THE Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) of Negros Occidental is stepping up its effort to produce more quality breed chicken to further strengthen the province's poultry industry.

Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena, in a press release Tuesday, October 16, said they recently infused hens and rooster bloodlines originating from Peru and Australia as a breeding base with the existing local stocks.

This has enabled the province to produce the “Negros Chicken” at the Provincial Livestock Breeding Center and Dairy Farm at Barangay La Granja in La Carlota City.

Decena said the initiative aims to produce a strain of chicken adaptable to Negros climate, fast growing, and efficient in converting feeds to meat providing raisers the optimum return.

“Basically, the ongoing production effort involves breeding and selection where superior progenies are further breed through the crossing and backcrossing method,“ he added.

These offspring are then being utilized by PVO as a source of stocks for distribution among various recipient raisers and groups under its Provincial Animal Livelihood Program.

It recently dispersed 400 heads of chicks to six associations in cities of Cadiz and Sagay namely Pacul Irrigators Association, Mount Moriah Community Church Association, Manara Ata Association, Nonescost Demo Farm, Hacienda Caridad Farm Workers Association, and Tinago Farmers and Farm Workers Association.

Supplements were also provided to the recipients to help boost the immune system of the animals during production.

Decena said the program is seen to improve the farmer’s livelihood and increase their income through egg and meat production.

It is also positioned to support food security and reduce poverty in the province, he added.