Livestock and Poultry

 As of 2002, the number of livestock, poultry and pets in the province of Negros Oriental stood at around 1.83 million heads. Livestock refers to cattle, carabao, horse, goat, sheep and swine. Poultry means chicken, duck, geese, turkey, quail, pigeon and guinea fowl. Pets count rabbits, dogs and cats. Chicken comprised roughly half of this population. Work animals, namely carabao, cattle and horse, made up almost 20 percent. Pigs or swine composed only six (6) percent.

Practically all of these animals came from backyard raisers, with commercial growers accounting for a mere one (1) percent of the production. This may partly explain why the province still has to get some of its supplies of meat, poultry, dairy products, and eggs from outside sources, despite some increases in annual production. The lack of forage and pastures has also constrained production. Incidentally, the heaviest concentration of local livestock may be found in the First Congressional District, which includes the northern municipalities starting from Manjuyod up to Canlaon City .

In marketing their livestock, raisers sometimes sell directly to meat processors and institutional buyers (hotels, supermarkets). Otherwise, they sell to shippers or traders. Trading generally occurs in auction markets and other livestock trading centers. A shipper transports the products either to retailers (butchers), institutional buyers or city dealers. There are 12 slaughterhouse operating province-wide, including the award-winning modern abattoir in Dumaguete City .

Animals are classified into slaughter, breeding, work and fattening. For the period 1997-2000, breeding animals fetched the highest price while animals for slaughter had the lowest price. But in 2001, fattening animals became the most expensive, followed by cattle as work animals.