Can goats breed all year round – even during those months when they are not “in heat”?  Is it possible to do so even without using chemical hormones? 

Yes, it is possible. This can be accomplished through environmentally friendly methods devised by researchers at the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) located in Kabacan, North Cotabato.

“Goats are known to be seasonal breeders,” explained Dr. Carlito B. Sanchez, who headed the study.  “They come to heat only during cool months when the day length is short.  In the Philippines, this is usually between September to February.  For goats to give kids year-round, they need to be ‘in heat’ even during summer.”

Experts call this as “out-of-season” breeding.  “This kind of breeding is of interest to both dairy and slaughter goat owners because it reduces seasonal fluctuations in the herd’s milk and meat production,” he said.

Because of this, the USM researchers came up with alternative off-season “green” solutions in manipulating estrus in goats.  Estrus is the period of sexual excitement at which time the female accepts the mating with the male.

“Such methods sit well with the Halal system of goat production under which use of chemical hormones is not acceptable,” Dr. Sanchez said.  Among the Muslims, unnatural breeding of goats is considered “haram.”

“Green solutions ensure sustainability of production to cater to the needs of Muslim Filipinos, especially during festivities like Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha,” Dr. Sanchez said.

The USM researchers have developed three “green” methods in estrus synchronization or heat induction in goat: photoperiodism or light effect, male/buck effect, and dormitory effect.

The goats are kept under natural photoperiod.  Their nutritional levels are adjusted to meet maintenance requirements.  The goats are allowed to graze during the day if the climatic condition is favorable.  In addition, they are given free access to water and mineral blocks. At night, they are confined.

The goats for breeding are identified by placing ear tags or neck tags.  Herding is done daily at around 10 am.  At 6 pm., they are brought back to their pens. 

“Strategic deworming is followed with the first dose given a month before the onset of the rainy season and succeeding dose given as the fecal egg count exceeds 100 eggs per gram in mixed infection,” Dr. Sanchez said.  “Ivermectin injection is also given to the animals to control external parasitism.”

The estrus activity in goats is observed three times a day: at 5 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm with one-hour observation for each period.  “Doelings that exhibit a tail-flagging response and stand for mounting are considered to be in estrus,” Dr. Sanchez said.

According to Dr. Sanchez, the light effect method consists of controlling exposure to daylight to mimic short-day periods.  The does are confined in pens where they encounter shorter periods of exposure to light.

“As most goat breeds are photosensitive with respect to reproduction, the likelihood of their breeding is strongly influenced by how long or how short the days are,” Dr. Sanchez explained. 

Goats are described as short-day breeders.  “This means that the doe shows evidence of desire to breed when day length grows shorter,” he surmised.  “A long day photoperiod consists of 16 to 18 hours of light exposure.  In contrast, a short day photoperiod is characterized by eight hours of light followed by 16 hours of darkness.”

To maintain good health, the goats are housed in a building with adequate ventilation and regular cleaning.  The pens are covered with plastic curtains from 4 am to 8 am to achieve the effect of light.  “This gives a total darkness of 14 to 10 hours,” Dr. Sanchez said, adding that in this method, the duration of estrus from onset of behavioral estrus to standing estrus among goats ranges from 12 to 14.6 hours.  The duration of behavioral estrus from standing estrus to the end of estrus ranges from 14.5 to 19.83 hours.

“Overall, the total estrus period ranges from 27 to 34 hours,” he said.  “The number of days to breed is from 10.25 to 21.5 days and the conception rate is from 66.67% to 100%.”

The second method – male/buck effect – requires a minimal amount of labor and cost, according to Dr. Sanchez. 

“The initiation of behavioral estrus in the doe is triggered by olfactory, behavioral and visual stimuli which result in ovulation of does,” he said.  As such, “activities around the doe perceived by her brain can trigger excitement in the does affecting estrus.  These include exuberant vocal expression of the buck and the odor emitted by the buck through its musk glands located behind the horn area that secretes strong odors.”

In this method, the bucks are isolated for three weeks before they are allowed to join the does.  “The buck joins the herd of female goats for 12 hours each day,” Dr. Sanchez said.

