Goat and chicken meat, healthier alternative

In the face of the ever-rising prices of pork and beer, which, incidentally, are major causes of rising blood pressures to carnivores out there, we might soon have to make do with goat and chicken meat.

One, it's cheapest and healthier. The fact that goats eat grass while chickens thrive on grains, they are indeed healthy eaters than Miss Piggy. Well, cows survive on green grass, too, but the price of beef and subsequently the amount of LPG they consume just to soften the meat for bulalo (beef soup) through hours of boiling can easily raise your dependable Inday's blood pressure. Beef is also categorized under "red meat," a term than uber-health-conscious individuals view as not unlike rat poison.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported that goat meat is 50% to 65% lower in fat than similarly prepared beef, though it has the same protein content. The USDA also said saturated fat in cooked goat meat is 40% less than that of chicken, even with the skin removal.

Thus, goat meat is a healthier alternative than any other protein source from the animal kingdom.

But speaking of chicken, compared with pork and beef, poultry products are easier and faster to produce. Ever heard of 36-day-old chicken? It is also labeled as "white meat," a better alternative than the reds.

That good news is that our local Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) recently came up with a program that provides these healthier choices that is especially focused on the poorest of the poor of the countrymen. It is called Kambingan at Manukan ng Bayan.

The BAI bought and distributed goat and chicken meat to the most economically challenged families in the countryside.

In a report submitted by the BAI to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, who leads the task force, the manukan program benefited a total of 6,330 households, while the kambingan has helped 3,270 households among the so-called Priority One provinces.

Also called "the food-poorest provinces," these are Zamboanga de Norte, Mountain Province, Masbate, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Camarines Norte, Agusan del Sur, Sarangani, Surigao del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay and, believe it or not, the entire Metro Manila area. According to the recent report, the BAI was able to distribute 20,729 chickens and 3,378 goats or a total of 24,107 livestock. This number reportedly surpassed the agency's number of target households by 50% in August this year.

Under the program, the bureau buys the animals, while the local government units, through the local agriculture offices, identify the beneficiaries.

In the same report, we've learned that in a directive given by Malacanang, the BAI was told to speed up the livestock-dispersal program. Noting the very low accomplishment this year, there was also a directive to the Department of Agriculture to seek the assistance of poultry integrators to facilitate the availability of livestocks to be distributed in the priority provinces.

Secretary Duque said that with more livestock to be distributed, the President's promise of "Pagkain sa Bawat Mesa." especially among poor families, will be realized.

After the havoc wrought by typhoons, it was assured that these programs will be intensified and focused on the most affected areas in Metro Manila and Rizal provinces.