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 because animals are typically fed with locally available plant species. This study was carried out to determine the plants used as forage by raisers producing halal goats in BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). A 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 breeders does, and (iii) willingness of the farm owner to participate in the survey. All respondents who fell to these criteria were interviewed. All respondents used forage species, including para grass (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 domestic forage species are plants commonly cultivated forage for livestock production. According to the respondents, some plants in open vegetated areas like Erigeron canadensis, Sphagneticola trilobata, Ageratum conyzoides, and Urena lobata were also consumed by goats. The respondents also observed plant-related toxicosis 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’/breeders’ importance of proper forage selection and combination.