Species of forages utilized by farmers producing halal goats in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines

Abstract

Abstract. Navarra GA, Salvaña FRP, Sepelagio EG, Sanchez CB, Besana CM, Manceras LJS, Bra SG. 2019. Species of forages utilized by farmers producing halal goats in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Philippines. Asian J Ethnobiol 2: 1-7. Local production of small ruminants necessitates forage assessment considering the fact that animals are typically fed with locally available plant species. This study was carried out to determine the species of plants used as forage by raisers producing halal goats in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). Personal interview with the respondents producing halal goats was conducted and a questionnaire was used to determine species of forages. A total of eight municipalities were included in the survey, seven of which were from Maguindanao and one was from Lanao del Sur. Purposive sampling was used in the survey. A total of 47 respondents was interviewed based on the criteria: (i) a believer of Islam (ii) with 5 to 24 breeder does; and (iii) willingness of the farm owner to participate in the survey. All respondents fall to these criteria were interviewed. All respondents used forage species including paragrass (Brachiaria mutica), carabao grass (Paspalum conjugatum), ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and kakawate (Gliricidia sepium) in all sampling sites. Other species included malunggay (Moringa oleifera), banana (Musa balbisiana), stylo (Stylosanthes humilis), centrosema (Centrosema pubescens), langka (Artocarpus heterophyllus), pinto peanut (Arachis pintoi), napier (Pennisetum purpureum), barnyard grass (Echinochloa sp.), Guinea grass (Panicum maximum), indigofera (Indigofera tinctoria), calliandra (Calliandra calothrysus), katurai (Sesbania grandiflora) and rensonii (Desmodium rensonii). Only eleven percent (11%) of the respondents utilized improved and domesticated species of forages. Improved and domesticated forage species are plants commonly cultivated forage for livestock production. Some species of plants present in open vegetated areas like Erigeron canadensis, Sphagneticola trilobata, Ageratum conyzoides and Urena lobata were also consumed by goats according to the respondents. There were also plant-related toxicosis observed by the respondents caused by C. pubescens and Urena lobata. Most of the respondents in BARMM are not utilizing improved and domesticated species of forages and rely on locally available forages present in rangeland. Most of them have limited knowledge of the nutritional requirements of goats. There is a need to enhance the understanding of farmers on the importance of proper forage selection and combination.