Negros Occidental aims to become "sheep capital of the Philippines"

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  — The recent purchase of a total of 12,000 high-bred sheep from Australia by the Negros Occidental provincial government was aimed at making the province the “sheep capital of the Philippines.”

Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. said he was hoping the province would earn this distinction. “A lot of people have expressed interest in breeding sheep in the province, it is very promising.”

Marañon met with some mayors and livestock breeders last Jan. 10 to discuss with them the dispersal and breeding of 6,000 sheep (Dorper and Damara breeds) purchased by the provincial government from Perth, Australia, in addition to the 6,000 Dorper sheep bought in Darwin, Australia last year.

The sheep shipment from Perth is expected to arrive Negros Occidental on the last week of January or the first week of February, depending on the weather, the governor said.

Of the flock of sheep bought, 300 are rams or male sheep at a cost of P20,000 each, including shipping cost to the Philippines, and 5,700 are ewes or female sheep at P15,500 to P16,000 each, Marañon said.

Provincial veterinarian Renante Decena said the provincial government has allocated P82 million for the purchase of the flock of sheep as well as for the construction of structures to house them at the 159-hectare NEGROS FIRST Ranch in Brgy. Santa Rosa of Murcia town.

Decena said of the newly purchased 6,000 sheep, 2,000 will be retained by the provincial government for its breeding program, while the rest will be sold to interested town and city governments for their own breeding and livelihood programs, and to livestock breeders in the province.

The pure breed sheep bought from Australia are cheaper than the ones they bought from General Santos City in the past, said Decena.

Sheep eat only two kilos of grass a day, unlike pigs that require full nutrition, he said adding that sheep also give birth twice in 13 months and their meat sells at P500 to P700 a kilo.

Marañon said the purchase of the sheep will boost the livestock industry and the culinary tourism in the province, and increase food sufficiency.

“Right now, we are importing a lot of meat and our consumption is expected to increase. We want to be self-sufficient in meat through this program,” said the governor. (FREEMAN)