The carabao is the most important work animal in the Philippines. This animal helps the farmers from land preparation to selling the crops in the market. Although there is an increasing dependence on farm mechanization, the carabao still provides the basic assistance to farmers.
The government, by virtue of Republic Act No. 7307 or the Philippine Carabao Act, provided a continuous and organized effort to conserve, promote and increase the genetic potential of the carabao for meat, milk and draft.
The Department of Agriculture identified Masbate as one of the Key Production Areas for Livestock Development in the Bicol Region and in 1993, the Regional Carabao Breeding Center was established in Mabato-bato, Mandaon, Masbate.
Through the RCBC, the carabao will be instrumental in the attainment of the DA’s twin goal of poverty alleviation and food security in the region.

Location

The RCBC sits on a 187-hectare farm loaned by the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) from the Milagros Livestock Production Center (former Milagros Stock Farm) in Mabato-bato, Mandaon, Masbate.

Services Offered

The RCBC is a source of upgraded/ crossbred of Indian and Bulgarian Murrah Buffaloes/ carabaos for dispersal in the Bicol Region.

The RCBC has 35 hectares of improved pastures. It provides pasture and forage planting materials like napier, signal grass, and guinea grass. The center also conducts trainings and demos for carabao production. To maximize the land area, planted in the surroundings of the center are fruit trees like mango, pili, star apple, guapple, pomelo, coconut and mahogany.

Beneficiaries

The major beneficiaries of the center are the animal raisers, ranchers, non-government organizations and the local government units.

Facilities

The center has an administration building, night corral with chute, a power house which provides energy to the compound, a garage, a stock room (bodega), and a laborer’s quarter.

It has a stock farm with water system and an area for pasture development.

The loading and unloading ramp of the chute with squeezer used for treatment, branding and animal management practice.

Animal Stocks

The center has two Indian Murrah Buffalo and three new Bulgarian Murrah Buffalo carabulls, 50 cara-cow, six caraheifers, three junior carabulls, and 104 caracalves.
Since 1995, more than a hundred heads were dispersed and sold.

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For more information, contact:
MR. HERMILO AZANZA
OIC-ROS Superintendent & Designated APCO
Regional Carabao Breeding Center
Mabato-bato, Mandaon, Masbate
Tel. No. (056) 333-34-42
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Produced by:
REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND
FISHERIES INFORMATION DIVISION
Department of Agriculture-5
San Agustin, Pili, Camarines Sur
Tel. No. (054) 4777802
Fax No. (054) 3611858
e-mail: darafid5@digitelone.com