BACOLOD City – To boost cattle production in Negros Occidental, the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) and the United Cattle Raisers Association in Negros and Visayas will use artificial insemination (AI).
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena said the artificial breeding method can accelerate genetic improvement and production of cattle. It addresses the country’s dwindling cattle population.
He added they are re-tooling AI technicians to prepare for a more intense cattle breeding drive this year once the Provincial Semen Processing Facility at the Negros First Ranch (NFR) in Murcia town begins its operation.
To support AI as a breeding initiative, the provincial government also established a Liquid Nitrogen production plant at the Murcia ranch last year.
Decena said the plant has a production capacity of 50-kilogram per day which caters to the needs of the breeders for semen preservation.
“The NFR will soon operate the semen processing plant which will serve as the source of semen from various cattle breeds for AI programs of the province under its animal genetic improvement initiative,” he said.
Decena noted through the facility, Negros Occidental will have its own source of frozen semen from superior cattle breeds like Angus, Wagyu and Brahman.
“It will cater to both small and commercial cattle raisers,” the PVO chief added. (With a report from PNA/PN)