This method shows duration of estrus from the start of behavioral up to the standing estrus from six to 12.5 hours.  On the other hand, the duration of behavioral estrus from standing estrus to the end of estrus is from 11.5 to 13.88 hours.  All in all, the estrus period ranges from 17.5 to 26.38 hours. 

The number of days to breed is from 5.66 to 16.67 days, while the conception rate is from 83.33% to 100%, Dr. Sanchez said.

In the third method – the dormitory effect – social interactions play an important role in estrus induction among goats.  “When does starts cycling, the anestrous group will start to cycle too,” Dr. Sanchez said.  “Rest may respond within 14.5 to 33.5 days and the conception rate is from 50% to 100%.  The minimum number of goats that can induce estrus is two heads of does.”

All over the country, more and more farmers are now raising goats.  And this out-of-season natural breeding will definitely help those goat farmers.  This means more income for them.

“They may be known as ‘poor man’s cow,’ but goats can be farmers’ source of income should there be crop failure,” points out Jethro P. Adang, the director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) based in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. 

Goats have been raised since time immemorial.  David Mackenzie, in his book Goat Husbandry, wrote: “When man began his farming operations in the dawn of history, the goat was the kingpin of the personal life, making possible the conquest of desert and mountain and the occupation of the fertile land that lay beyond.  The first of Man’s domestic animals to colonize the wilderness, the goat is the last to abandon the deserts that man leaves behind him.”

You may have previously encountered golden rice before. This rice variety is engineered genetically to produce beta-carotene, which is a precursor to vitamin A, in its edible parts.

Commonly referred to as Malusog rice, golden rice aims to serve as a fortified food source in regions where dietary vitamin A is lacking. The genetically modified rice reportedly can yield up to 23 times more beta-carotene than the original version.

Unknowingly, there exists another type of fortified rice that many Filipinos may not be familiar with. This is known as zinc-rich rice, which can fulfill up to 60% of the daily zinc requirements and help mitigate zinc deficiency in nations with high rice consumption.

Although rice is not particularly abundant in zinc, it does contain some amount. For instance, brown rice offers around 1.2 milligrams of zinc for every 100 grams of cooked rice. Zinc is an essential trace element commonly found in red meat, poultry, and fish.

“Zinc is known to play a critical role in biological processes including cell growth, differentiation and metabolism,” the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) states.

A study cited by the United Nations health agency showed that zinc supplementation “may have a greater impact on growth in stunted children compared to non-stunted children.”

Zinc-rich rice was created through a global collaborative initiative spearheaded by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and HarvestPlus, in conjunction with various national agricultural organizations.

In the Philippines, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) has developed and introduced local high-zinc varieties such as NSIC Rc 460 and NSIC Rc 648.

Here is some positive news. A high-zinc rice variety grown in Ilocos Norte has yielded nearly double the national average, aiding the country in its search for alternatives to combat child stunting and micronutrient deficiencies.

In barangay Sta. Cecilia, San Nicolas, farmer Ricky A. de Guzman achieved a harvest of 8.14 tons per hectare from NSIC Rc 648. This yield surpasses the national average palay yield of 4.07 tons across all ecosystems for the first quarter of this year. Furthermore, it exceeds the reported yield potential of the variety, which ranges from 4 to 7.4 tons per hectare under optimal growing conditions.

According to a report from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), stunting among Filipino children continues to be a significant national nutrition issue. The FNRI’s 2025 Updating Survey indicated that the rate of stunting in children under five rose to 25.3% in 2025, up from 23.6% in 2023.

De Guzman, who is a first-time grower of high-zinc rice and an experienced seed cultivator, volunteered to plant this variety after discovering its nutritional advantages. Typically, he harvests between 7 and 10 tons per hectare from various rice types.

“I was surprised that this variety can produce high yield. With proper irrigation, fertilization, and crop management, it can also compete with the high-yielding inbred varieties that many farmers prefer,” he said.

NSIC Rc 648 reaches maturity in 122 days and thrives optimally in irrigated lowland regions throughout both dry and wet seasons.

