Cattle and Bulalo the Best in Batangas Province... by EMMA E. MONTALBO, AB, MPA, Batangas, Philippines

Cattle and Bulalo…the Best in Batangas Province
I. Introduction


Batangas is well known as a producer of quality cattle. Public auction animal markets have been established in Tanauan, Lipa, Padre Garcia, Taal, Batangas, and Lemery. Tanuan City is being noted as the “Home of Batangas Beef”. Last 2004, the City held the first Batangas Beef Festival to highlight the high quality of various Batangas beef products including gotong Batangas, bulalo, tapa and others. The distinctive taste of Batangas beef is claimed to be the result of personalized feeding and care of the cattle being fattened.
According to Dr. Aries Garcia, City Veterinarian, one way for promoting Batangas beef is to increase the number of cattle being slaughtered in the City (Tanauan) slaughterhouse, thus increasing the City’s revenue. Of course, it will also result in bigger incomes for families engaged in livestock production.1


II. Literature of the Study


Cattle are the most important of all livestock animals. Cattle are under the genus “bos”, which species members can interbreed and produce fertile off spring.
There are two obvious breed groups of cattle in the world: the humped cattle, or zebu (Bos indicus), group which are found in tropical regions and the breeds which descended from an extinct wild type, the aurochs (Bos primigenius), and are now found throughout the temperate regions of the world. 2
There are cattle which breed on temperate climates: like the Brahman cattle in the U.S. resulting from interbreeding four strains of cattle from India. The Guzerat, the Nellore, the Gir, and the Krishma Valley. Indian cattle were first introduced for the specific purpose of cross breeding them with other groups that were not well adapted to the subtropical conditions of the Gulf Coast region. Brahmans that can withstand hot and humid weather are resistant to insects and are free from eye trouble. 3

The most common cattle in Batangas Province are Bos Taurus, Bos Indicus and White Brahman.However, the Belmont Red has exhibited higher fertility than pure Bos indicus breeds and better than most other Bos indicus X Bos taurus crosses. Their docile nature and good performance have been recognized by Pacific Islands and the Philippines where improvement in livestock population is carefully monitored. 4

The exact origin of our native cattle is not certain. Early cattle were predominantly Bos Taurus. Eventually, smaller cattle with thinner skin and dark brown, black and spotted white coloring became more common. These cattle were similar to the Wagyu of Japan and Hwangyu of China. It is possible that our original native cattle from these countries, owing to trade between China, Indo-China, and the Philippines that began over two thousand years ago. The Spanish Galleon trade with Acapulco and Mexico introduced new varieties of cattle, which also affected our native cattle populations. 5
These animals were larger than our native cattle, long of horn and better suited to the adverse climatic and terrain conditions of the tropics.


III. Body

Batangas cattle are mainly raised in covered backyard stables attached to the farmer’s kitchen. The cattle are fed with corn, mongo beans, rice, salt, and molasses producing tender, cherry red colored beef, marbled with white fat. Many meat stalls advertise their beef as Batangas beef but avoid beef carcasses with thick yellow fat. Yellow fat is a sign of a grass diet or old age, as in the case of retired old mastura cows. Beef with marbled white fat is the highest quality beef, produced by cattle that are fed more feed grains. Beef with marbled fat interspersed through the muscle is known to have less cholesterol and taste better than meat covered by thick external layers of yellow fat.
The fat globules of marbled beef dissolved when cooked releasing oil that tenderizes the muscle fiber. Batangas beef is much sought after in Filipino cooking, which often uses fat, bone, and bone marrow boiled gently under low fire. Some of the most popular dishes among our people are bulalo, caldereta and nilagang baka with vegetables.

