The Animal Products Development Center (APDC), a section of the Research Division of the Bureau of Animal Industry, is a most helpful government agency, if you ask entrepreneurs like Rene Almeda of Alaminos Goat Farm (AGF).

Almeda is most impressed by the professionalism and the dedication of the people running the agency. Of course, he is very thankful for the help APDC has provided AGF in developing a number of goat products. For one, APDC has developed new goat meat products with commercial potential. One of them is the smoked pure chevon longanisa which taste-testers consider superior to other meat sausages in the market.

Another version is the hungarian sausage which is also considered better than its counterparts in the market today. Actually, Josefina Contreras, APDC chief, says that whatever processed meat products that could be made from pork can also be made with goat’s meat.

Aside from sausages, goat meat could be made into chevon ham, corned chevon, chevon chop (like lamb chop), luncheon meat, tocino and others.

Part of a collaborative effort between APDC and AGF is the development of standard goat meat cuts of the Boer breed which is deemed to play a vital role in improving the meatiness of native and other goat breeds that are being raised by local farmers.

Ms. Contreras says that APDC is catering to small and medium scale operations. It has modern slaughtering facilities and the private sector can avail themselves of its facilities. In fact, one of our friends, Mrs. Soledad Agbayani of Console Farms, is availing herself of the slaughtering facilities of APDC for her meat processing activities.

APDC also conducts various trainings related to animal products and byproducts. Private individuals as well as government people can enrol in training courses in meat processing, slaughtering for pigs and cattle, and others.

APDC also accepts taning of leather from private individuals for a fee. For inatance, if someone wants to have his goat's hide tanned, he only has to pay P8 per kilo of fresh hide to be tanned. They can tan not only ruminants' hide but also of fish and reptiles.

**** **** ****
AANI SEMINARS. On Saturday, October 17, a seminar on organic farming and vermiculture will be held at the AANI Urban Farm in Antipolo City to be conducted by Raymond Rubia.
In vermiculture, the resource person will lecture on the production of vermicast as well as how to make vermi tea. Vermi tea is a potent foliar fertilizer for vegetables, fruit trees and other crops.

MUSHROOM SEMINAR. On October 24, another seminar, this time on mushroom culture will be held also at the AANI Urban Farm by Teddy Laurie, an expert in producing spawns and fruiting bags as well as in producing mushrooms for consumption.

He will be teaching how to culture oyster mushroom as well as how to produce the spawns. The attendees will be able to see the facilities for growing mushrooms and producing spawns at the AANI Urban Farm.

For direction, visit www@aaniphil.net.