THE Department of Agriculture said it will eventually distribute dairy cattle to farmers in Bohol following the import of 5,000 head of the girolando breed from Brazil.

In a meeting with local officials on Friday, Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said in a statement that the initial herd of 5,000 will go to the Ubay Stock Farm, with the offspring to populate other dairy farms in Bohol.

The girolando is a type of Holstein crossbreed deemed suitable for tropical conditions.

The Ubay Stock Farm is a 3,000-hectare facility run by the National Dairy Authority to keep imported cattle. Bohol is being prepared as a potential hub for dairy production.

The country imports most of its dairy products due to an underdeveloped dairy industry.

Farmer beneficiaries receiving girolando cows will also be given milking sheds and linked to producers of dairy products.

“The project is not only expected to provide employment to young agriculture and animal husbandry graduates of the island but also income opportunities for corn and forage farmers who will be engaged to produce silage for the dairy cows,” Mr. Piñol said. — Anna Gabriela A. Mogato

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