Bulalo is the marrow in the bone of the beef shank. Beef shank is locally known as kenchi. It can be bought boneless or bone-in. With the bone, it is called bulalo. Prized for the delicious bone marrow, bulalo is not recommended for those with high cholesterol or those watching their fat intake. It is not an everyday dish. It is more of once-every two-or-three months meal for health considerations. 6
A bulalo soup to taste so good should have: 2 lbs beef knees (with marrow intact) 2 quarts water, 1 onion (halved) 3 leeks.(Broth preparation: Mix all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Skim the surface until the broth becomes clear. Cover and simmer at least one hour, or the longer you boil the bone marrow, the more it will tastes good. Serve hot with plain rice serves four). 7
In Batangas Province where selling beef and beef by- products is a major means of livelihood, roads are lined with restaurants and small eateries with bulalo as a specialty.
Santo Tomas, Batangas became a traveller’s favorite. Whether you are a traveling businessman or just on your way to Southern part of the Philippines, you should never fail to have a stop over in any of their restaurants, “carinderia”, or “kainan” for lunch or dinner.
We are told often that all this started in Sto. Tomas Batangas at roadside eateries where truck and bus drivers would stop. So there we ambled one day, and stopped at Rose and Grace, the largest, and best known, in front of which most of the cars were parked. We found that Bulalo was being consumed at almost every table. 8
“SINOY AND TRINING” are just a bit down the road, and the bulalo we got there was perfect according to Dorren G. Fernandez of Philippine Daily Inquirrer. While chatting with Lorenzo Carpio, brother of Trinidad Sangque, we learned thatthe owners of Rose and Grace and of Sinoy and Trining are sisters. The original bulalo had been a creation of an Aling Bering (Viring?),as he remembers, and from her, his sisters learned these things. Aling Trining, who was herself attending to the kawali and kalan in her kitchen, had started with Php 50.00 capital and was happy with just libreng pagkain for her family. With Mang Sinoy, also a musician with the restaurant, and by dint of hard work through the years, the couple had not only seen ten children through school, but had bought land as well. The restaurant had grown through the constant patronage, not of truck and bus drivers as rumor had it, but of “turista” “at lahat de kotse”. And, he revealed that, although bulalo seems simple to cook, the trick is in “pagtitimpla”. Only one person (probably Aling Training) is in charge at Sinoy and Training. Her formula is still kept secret. 9
In classy restaurants, bulalo commands a high price.
For Dennis Victor Edillon Jr., executive chef of Hotel Pontifino in Batangas City, the province is a great place as source of these ingredients. Its beef, for instance, is reputed to be the best of the breed, which is why the markets in Taal and other towns in Batangas are where traders from Manila buy cattle. Moreover, at Pastorelli fine dining restaurant, Edillon serves the ever-popular Bulalo with a twist. Its being less greasy is achieved through a very slow simmering process, which does not allow the grease to circulate in the soup. 10
Hotel and restaurants in the province make sure that quality flavors of Batangas cuisine are preserved specialy bulalo. That Batangas Province is a producer of quality cattle may be due to certain natural advantages: like the cool climate and good terrain, characterized by the presence of plateaus.
In addition, provincial officials, city, municipality, and barangay authorities are supportive of food production projects. All of these, combined with a generally good peace and order situation and an industrious and knowledgeable people who care well for their animals, help explain why Batangas takes the lead in our country’s beef production.

IV. Conclusion

Batangueño Hospitality offers a most inviting, interesting and delicious plate of Batangas “bulalo”. This generosity is evoking a deep sense of understanding, appreciation, identity, and nationalistic pride and fostering unity and harmony among the members of the community.
Now, Batangas is synonymous with beef and well known as a producer of quality cattle.To all of this, can be ascribed why many people distinguished Batangueño identity and why they consider Batangas Province as truly different from other locality in and outside the Philippines.

V. Recommendation

Batangueño hospitality should be valued and appreciated, while original Batangas cuisine should be preserved.

Batangas Government Officials should develop comprehensive development program and provide well funded “iwi” system of cattle feeding where the government as an owner of cows entrusts a farmer with a calf to grow and fatten. In addition to this, the government must concern itself with the issue of food security due to increasing population.
Agricultural Authorities should conduct a regular artificial insemination of cattle, conduct seminars and consultations on the latest development in farming especially in animal racing.
Backyard system of cattle raising should be encouraged because of the increasing demand of beef.
Civic organizations can contribute a lot to helping small under privileged farmers in uplifting their economic lot through agri-related livelihood projects.

