Carabaos are often regarded as gentle giants that can also be reliable farmhands, as these animals are effective in plowing fields to boost soil fertility. But to others, like the Manalili family, carabaos are also profitable.
On their farm in Floridablanca, Pampanga, they raise carabaos to produce liquid gold: carabao milk. Carabao milk is richer in flavor and creamier than cow’s milk due to its higher butterfat content, making it an ideal ingredient for making desserts.
The farm, aptly named Manalili Dairy Farm, is under the management of 57-year-old Edgar Manalili and his wife, Laila Garcia Manalili. Together, they raised their children to embrace the farming life. Back then, they focused on rice, corn, and vegetable production but already had three native carabaos on the farm. It wasn’t until 2015 that the family decided to switch to a dairy carabao breed to boost their operations and income.
“Nowadays, our farm operations focus on breeding dairy buffaloes and half hectares for rice and corn production,” said JayCee Garcia Manalili, who manages the family farm’s finances for his parents. He saw how his parents’s efforts in dairy farming provided a financial boon for their family.
In turn, the family held their dairy production business in high regard to maintain their standards in producing quality products for their market.
The farm applies a “quality over quantity” approach by carefully considering the milk percentage of each carabao for breeding to produce offspring with a better milk production rate. On the other hand, Manalili Dairy Farm is also particular about the number of carabaos they care for on their premises. It helps them provide appropriately for each carabao and manage their resources.
From the three carabaos, Manalili Dairy Farm now cares for 38 dairy buffaloes, with some assistance from the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC). One of the breeds they work with is the Brazilian Murrah, known for its milk production capabilities.
Thanks to the Manalilis’ diligence and passion for dairy farming, they harvest around 12 to 15,000 liters of carabao milk annually, which they then sell to the public.
Yet besides the carabaos they care for, the Manalilis are also keen on empowering local farmers from their community. They hope that Manalili Dairy Farm will serve as an inspiration on how other farmers can shift their farm operations into something profitable.
In the meantime, in carabao dairy farming, Manalili advises aspiring farmers to be passionate about what they’re doing. Moreover, he shared that they should consider the dairy carabaos they care for and provide them with food, shelter, and clean environments to ensure their safety and satisfaction.
“One of the first things we do on the farm is prepare the carabaos’ food. We have to make sure it’s enough so they’re healthy and well-fed enough to produce milk,” Manalili said.
Most importantly, Manalili encourages farmers to be strict and hands-on about food production because it’s only proper for consumers to receive top-quality items from local farmers as the public’s trust will be the stepping stone in achieving a profitable farm business.
