High cost a hurdle in goat farming
Sunday, May 11, 2008
THE Agriculture Department of Brunei Darussalam is eyeing exports to the regional and international market, but has hurdles to overcome including low productivity and high costs. Acting Director of Agriculture Hjh Aidah Hj Mohd Hanifah said here yesterday the department was aware of the need for upgrading and changing the current livestock industry to a more dynamic and market-driven agribusiness.
"We are striving to help improve its productivity and quality not only for domestic markets, but also to explore regional and international market potential," she said during the inaugural Goat Seminar for Farmers.
Dr Diana Dennis, veterinary officer from Brunei's Agriculture Department, said that some of the problems facing goat farmers were the high cost of maintaining goats, high labour costs, as well as the cost of feeding livestock.
About 78.5 per cent of Brunei's 3,175 goats were imported from Australia, for meat and breeding purposes.
Goat meat consumption and demand for live goats are mostly seasonal for certain Islamic celebrations and ceremonies, including qurban and aqiqah.
Brunei's goat farming ranges from the traditional to the semi-intensive practices, and is currently carried out either as a source of income or hobby for the farmers.
The symposium was aimed to give local goat farmers more knowledge and hands-on experience on farm management procedures with guidance from Australian specialists in livestock export industry.
With rising grain prices, Hjh Dahliana Hj Aliabakar, a senior livestock husbandry officer at the Agriculture Department, suggested that goat farmers plant their own corn or use alternative food sources such as coconut leaves to feed their goats.
This would reduce Brunei's dependence on importing food for goats, she said.
After the symposium, goat farmers were then taken to Hj Hasbi Farm at Jerudong for a hands-on experience on farm management and animal care.
About 70 farm owners and operators, including agriculture officers attended the seminar.
The symposium at Asma Hotel was organised by the department in collaboration with the Australian Trade Commission. Dr Grahaeme Best, a veterinarian with 36 years of experience in handling large animal care, discussed the health care of goats while his colleague, Dr Steve Sutherland, focused on nutrition. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times
"We are striving to help improve its productivity and quality not only for domestic markets, but also to explore regional and international market potential," she said during the inaugural Goat Seminar for Farmers.
Dr Diana Dennis, veterinary officer from Brunei's Agriculture Department, said that some of the problems facing goat farmers were the high cost of maintaining goats, high labour costs, as well as the cost of feeding livestock.
About 78.5 per cent of Brunei's 3,175 goats were imported from Australia, for meat and breeding purposes.
Goat meat consumption and demand for live goats are mostly seasonal for certain Islamic celebrations and ceremonies, including qurban and aqiqah.
Brunei's goat farming ranges from the traditional to the semi-intensive practices, and is currently carried out either as a source of income or hobby for the farmers.
The symposium was aimed to give local goat farmers more knowledge and hands-on experience on farm management procedures with guidance from Australian specialists in livestock export industry.
With rising grain prices, Hjh Dahliana Hj Aliabakar, a senior livestock husbandry officer at the Agriculture Department, suggested that goat farmers plant their own corn or use alternative food sources such as coconut leaves to feed their goats.
This would reduce Brunei's dependence on importing food for goats, she said.
After the symposium, goat farmers were then taken to Hj Hasbi Farm at Jerudong for a hands-on experience on farm management and animal care.
About 70 farm owners and operators, including agriculture officers attended the seminar.
The symposium at Asma Hotel was organised by the department in collaboration with the Australian Trade Commission. Dr Grahaeme Best, a veterinarian with 36 years of experience in handling large animal care, discussed the health care of goats while his colleague, Dr Steve Sutherland, focused on nutrition. (SHS1)
The Brunei Times
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