THE National Artificial Breeding Center (NABC) was able to distribute 5,909 total large ruminants’ semen straws in Northern Mindanao as of June this year.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Northern Mindanao said of the number, 3,242 ruminants were inseminated while 496 heads were impregnated which produced a total of 711 heads of calve drops.
This, after the DA intensified its drive on the Artificial Insemination (AI) program as it convened in the past months AI coordinators and technicians to focus on producing more calve drops.
In an emailed statement, the DA claimed thousands of farmers in the region were given support through the program with improving ruminant breeds to provide farmers better income.
The DA conducted a semestral conference with AI coordinators and technicians sometime in July, which was attended by officials from the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), the NABC, municipal and provincial DA officials and veterinarians.
Accordingly, around 1,098 goat semen straws can be found at DA-Regional Field Unit in Malaybalay Stock Farm (MSF) as of January to June 2010 while at least 431 straws were distributed in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccskargen, and Armm.
The DA said the NABC, PCC and National Dairy Authority (NDA) have committed to fully support the program.
The NABC pledged to continue producing semen straws, taking into consideration the proper utilization of inputs by AI technicians.
With this, the DA in the region called on AI technicians to promptly submit reports to easily analyze and assess the progress of the program.
Meanwhile, the DA in the region is also considering the renovation and repair of MSF’s Liquid Nitrogen Plant to enhance the implementation of the Unified Artificial Insemination Program. (with reports from Manny Kerwin Martinez/ DA)