The total inventory of livestock animals in the province of Batangas is shown in Figure 1. A total of 1,208,762 heads as of 01 January 2024. Swine had the highest inventory with 943,180 heads which is 22.39 percent increase in the same period of 2023. This is because commercial raisers are encouraged to increase their stocks due to no ASF incidence, and increasing farmgate price.

The inventory of goat is 111,386 heads, a decrease of 2.05 percent compared last year of the same period because of increased disposal by backyard raisers as they are decreasing their stocks due to lack of forage grass brought by El Niño.

Cattle registered 108,714 heads which is 4.22 percent decrease compared last year due to lower beginning inventory in backyard farms and increased disposal brought by increasing demand from HRIs within and outside the province due to influx of tourists.

The inventory for Carabao posted 45,482 heads or 0.25 percent increase compared last year same period because of less marketable stocks for disposal due to lack of forage grass brought by El Niño.

Other animals being monitored are horse and rabbit.

The total inventory of poultry commodities in the province of Batangas is 15,780,127 birds as of 01 January 2024. Batangas being one of the major producers of eggs in CALABARZON, Layer chicken posted the highest inventory with 12,950,352 birds or 82.1 percent out of the total inventory. About 5.0 percent decrease compared last year due to lower beginning inventory due to less ready to lay pullets (RTL) received last quarter & increased mortality due to heat stroke brought by high temperature.

The inventory of Broiler chicken is 2,309,877 birds or 14.6 percent share in the overall inventory of poultry commodities. It posted an increase of 96.79 percent compared last year of the same period because of re-opening of commercial broiler farms due to increasing demand within and outside the province and availability of DOC.

The Native/Improved chicken had an inventory of 519,898 or 3.3 percent share in the total inventory of poultry sector. Compared last year of the same period, it posted an increase of 2.83 percent because of higher total beginning inventory & more adult females that laid eggs.

Other poultry commodities being monitored are goose, turkey and quail.

The slaughtered/dressed data were from the administrative report from the Locally Registered Meat Establishments (LRMEs) and National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). The total animals slaughtered in slaughterhouses in the province of Batangas in the 1st Quarter of 2024 is 87,484 heads. A decrease of 8.6 percent or 8,193 heads compared last year. Goat posted the highest percentage increase with 32.3 percent or 181 heads this quarter.

The total slaughtered hogs were 81,530 heads in the 1st Quarter of 2024 compared to 90,208 heads in the same quarter of 2023. This yields to a difference of 8,678 heads or 9.6 percent decrease. Slaughtered carabao had a decrease of 9.3 percent or 126 heads this quarter. An increase in slaughtered cattle which posted 12.1 percent because of increasing demand from HRIs within the province due to influx of tourists.

The total dressed in dressing plants in the 1st Quarter of 2024 is 12,578,986 birds while in the same quarter of 2023 it posted 10,027,354 birds. This yields a difference of 2,551,632 birds or 25.4 percent increase because of higher demand from buyers/traders, no outbreak of diseases, availability of DOC & re-opening of commercial broiler farms.

/DGUF