150 pregnant dairy cattle from Australia arrive at Subic port

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Zambales — A shipment of 150 pregnant dairy cattle imported from Australia by the National Dairy Authority (NDA) has arrived in Subic.

This cargo is part of the government’s efforts to boost the country’s dairy cattle population and increase local milk production.

In a statement on Friday, October 23, the NDA said the cattle arrived on Wednesday after being transported from the Port of Cagayan de Oro to Subic.

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The animals will be brought to the NDA’s General Tinio Stock Farm in Nueva Ecija, where they will undergo quarantine before being distributed to qualified dairy farmers in Northern and Southern Luzon.

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The shipment forms part of the 1,419 pregnant dairy cattle imported by the NDA from Australia, marking the agency’s first cattle importation in three years.

The NDA expects the imported cattle to contribute approximately 5.9 million liters of milk to domestic production in 2027.

With the anticipated birth of calves, the total cattle population under the program is projected to increase from 1,419 to 2,527 head.

Through its stock farms and animal dispersal program, the NDA plans to distribute the offspring to qualified dairy farmers and cooperatives.

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This action is intended to help improve their livelihoods, expand breeding operations, and increase milk production.

Among the intended beneficiaries are 176 individual coconut farmers under the Coconut Farmers and Industry Development Plan, implemented in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority.

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NDA Administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya guaranteed that the cattle will be distributed only to qualified and verified beneficiaries who meet the agency’s eligibility requirements.

“Although there are claims that the cattle will go to politicians, we ensure that their distribution will follow established procedures based on the eligibility of applicants,” Andaya said in Filipino during a radio interview.

He emphasized that the agency’s screening and verification process is designed to enable the animals reach legitimate dairy farmers capable of raising them.

The initiative is expected to strengthen the country’s dairy sector by increasing the number of animals available for milk production and breeding, while creating additional livelihood opportunities for farmers.

Meanwhile, the NDA said its personnel conducted round-the-clock operations during the unloading of the imported cattle so that the animals were properly monitored, handled and inspected upon arrival.

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The agency said the measures were undertaken to safeguard the animals’ health and welfare before their transfer to the quarantine facility. /apl