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Michelle Moyo, [email protected]

THE Department of Veterinary Technical Services, in partnership with the Department of Livestock Research, has launched a national artificial insemination programme to boost the national herd.

Artificial insemination, a biotechnological method of collecting semen from a bull and manually depositing it into the reproductive tract of a cow, is an important method in improving the genetic make-up of animals, resulting in improved milk or beef quality.

The programme aims to increase the national herd population by encouraging farmers to adopt artificial insemination.

The target for this year’s breeding season is to inseminate close to 6 000 cows. The programme supports the principles of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) prioritising animal health and production and strengthening farmer knowledge and skills in livestock production and health.

Veterinary Technical Services acting director, Dr Chenai Majuru, said the country lost a herd of about 500 000 between 2017 and 2022 to Bovine Viral Diarrhoea (BVD) and January disease.

Following the launch of the Livestock Growth Plan in 2020, the Government is targeting a national herd of six million by 2025.

“This programme is intended to beef up the national herd through artificial insemination to try and encourage farmers to adopt artificial insemination as a way of increasing their herd,” said Dr Majuru.

“The advantages of artificial insemination are that it improves breeds, reduce inbreeding, and increase calving and conception rates.

“This will help to boost the national herd and improve the genetic straits through selective breeding whereby farmers will now select which breeds they want to breed and synchronisation of the cows that will be used for artificial insemination is another advantage.”

The country’s livestock herd declined nationally by approximately 20 percent for beef and more than 83 percent for dairy in the past few years. — @Lo7246Lovelyn