Agriculture Dept: Artificial Insemination Program a Success
Posted by Labels: Artificial Insemination, Breeding, Cattle and Livestock
(The St. Kitts Nevis Observer) The Agricultural Department has succeeded in producing its first animal offspring resulting from artificial insemination.
Speaking with The Observer, Chief Veterinary Officer at the Department of Agriculture Dr. Tracy Challenger said the calf was born in September, signaling a successful insemination in mid-December 2010. A second insemination was unsuccessful, she informed.
According to the expert, this signals “big things” for local farmers.
“Local farmers were complaining that their cattle were getting smaller and smaller due to inbreeding. This meant decreasing dress stock; and not just in cattle, in all their livestock. Artificial insemination eliminates the problems caused by inbreeding giving way to larger, sturdier livestock and that has very good implications for farmers,” she explained.
Dr. Challenger explained that the insemination procedure was made possible through collaboration with Ross University of Veterinary Medicine and the Taiwan Technical Mission in St. Kitts. The Taiwanese provided the “shoot”- a mechanism used to keep the animal in a completely stationary position for the procedure and Ross University trained four Agricultural Officers how to perform the procedure.
The objective, as explained by Dr. Challenger, is to introduce new genetic material into the local pool and to apply science to agriculture.
“This method of reproduction would benefit farmers on many levels. They would not necessarily need to rear aggressive bulls, it would lead to larger herds and output would increase with bigger animals,” she said.
She said the process was relatively simple and inexpensive to farmers. The semen straws were purchased from a reputable breeding US company and stored in liquid nitrogen at the Ross University. A number of farmers had already been identified to have ‘shoots’ constructed on their farms which would eliminate farmers having to transport livestock to the Department of Agriculture for insemination, Dr. Challenger said.
“Four farmers have been selected to get shoots on their farms and some other farmers will use these same shoots. It would be easier on most farmers since their farms are located in the rural areas and it can be tedious to transport the animals back and forth.”
The ultimate goal of the Department, Dr. Challenger told The Observer, was to establish an Artificial Insemination Unit.
“That way farmers can choose to bring their livestock for insemination or have Agriculture Officers visit their farms to perform the procedure. Until then we will continue to provide the service for farmers.”
The male calf, she said, is doing well on a farm located in Newton Ground.
By L.K. Hewlett
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