The Department of Agriculture has begun introducing a new native "DADOS" chicken breed in the farms of Cagayan Valley.
The new DADOS chicken breed, which has been set to be reproduced by the DA since last year, comes in two types -- black and barred.
The new breed of chicken was created through four-way cross-breeding, fusing superior egg-laying qualities and more significant growth rates to create richer meat than the typical native chicken.
The breeding took about five years to complete as part of the region’s Livestock Economic Enterprise Development Project.
DA's officer-in-charge regional director, Dr. Rose Mary G. Aquino, coined the phrase "DADOS," an acronym for the department's goal of becoming a "dedicated agency ready to deliver outstanding services."
Suited for Cagayan
The native breed was developed for the local climate and will likely prosper in a free-range farming system.
Incubators will also not be needed to develop these new breeds because of their high resistance to diseases and heat stress.
The chicken breed is expected to compensate livestock farmers for considerable economic losses caused by the COVID-19 epidemic and African Swine Fever.
Initial recipients
The first batch of DADOS chickens was sent to multiplier farms authorized to reproduce the breed in the Cagayan region.Cooperatives and local government officials also received some new chicken breeds as early as last year.
The Happy Farmers Agriculture Cooperative received 100 heads of DADOS chicken, while the St. Joseph Parish Multi-Purpose Cooperative was handed 200 heads of chicken in the initial distribution.
Additionally, Bayaning Agri-Magsasaka Damayan Villaverde Association Incorporated received 100 heads of DADOS chicken, while the local unit of Tamauini, Isabela was sent about 100 chickens.
For now, cooperatives were trusted to continue reproducing the breeds as LGUs in the region would oversee the continuation of the poultry project.