Anielyn Y. Alibuyog, the focal person for the Healthier Rice Program at PhilRice Batac, stated that the findings indicate farmers can cultivate rice with enhanced nutritional benefits while maintaining productivity levels.

“This variety shows that farmers do not have to sacrifice yield to produce healthier rice. It combines nutritional value with competitive productivity, making it a promising option for farmers and consumers,” Alibuyog said.

However, Alibuyog emphasized that the zinc-enriched rice variety should not be viewed as a standalone remedy for stunting; rather, it can complement nutritional initiatives by contributing to increased zinc consumption through the staple food of Filipinos.

Durian, a fruit that is beloved by many yet often maligned by others, is once again in season. If you are in Davao City, you can detect its distinctive odor even from a considerable distance. 

In his book Following the Equator, Mark Twain wrote about his durian experience in Southeast Asia through these words: “It was a strange fruit, and incomparably delicious to the taste, but not to the smell.”

The American humorist further wrote: “We found many who had eaten the durian, and they all spoke of it with a sort of rapture. They said that if you could hold your nose until the fruit was in your mouth a sacred joy would suffuse you from head to foot that would make you oblivious to the smell of the rind, but that if your grip slipped and you caught the smell of the rind before the fruit was in your mouth, you would faint.”

British naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace had the same experience. After a visit with the Interior of Borneo in 1855, he observed the offensive smell of durian in the house; some persons did not even attempt to taste it. “This was also my own experience when I first tried to taste it in Malacca; but in Borneo, I found a ripe fruit on the ground, and eating it out-of-doors, I became a confirmed durian eater.”

Because of the durian’s “foul-smelling odor” that most airlines don’t allow the fruit on board.  In Singapore, the Asian country with the most rigid policy and rules concerning the care for the environment, the durian is forbidden on subway-stations and trains.

Despite this, there is an increasing demand for durian in the export market. It is called an “exotic tropical fruit” in North America and Europe where customers offer premium prices.   Durian is also highly regarded in other Asian countries.

By weight, the edible portion (or aril as experts call it) is only 26% on the average.  Sixty percent of it is the rind while the remaining 14% are seeds.

According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the fruit is rich in vitamin C, phosphorus, calcium, and iron.  It also contains fair amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin.  It is also a good source of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

For the uninformed, the aroma (or odor if you will) of the fruit comes largely from thiols or thioethers, esters and sulphides.

The word “durian” comes from the Indonesian “duri” (thorn) and is botanically known as Durio zibethinus. It is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. It also grows in other Asian countries like Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Durian is eaten right after opening the fruit or as a frozen commodity.  Like most exotic fruits, durian is touted to have aphrodisiac powers. In Thailand, durian is eaten as a side dish with glutinous rice or it is made into a paste (often packed like long sausages).  In Sabah, Malaysia, red durian is fried with onions and chili and served as a side dish.

The Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD_ says durian can be made into jam, candy, tart, and “polvoron.”  Unripe durian can be cooked like a vegetable.  Half-ripe or unripe durian are also utilized in making chips and soups.

Durian can be transformed into a delightful ice cream or a refreshing milkshake. However, as an ingredient in a blender, this king of fruits tends to overshadow its lesser counterparts. The unique flavor of durian often prevails, and in certain instances, combining it with other fruits can enhance the garlicky notes of durian in an undesirable manner.

A widely recognized flavor that pairs well with durian is coffee. The combination of coffee and durian is both enjoyable and invigorating – furthermore, a gourmet coffee infused with durian would present a distinctive delicacy. If you happen to be in Davao City, you can find venues that offer coffee blended with durian fruit.

For those who are keen to try durian for the first time, it is crucial to choose the highest quality fruit. But how can you ascertain the authenticity of the durian you intend to buy? Here is a tip from the experts: “When selecting a durian, inspect the stem; if it appears dry, the fruit is likely aged. If the stem has been cut, shake the fruit and listen for the seeds rattling inside; if you hear them, the pulp may have lost some moisture and may not be as flavorful.”