VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) – Goat genetic breeding has become a priority for the local government unit (LGU) of Bantay in Ilocos Sur.
 
Since the launch of its “Kaldingan” or Goat Festival in 2023, the LGU has been focusing on creating a breed line that will represent Bantay town in the goat industry.
 
“A four-year experiment is inching closer to developing the 'Bantay line,' a one-of-a-kind goat breed native to Bantay town. Before this, the LGU had been carrying out a goat dispersal project, where bucks were distributed in each barangay to improve the quality of native does. We also conducted massive deworming and provided vitamins for the goats,” said Jordan Briones, municipal agriculturist of Bantay town, in an interview on April 18.
 
He said it was in 2016 when Bantay town received its first upgraded goat for breeding, which was the Australian Boer.

To date, the municipality has successfully raised three breeds of goats, namely the purebred Anglo-Nubian (purebred), Traditional Boer, and Dappled Boer.
 
Briones said, “Because of our aggressive efforts, goat raisers in Bantay won big during the Ilocos Sur Festival-Agriculture Competitions (Goat Category) on January 30. Our goat raisers were declared champion for the competitions on the biggest purebred doe, biggest upgraded buck, and most prolific doe, and third place in the biggest purebred buck.”
 
Meanwhile, this year’s ‘Kaldingan’ fest will organize a cook fest at the Bantay terminal arcade and the ‘pinaka-goat’ contest at Barangay Mira covered court on May 3.
 
“Goat raisers in Bantay will compete for the ‘pinaka-goat’ contest in various categories such as the biggest breed, among others. Through this, we will be able to monitor the development of our genetic breeding initiatives in the barangays and encourage other farmers to raise and breed goats as well,” he added.
 
Briones said there are more than 2,400 farmers in Bantay town and most of them are raising goats.
 
During the opening of the Food and Trade Fair at Bantay arcade grounds on April 15, Vice Mayor Samuel Parilla II said the annual festival unifies all Bantayeños, coming together in joyous celebration of their town fiesta, in his message delivered by Municipal Administrator Allen Favis. (JCR/AMB/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)