Salto takes flight at World Gamefowl Expo 2024

Salto takes flight at World Gamefowl Expo 2024

Salto, the gamefowl brand of Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation (Pilmico), showcases its brand’s excellence at the World Gamefowl Expo held last January 19 to 21, 2024, at the World Trade Center. During the expo, Salto demonstrated its commitment to producing high-quality gamefowl feeds through a wide array of activities for enthusiasts and industry professionals alike.

Salto endorsers brought their signature bloodlines, which were available for purchase.

The highlight of the event was the brand’s very own endorsers, known as ‘mga Alas ng Salto,’ who engaged with the attendees and shared their knowledge and expertise about gamefowl breeding. Additionally, attendees of the event also got the opportunity to purchase the signature bloodlines from Salto endorsers like Mike Decena, Randolf Barandino, Iskul Juan, Andrew Mendoza, Ching Obordo, Ericson Laurente, and Raymond Dayrit.

Swak ‘to sa Salto. Visitors of the booth who registered were able to play games at Salto’s booth and win exclusive merchandise. 

Salto also hosted various exciting games, such as the famous pullet catching game, where 10 pullets were given away every day. They also held raffle draws that offered a “trio” prize consisting of two pullets and a breeder cock. 

Catch Salto at the next event, International Gamefowl Fiesta, happening this February 9 to 11, 2024, at the SMX Convention Center Manila. Don’t miss the chance to participate in exciting games, win raffle prizes, and learn from gamefowl experts!

Salto gives back

Salto gives back

Salto donates 124 sets of educational equipment to students nationwide.

Salto grants 3 million pesos worth of educational equipment to students nationwide. In 2020, the Salto Breeders Benefit Sabong was conducted wherein a total of 812 cockfighting and gamefowl enthusiasts participated from across the country.

The turnover of equipment was pushed to 2023 in a series of outreach programs from March to April due to the pandemic.

Continue reading the full article here.

Calvin Randall on the return of traditional sabong

Calvin Randall on the return of traditional sabong

Life is slowly going back to normal, and the Philippines is rising again as we are starting to see encouraging signs of progress. While the whole country is not out of the woods yet, the collective Filipino effort is showing a positive impact on recovery not only on the economic aspects but also on the quality of life for everyone. 

Some of us might appear more optimistic than others, and I was one of those who chose to see the positive side of things. We can all agree that, despite a decline of such an unprecedented scale, humanity will still have the resilience and find the strength to recover. That’s what makes us who we are.  

It may seem like a distant long ago, but I still clearly remember the day I landed in Manila. My heart was full of anticipation and positive thoughts for the future. I could have chosen another country to spend my retirement years in, but my heart chose the Philippines. The beauty of the Philippines is known worldwide, but even in its nooks and crannies, the country has many wonderful things to offer. Here I found my awesome Barkadas, built a family, and was allowed to live my dream– to run my very own farm and play Sabong as often as I could. The Filipino Sabong community is the best I’ve seen and experienced, and I am proud to be part of it. I learned more about the value of friendship and the importance of connecting with people; not only those who are your allies but even those who are your adversaries. I must say that I may look American on the outside still, but I am now a Filipino on the inside. 

I often say I am a Sabungero through and through, not because I’m a gambler but because I am a breeder at heart. I hate to be called a braggart, but I believe I am good at my craft. It’s the personal touch that makes a lot of difference. What I love about Sabong is the friendship that comes with it. It’s the noise I hear when I enter the Arena, the excitement of the spectators, the pounding of the elevated heart rate that I feel while preparing my entries, the shaking of hands, the vendors selling peanuts and drinks, the friends celebrating with you in your victories and, the warm and friendly handshakes exchanged with your competitors. It’s the human interaction that I sorely miss. And today, I asked myself, what is the future of this sport that I love so much? 

Will we ever go back to how we were before the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on our lives? 

The truth is, our world could change in many ways beyond our imagination. The human condition has been dramatically altered due to the policies enacted for our protection. The safety measures have diminished our ability to connect in the physical sense, but they are not necessarily less meaningful.

Everyone is becoming more comfortable with virtual communication, and Sabong has been greatly affected by these changes. What is the future of our sport? The future is unknown, but we’ll cross the bridge when we get there.

What is the future of Sabong? Who will inherit the sport? Who will keep it alive? How will our generation work it out?

