AFTER artificially inseminating 16,682 heads of cattle, the Department of Agriculture (DA) 7 produced 7,520 calves in 2020.

The inseminated animals and their offspring have been validated and are being monitored in the municipalities of Carmen, Tabuelan, Tuburan, Barili, Dalaguete, and the cities of Toledo and Carcar.

The monitoring and validation were done by the Unified National Artificial Insemination Program (UNAIP) team under DA 7's Livestock Program and Cebu Provincial Veterinary Office.

DA 7 AI Coordinator Rudito Mumar said that the monitoring and evaluation also serve as a venue to solicit feedback from farmers and encourage them to upgrade the quality of their existing cattle and carabaos through artificial insemination (AI) technology.

Teodora Aliñabon, a farmer from Dalaguete, Cebu, said that the AI offspring perform better and grow faster than through the natural method. She said they are also good breeders. After four months, she sold an AI offspring for P22,000.

UNAIP is a program of the DA that aims to increase and upgrade the cattle and carabao herd and the dairy industry of the country.

Aside from monitoring, the team administered vitamins and deworming and ear tagging of the AI offspring. (NRC, PR)