During the last decade, the population of cattle and water buffaloes in the Philippines declined while the goat population showed an increasing trend. Ruminants subsist mainly on vegetation from open grasslands and forested areas,agro-industrial by-products, crop residues and weeds from idle or vacant lots. The supply of feeds for ruminants, however, is relatively adequate during the rainy season but once the dry season sets in, it becomes scarce especially in terms of quality.
To correct the problem, R and D activities were directed towards the utilization of crop by-products and farm residues. Rice straw, being abundant, is most studied. Feeding trials determined the growth and physiological responses of animals fed treated (by physical, biological and chemical means) crop residues. Legume supplementation to poor quality roughage was also implemented. Grazing trials, on the other hand, determined animal performance on pastures that were either fertilized or overseeded with legumes with or without mineral supplementation.
To date, however, technologies generated towards the improvement of nutrition and physiology of ruminants are not well adopted by farmers. Hence, future R and D efforts are directed to the development of low cost technologies and dissemination of existing technologies.