If what we witnessed in the past few years is even a slight indication of how strong and resilient the Filipino spirit is, then I am excited to enjoy the ride and watch this next chapter unfold. 

If the strong Filipino spirit of rising through the ashes is alive, now that is something I’m willing to watch unravel. 

A Champion’s Start

A Champion’s Start

The Philippines is a country with a lucrative market for gamefowl production and sabong remains a very profitable enterprise for those who have the determination and passion. Whether they are in this venture as a hobby or as a business, the ultimate goal of any breeder and cockfighter is to raise their gamefowl in the most optimal condition to maximize their performance.

But, setting up a gamefowl farm requires profound expertise and investment. Thus, it is always better to start right and practice good farm management every step of the way to be successful. Below are some of the most important factors to consider when starting a gamefowl business.

Location. The selected area should have at least a 0.5-kilometer distance from other farms to avoid contamination and spread of diseases. It is ideal to choose sites with good drainage and porous soil type. Keep away from flood-prone and environmentally critical areas like watersheds. There should be a 25-meter distance from sources of ground and surface drinking water.

Medium and large farms should be at least a kilometer away from residential, commercial, and industrial areas. For smaller poultry farms, a 0.5-kilometer distance from built-up areas is preferable—select locations with sufficient water and electricity sources. When constructing facilities, consider other factors like drainage and waste disposal and that these activities will not cause problems for the residents living near the farm area.

Biosecurity. 80% of the diseases in a poultry farm are likely carried by contaminated people, equipment, and vehicles. Growers should put a sign indicating that entry is allowed only for authorized people with official business. There should be an allotted station for workers and visitors where they can change clothing and decontaminate their boots before entering the growing house. A footbath should be maintained at every section of the growing area. It is also important to restrict the entry of visitors that have been in recent contact with other farms. Only authorized vehicles should enter the farm, and these should be decontaminated on entry and exit. There should also be a parking area with enough distance from the flock.

Ensure that the design of the shed prevents the entry of rodents, insects, and wild birds. Practice cleaning and disinfection of houses before the arrival of new birds. Tools and equipment should be regularly disinfected. Farm staff should systematically visit the flock from the oldest to the youngest to minimize the spread of diseases. Most importantly, as gamefowl business managers, your farm workers must receive regular training on biosecurity guidelines to guarantee the consistent implementation of good practices.

Disease Management. Breeders need to be aware of diseases that may infect the flock and their symptoms. Newcastle disease can be identified by symptoms like torticollis and greenish diarrhea and can be prevented by vaccination with NCD LaSota, B1B1, and Clon. Marek’s disease can be observed on birds suffering from hurdle paralysis and blindness; the vaccine should be given to day-old chicks by subcutaneous injection. Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) can be prevented by vaccination with live or killed Mycoplasma Gallisepticum Bacterin of 45-day-old birds via an intraocular, intramuscular, or subcutaneous method.

Aside from these, there are still several viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases that can affect the flock. Each disease has different symptoms and treatment methods. 

Nutrition. Every competent breeder understands that excellent and high-quality feeds are vital for the gamebirds to achieve their full genetic potential through selection and breeding. Unlike layers and broilers, the main goal of gamefowl nutrition is for the stags and cocks to reach optimal pit performance—to be a champion.

Salto Feeds provides top-quality gamefowl nutrition for balanced growth, increased resistance, development of ideal body frame, agility, stamina, and power. Salto has a complete line of excellent feeds from chick development until fight conditioning.

Location, Biosecurity, Health Management and Nutrition are just some of the things you should prioritize when going into gamefowl raising and production. Through Salto Feeds and the expert advice and support of Salto technical specialists, your gamefowls can reach their top form for superior pit dominance. 

References:

Medical Care. Salto. Retrieved October 25, 2021 from https://www.salto.com.ph/services/caring/medical-care/

Biosecurity on the Poultry Farm. December 29, 2021. Veterinaria Digital. Retrieved October 25, 2021 from https://www.veterinariadigital.com/en/articulos/biosecurity-on-the-poultry-farm/

Resolution No. R-874. August 17, 2000. Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board. Retrieved October 25, 2021 from https://hlurb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/laws-and-issuances/policies/R674s2000.pdf

Biosecurity Guide for Commercial Poultry Production in the Middle East and North Africa. US Soybean Export Council. Retrieved October 26, 2021 from https://ussec.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Biosecurity-Guide-ENGLISH-BR-27.pdf

Salto Success Story: Benzen “Moi” Llamado

Salto Success Story: Benzen “Moi” Llamado

“Invest Wisely,” ito ang pangunahing prinsipyo ni Alas ng Salto Benzen “Moi” Llamado. Para sa kanya, napaka-importante para sa isang breeder at cocker na mag-invest sa magandang breeding materials, mainam na nutrisyon , at maayos na health management.

