The beef cattle industry in the Philippines saw increases in both production volume and herd size in 2021. Bukidnon province had the highest production while farmgate and retail beef prices also rose. There are three main beef production systems - extensive ranching, intensive feedlot operations, and small-scale backyard raising. However, the industry faces challenges like lack of economies of scale for most small producers and high feed costs.

1. OVERVIEW OF THE BEEF CATTLE INDUSTRY IN
THE PHILIPPINES

2. VOLUME OF PRODUCTION
• The January to December 2021 total cattle
production was estimated at 236.11 thousand
metric tons, liveweight. This was 3.0 percent
higher than the previous year’s output of 229.13
thousand metric tons, liveweight.

3. NUMBER OF HEADS
•In 2021, the total volume of cattle production
reached 871.36 thousand heads. This was 9.0
percent higher than the previous year’s level of
799.60 thousand heads.

4. • Among the provinces, Bukidnon recorded the highest
production of 19.84 thousand metric tons, liveweight or 8.2
percent of the country’s cattle production. This was followed
by Pangasinan with 14.11 thousand metric tons, liveweight,
and Batangas with 13.97 thousand metric tons, liveweight.
Completing the top 10 producing provinces were Masbate,
Isabela, Cebu, Quezon, Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental,
Ilocos Norte. The combined production of these provinces
accounted for 43.7 percent of the country’s total cattle
production in 2021.

5. PRICES
a. Farmgate Price
• In 2021, the annual average farmgate price of cattle for
slaughter was quoted at PhP 145.80 per kilogram, liveweight.
This was 13.3 percent higher than the previous year’s average
farmgate price of PhP 128.71 per kilogram, liveweight. During
the reference year, the highest farmgate price was recorded in
December at PhP 151.13 per kilogram, liveweight, while the
lowest was noted in January at PhP 139.08 per kilogram,
liveweight.

6. PRICES
b. Retail Price
• The annual average retail price of fresh beef, pure meat in 2021
was recorded at PhP 348.52 per kilogram. This was 10.3 percent
higher compared with the previous year’s average retail price of
PhP 315.99 per kilogram. In 2021, the highest retail price was
recorded in December at PhP 356.73 per kilogram, while the
lowest was in January at PhP 332.03 per kilogram.

7. IMPORTS
• In 2021, the total volume of imported beef was
recorded at 438.59 thousand metric tons. This was
110.0 percent higher than the previous year’s level of
208.83 thousand metric tons. The biggest increase was
noted in April to June at 274.3 percent, from 42.16
thousand metric tons in 2020 to 157.81 thousand
metric tons in 2021.

8. The total value of imported beef in 2021 reached USD
951.80 million. This was 87.3 percent higher than the
previous year’s level of USD 508.22 million. The highest
value of imported beef was reported during the period
of April to June at USD 337.47 million.

9. Problems of cattle industry in the Philippines
• Albay Rep. Joey Salceda made the statement following the
contraction of agricultural output by 1.7 percent based on 2021 full-
year gross domestic product (GDP) figures, which he said is a
warning sign that the country's agriculture sector is "still struggling to
grow" even with a low output base.

10. • “The problems of the livestock sector are One, lack of economies of
scale. Most producers are backyard producers. Two, lack of cheap
inputs. Feed costs in the Philippines remain among the highest in the
region. Three, disjointed government support. You have several
agencies for different livestock products, when you could consolidate that
into a National Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy Program since the inputs, the
problems, and the issues are very similar and require close coordination,”
Salceda said.

11. MAKINIG NG MABUTI MAY MGA NAKA-ABANG
NA MGA TANONG DIYAN.

12. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
A. RANCHING OR EXTENSIVE SYSTEM
1. COW –CALF OPERATION
-Aim : to produce stockers or feeders.
• Involves production of calves and
raising them to weaning age;

13. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
A. RANCHING OR EXTENSIVE
SYSTEM
2. Purebred program or Breeder
farm operation
-Aim :to produce breeder stocks to
be sold to other ranches

14. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
2. Purebred program or Breeder farm operation
• involves breeding of purebred or registered cattle, needs big
capital, skills, and sound judgement;
• suited for those with experience, not for beginners;
• popular in Batangas, Tarlac and Pangasinan. Few operations are
also found in Masbate, Bukidnon, Cotabato and Iloilo;

15. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
B. FEEDLOT FATTENING OPERATION
(INTENSIVE)
Objective: add weight to the animal and
increase its value
Other features:
• turnover of investment is faster than in ranching. feeder stocks
require only 120-180 days fattening period from the date of
purchased; suited for those with experience, not for beginners;

16. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
B. FEEDLOT FATTENING OPERATION
(INTENSIVE)
Other features:
• Needs very small land area: a. sheltered feeding area (1 1/2 - 2
sq. m /head, and loafing area (5 sq. m/ head)
• located in areas where large amounts of feeds are produced
• may be integrated with pineapple and sugarcane enterprise.

17. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
B. FEEDLOT FATTENING OPERATION
(INTENSIVE)
Important to the livestock industry of the Philippines for
three main reasons:
a. it provides the farmer with extra income
b. it gives him year-round work and allow the use of cheap,
plentiful farm by products such corn stovers, hay, silage, rice
straw, copra meal, rice bran and sugarcane tops which might be
otherwise be wasted
c. it helps meet the urgent demand for high - protein food in the
Filipino diet.

18. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
C. BACKYARD OPERATION
• constitutes 94% of the cattle
population.
• aims to produces animals that can
be sold to augment farm income.

19. BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN THE PHILIPPINES
C. BACKYARD OPERATION
Backyard cattle raising is characterized by the following:
a. 1 or 2 heads of either fattening or breeding cattle is
raised at farmer's spare time
b. farmers tethers animals to graze and supplements
with farm wastes like rice straw or corn stover when
back in pen
c. others give ipil-ipil and 1-2 kg/ animal of rice bran,
corn bran and/or copra meal
d. Batangas farmers do force feeding (supak) of feed
mixture.