Evaluation of the "Bull-99" breeding scheme under the Laguna Cattle Development Program: terminal report

The Bull-99 breeding scheme is a community-based R and D [research and development] project which aims to upgrade the cattle breeder base of small-hold farmers in Laguna [Philippines]. This project involves supervised hand mating (natural service) and rotation every 99 days of pure-bred American Brahman bulls distributed to selected bull managers/smallhold cattle farmers from the municipalities of Alaminos, Los Banos, Lumban, Magdalena, Pakil, Pangil, Pagsanjan, Pila, San Pablo City, and Siniloan. It highlights the animal performance recording system in a local progeny tests, which provides extra income to bull managers in the form of breeding fees, and at the same time ensures year-round availability of superior bulls to upgrade local cattle. Other technologies applicable to upgrade smallhold cattle production systems were also contributed during farmer field days, seminars, and trainings. Two hundred and forty breeding services were recorded in 769 days involving 8 bulls in 5 rotations (each rotation averaged 153.8 days long) among 10 municipalities/city. Each bull averaged 30 breeding services or about 24 matings per municipality/city. The births of 33 calves were also documented in Pagsanjan, Lumban, San Pablo, and Alaminos. A survey conducted on 69 farm-respondents (i.e. 10 bull managers and 59 farmer cooperators) revealed that smallhold cattle farmers are dependent on bulls to breed their native and mixed breeds of cattle. Their comments regarding the Bull-99 breeding scheme were mostly favorable (i.e. 78% of all responses such as the production of vigorous, larger, heavier and fast growing calves; high market value of calves sired by high quality bulls, reasonable breeding fees; improvement of local cattle; and availability of bull services when needed