Si Moi Llamado ang may-ari ng BTL Gamefarm na matatagpuan sa probinsya ng Capiz, Iloilo, at Negros Occidental. Maganda ang lokasyon ng kanyang gamefarm. Nakatayo ito sa isang lugar na may maburol na lupain, maayos na water supply, at tamang distansya mula sa siyudad. Dito niya pinapalaki at inaalagaan ang kanyang mga signature bloodlines na McLean Hatch, Lemon, Boston Roundhead, at Sweater.

Disiplina at talino ang naging pundasyon ni Moi upang maging matagumpay sa industriya ng gamefowl breeding at conditioning. Hindi matatawaran ang kanyang husay na makikita naman sa kanyang sunod-sunod na mga parangal, tulad ng:  2009 CAGBA 5 Cock Champion, 2010 CAGBA Stag Champion, 2011 Marvin Aces 5 Cock Big Event Solo Champion, 2015 UGBAP 7 Bullstag Champion, 2019 UGBAP Breeder of the Year Runner up, at 2018 7 Cock Candelaria International Champion.

Smart Breeder

“Tinitingnan ko ang consistency ng lineage,” ang sabi ni Moi tungkol sa pagpili ng materyales. “Dapat may cutting power. Tinitingnan ko ang body conformation at station.” Ayon sa kanya, mas gusto niya ang mga gamefowls na medium-high station dahil mas mataas ang accuracy nito at mas maganda ang recoil ng palo.

 Para kay Moi, mas mainam na magsimula ng tama lalo na sa pagpili ng breeding materials upang hindi masayang ang gugugulin na panahon, pera, at pagod. Ang payo niya lalo na sa mga baguhang mga breeder ay huwag manghinayang sa pagpili ng magandang bloodline. Siguraduhin na matapat at may magandang record ang panggagalingan. Dahil dito, malaking bagay para kay Moi ang magandang relationship sa mga breeders na kinukuhanan ng kanyang mga materyales dahil nakaka-sigurado siya sa lineage at pedigree ng mga broodstocks niya.

“I practice inbreeding, at kapag deeply inbred na sila, then I go to line breeding.” Payo ni Moi, kailangan mag-selective breeding upang mapanatili ang fighting style ng mga panlabang manok.

Pero hindi natatapos sa breeding ang pagbuo ng champion na panabong. Para kay Moi, dapat sundin ng mga gamefowl breeders ang basic foundation upang makuha ang full potential ng mga manok. Importante ang malinis na kapaligiran, 100% Salto high-quality feeds, at vaccination programs. 

Prevention is better than cure, ika nga niya. Importante din na mag-invest sa mga tao na tumutulong sa farm upang lalo nilang pagbutihin ang pag-aalaga sa iyong mga manok. Para sa ating Alas ng Salto, upang maging mas magaling na breeder, dapat din na maging up-to-date sa mga bagong developments at inventions sa industriya.

Salto Support

Nagsimula si Moi sa paggamit ng Salto Feeds nang ma-introduce ito sa kanya ng isang Salto Gamefowl Specialist. “It was breeding season when I tried Gallimax 21. Better siya compared sa dating produkto na ginagamit ko. It is very impressive. Yung fertility at egg production ng mga manok ko is very good. At pag marami nang na-produce, I use naman the Salto Chick Booster, then Gallimax 2 and 2+ and then lately pag-conditioning na, I shift to Salto Conditioner. ”

“Pero bottom line, it’s the support of the Salto Team. Yun ang nakapag-convince sa akin,” sabi ni Moi. “Nagustuhan ko talaga ang regular na support ng Salto team. Yung ibang feed companies, hindi ko sila laging nakikita. Kapag nakuha ka nila, wala na. Pero yung service ng Salto, iba talaga. They are just one call away. They give me support on vaccination at health programs at sa magandang feeding combinations.”

“Sa Salto, maganda ang culture nila on how they treat their clients. I am happy here so I treat Salto as a family,” sabi ni Alas ng Salto Benzen “Moi” Llamado.