PROPOSED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
OBJECTIVE
To help farmers raise cattle for meat as well as for milk.

AGENCIES INVOLVED
Civic organization and Local Government Officials

SCHEME
The participants in the program will be made to understand from the very beginning that the dispersed animals are not dole outs. These are female animals for breeding which the recipients will have to take good care of and to find ways and means for those animals to multiply.
The recipients don’t have any cash outlay in the beginning. But the dispersed animals are given a value, say Php 18 000.00 for a breedable calf. That amount will have to be paid by the farmer within five years without any interest and no provision for devaluation of the peso. Although the cattle have long gestation periods, the farmer should be able to exert efforts to enable the animals to multiply several times before reaching five years. The first offspring, if it is a female, will already have given birth to at least two calves five years after the farmer received the original animal.
The farmer will have to pay back the value of the original animal in cash or its equivalent.

DOCUMENTARY PICTURES


Bulalo
This delightful beef soup is a specialty of the cattle-raising region in the province of Batangas.
2 lbs.-bias ng baka (beef kneeswith marrow intact)2 quarts-water1-onion, halved3-leeks, sliced 10 cups-chicken broth 1 pkg-dried banana blossoms


Put all of the ingredients in a large stickpot and bring to a slight boil. Skim the surface until the broth rmains clear. Cover and simmer at least 1 hour.Serve hot accompanied by rice for a light lunch pr as the first ourse to a large dinner. Remind your guests to enjoy the bone marrow!Serves 4.
http://kumain.com/?p=show&id=2711
Province of Laguna TravelGuide
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Philippines/Province_of_Laguna/Restaurants-Province_of_Laguna-BR-1.html12

Bos Indicus


VI. References


1 Tanauan as Home of Batangas beef. (September 8, 2005). Manila Bulletin, p. B-7

2 Ned D. Bayley, ed. Cattle, Encyclopedia Americana, vol. 6. (Grolier Incorporated, 1989), 64.

3 Ned D. Bayley, 63.
4 Belmont Red (2007, September 17) (on line), Available; http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DPHILIPPINES%253A%2BBos%2BTaurus%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyfp-t-471%26x%3Dwrt&w=300&h=281&imgurl=www.ansi.okstate.edu%2Fbreeds%2Fcattle%2Fbelmontred%2Fimages%2Fbelmontred-web-2.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ansi.okstate.edu%2Fbreeds%2Fcattle%2Fbelmontred&size=28.9kB&name=belmontred-web-2.jpg&p=PHILIPPINES%3A+Bos+Taurus&type=jpeg&no=1&tt=1&oid=8a98ccba507d0132&ei=UTF-8

5Arañez German B. “The Cattle of Batangas Province”, Batangas Forged with Fire. Philippines: Ayala Foundation, Filipinas heritage Library Inc., 2002.

6 Batangas Best Bulalo & Native Foods: Don’t Miss the Bulalo (2007, September 17) ( on line), “Bulalo” Available; http// www.pinoycook.net/cooking-food/filipino/bulalo

7Santo Tomas Travel Guide (2007, September 17) (on line), Available; http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Philippines/Province_of_Batangas/Santo_Tomas-1381514/Restaurants-Santo_Tomas-BR-1.html#0

8 Doreen G. Fernandez “Bulalo” in Sto Tomas Batangas” Philippine Daily Inquirer , (August 9, 1987).p 13 column 8.

9 Doreen G. Fernandez ,p 13 column 8.

10 Rowena C. Burgos “Gourmet fare a la Batangueño” Philippine Daily Inquirrer
Philippine Daily Inquirrer, June 24, 2005 p. D1.
11 Bulalo (2007, September 17) (on line), Available; http://kumain.com/?p=show&id=271
12 Province of Laguna TravelGuide (2007, September 17) (on line), Available; http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Philippines/Province_of_Laguna/Restaurants- Province_of_Laguna-BR-1.html