Goat breeding program under review after CoA finding of animal neglect

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it ordered a review of its goat breeding program, after the Commission on Audit (CoA) flagged animal deaths linked to poor care.

The DA said the assessment will determine whether it should continue, scale down, or terminate the upgrades to the small ruminant project at the Pangasinan Research and Experiment Center in Sual, Pangasinan.

The DA said it will examine both the program’s technical viability and the resources required to sustain it.

The CoA said in its 2024 audit report that 52 of the 101 Anglo Nubian and Saanen goats procured for the project had died due to inadequate feed and nutrition. The animals were intended to serve as breeding stock for high-quality small ruminants.

According to the CoA report, the losses were estimated at P2.44 million on a book-value basis.

The DA said beyond basic feed and veterinary needs, no adequate funding was set aside during the previous administration to expand or sustain the goat production initiative.

The program also moved forward without the long-term budget support needed to sustain breeding operations, it said.

The CoA report found that allocations for goat feed were included in the 2025 budget under the National Livestock Program, with sufficient feed inventory now available at the station.

The DA said additional funds for animal care and maintenance have likewise been identified and incorporated into its 2026 budget proposal.

While assessments are ongoing, the DA said it plans to distribute the remaining Anglo Nubian and Saanen goats to farmers in Catanduanes severely affected by recent typhoons and livestock losses.

The DA said it also intends to temporarily repurpose the 140-hectare Pangasinan facility for high-value crop production and as an innovation hub. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel