A total of 1,208 dairy cattle from Australia were recently unloaded by MV Gudali Express at the Cagayan de Oro Port last March 13, 2023. These consisted of 1,200 heads of pregnant dairy Heifer and 8 heads of breeder Junior Bulls, all weighing a total of 484.64 metric tons. The animals were immediately transported to Bukidnon for the mandatory quarantine before they will be distributed to selected farmer-beneficiaries in Mindanao in April.
Thirteen (13) transport trailer truck units were used to transport the animals from the port to the livestock facility run by Del Monte Philippines in Barangay San Miguel, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, for the required 30 days of quarantine before distribution to the pre-selected and qualified farmer recipients.
This animal importation and distribution to farmer-beneficiaries is part of the dairy cattle component of the project, Intensified Community-Based Dairy Enterprise Development project, an undertaking spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture through the National Dairy Authority (NDA), funded under the US Public Law 480 (US PL480) program.
In accordance with the National Dairy Authority’s (NDA) US Public Law 480 project, the PL 480 allows for “friendly” nations with a food shortage to buy US agricultural products with their national currency, conserving foreign exchange reserves and reducing American grain surpluses. By introducing purebred and crossbred dairy stocks, using cutting-edge breeding techniques, and establishing/increasing dairy operations within dairy animal populations, it seeks to boost dairy herd development and enhance milk production.
photos by PPA PMO MisOr CDO / NDA
