THE Provincial Veterinary Office of Negros Occidental has purchased 52 heads of crossbred cattle worth almost P2 million for dispersal to satellite breeding center and member-raisers of the United Cattle Raisers Association in Negros Occidental (Ucrain).
Joselito Aballa, provincial animal dispersal coordinator, said the 25 percent local breed and 75 percent white American brahman heifers were purchased from a private supplier in Cebu City.
Of the total number of animal purchased, 22 heads amounting to P800,000 were already dispersed to Sagay City Breeding Center on June 2.
Also, five heads worth P185,000 were distributed to recipient-raisers in the Second District.
The remaining 25 heads amounting to P1.1 million will be dispersed to other members of Ucrain in five remaining districts in the province.
Aballa said those dispersed in Sagay City Breeding Center will be infused with the existing stocks for genetic makeup improvement.
“We continue to improve the genetic makeup of our local stocks through satellite breeding centers and multiplier farms before dispersing it to raisers in the province,” Aballa said, adding that the ready to breed heifers are mainly for reproduction and meat purposes.
Those distributed to member-raisers of Ucrain is intended mainly to help them improve their livelihood, he said.
The animal dispersal is implemented through the provincial government's Negros First Livelihood Program (NFLP) and Provincial Animal Genetic Improvement Program (Pagip).
The NFLP, which targets to augment the livelihood of local raisers, complements the Pagip that aims to upgrade the genetic makeup of local stocks.
Under these programs, each recipient-raiser is obligated to pay back the province two one-year-old yearlings in four years.
In case of animal death with no fault on the part of the raisers, they can be exempted from payment provided necessary documentation will be complied.
Aballa said their payments will be used by the Provincial Government for re-dispersal to cover more beneficiaries in the province.
He warned raisers who failed to pay back that they might be excluded from those who can avail of the dispersal program in the future.
“We are urging the raisers to make use of the program to improve their livelihood and contribute to the development of the province's livestock sector,” he said, adding that they should always work for profitability and productivity.