Eighty participants from two provinces in the north attended a seminar on Health Management and Common Diseases of Buffaloes conducted recently at the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), Batac City, Ilocos Norte and organized by the Philippine Carabao Center at MMSU.
Three veterinarians from the Biosafety and Environment Section of the PCC National Headquarters and Genepool served as resource persons.
Dr. Michelle Balbin talked about the characteristics, prevention and treatment of surra, bloat and leptospirosis. Dr. Ermyn Ermitanio spoke about the concerns on mastitis and liverfluke while Dr. Lawrence P. Belontidos discussed degnala, diarrhea, and prolapse.
The participants were composed of farmers entrusted with Italian buffaloes, village-based artificial insemination technicians, bull loan program recipients, farmer livestock school (FLS) graduates, and animal caretakers of the center.
Eleven of the FLS graduates who attended the seminar earlier received 15 heads of purebred buffaloes under the Paiwi program of PCC. The animals were handed over by center director Grace Marjorie R. Recta, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Loida Valenzuela, and Sangguniang Bayan Member and Chairman of Committee on Agriculture Hilario Lorenzo to the farmer-recipients.
Dr. Catherine P. Dabalos, center veterinarian, reminded all participants that the health, safety and welfare of the buffaloes lie in the hands of the caretakers and owners themselves.
She gave assurance and commitment on the PCC’s continuing support and appropriate services to the farmers who might need health-related assistance for their buffaloes.
Also present during the seminar was City Veterinarian Dr. Robert Pungtilan. He has been an active supporter of the programs and projects of PCC at MMSU as well as to the recipients of buffaloes given by the Department of Social Welfare and Development under its Sustainable Livelihood Program (DSWD-SLP) and the local government unit of the City of Batac.
