The Philippines has imported 1,419 pregnant dairy cows from Australia

The first import carried out by the National Dairy Authority in nearly three years aims to boost the capacity of local farmers and co-operatives

The Philippine National Dairy Authority (NDA) has taken delivery of 1,419 pregnant dairy cows from Australia. This first import in nearly three years is expected to contribute to milk production of 5.9 million litres by 2027 and to diversify the livelihoods of local dairy farmers and cooperatives.

The imported animals consist of Holstein-Jersey, purebred Holstein and Holstein-Jersey crossbreeds. Of the total 1,419 head, 150 will be sent to the NDA breeding farm in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija; 150 to the NDA farm in the Ubay region of Bohol; and 1,119 to the Del Monte Feeding Centre in Bukidnon. The animals will undergo the necessary quarantine and acclimatisation processes at these facilities.

The imports are expected to expand the country’s dairy cattle herd. Under the programme, it is projected that a herd of approximately 2,527 head—including the initial animals and their calves—will be established, with an estimated milk production of approximately 5.9 million litres by 2027. This volume corresponds to approximately 20 per cent of the targeted cow’s milk production for that year.

NDA Director Marcus Antonius T. Andaya stated that the imports aim not only to increase the number of dairy cattle in the country but also to strengthen the milk production capacity of local farmers and cooperatives and to improve their livelihoods.

Andaya said, “After a hiatus of approximately three years, the NDA has resumed the import of dairy cattle, and we now have a source of high-quality animals that will be distributed to farmers via grants to help expand the country’s dairy herd. More importantly, this initiative will offer qualified farmers and cooperatives the opportunity to expand their herds, produce more milk and strengthen their livelihoods.”

The role of breeding farms

The NDA’s breeding farms play a central role in this effort. These facilities serve as operational centres for herd development, breeding and the management of dairy cattle before the calves are distributed to qualified farmer-beneficiaries. Imported animals acclimatise to local conditions and breed here, contributing to the formation of the herd to be distributed in the future.

Andaya stated that the farms have achieved their objective of developing the local dairy sector, noting that these facilities—established to build up herds and ensure dairy cattle reach farmers and cooperatives—are being utilised to the fullest extent.

The initiative will also offer 176 individual coconut farmers, cooperatives and associations the opportunity to diversify their livelihoods through dairy farming, under the Coconut Farmers and Sector Development Plan (CFIDP). The programme also reflects the collaboration between the NDA and the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA). The initiative is funded through imports, the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and CFIDP resources.

The initiative is being launched at a time when the country’s dairy sector continues to grow. As of June 2026, milk production reached 25.38 million litres, a 21.2 per cent increase from the 20.394 million litres recorded in the same period the previous year. The number of dairy cattle also rose by 6.5 per cent, from 155,662 head to 167,785 head.