) as one of the challenges for small holder livestock production in Congo.
Three percent (3%) of the respondents stated that poor breeds and the absence of fences were challenges in Halal goat raising. There were 7 breeds of goats identified which includes Boer, Anglo Nubian-Boer Hybrid, Alpine, Anglo-Nubian, Anglo Nubian Hybrid, Upgraded, Dadiangas Breed and Saanen. As shown in Fig 7, most of Halal goat raisers have upgraded goats (219) followed by Anglo-Nubian (18). According to municipal livestock inspectors and veterinarians, upgraded goats were those native individuals infused with exotic breed. Some of the respondents stated that their goats were native, however, authorities verified that these were upgraded goats upon observation of size and other physical features. Dadiangas breed (2) and Saanen (2) were the least breeds raised by Halal goat farmers.
Shortage of water and labor intensive were the least challenges (1%) according to the respondents. There is water supply in all sampling sites and water is provided daily specifically in the afternoon. Most of them also stated that goat raising requires less labor since goats were tethered or released in a rangeland in the morning and fetched in the afternoon.
