Leguan is heaven for farmers – resident
Cattle herder Salim Rahaman bathing one of his dairy cows to clean and prevent the animal from overheating in the sunny weather.
Cattle herder Salim Rahaman bathing one of his dairy cows to clean and prevent the animal from overheating in the sunny weather.

By Rabindra Rooplall

ALTHOUGH rice-farming is considered the main economic activity of Leguan, cattle-rearing is centre-stage as residents of the 215-square mile island take pride in their livestock.

Cattle and Ruminant Farmer Sachlin Shaw compartmentalizes the different breed of sheep and goats for breeding.
Cattle and Ruminant Farmer Sachlin Shaw compartmentalizes the different breed of sheep and goats for breeding.

Leguan located at the mouth of the Essequibo River has a population estimated at 6,000 with many also being fishing folks and farmers.
Speedboats ply the route between Leguan and Parika. And there is also a public ferryboat, which transports persons, produce and vehicles twice weekly
On a bright sunny day, with moisture in the wind and quietude in the atmosphere, a cattle farmer with three decades of experience, Salim Rahaman, bathes his cows in the canal. These “creole breeds” are used for milking.
On the island, diary producing animals are often raised in subsistence and wide open farm systems. These animals are usually multi-purpose and grow and produce under difficult conditions, such as low inputs, minimum management and in some cases harsh environments.
Rearing cows, sheep and goats has lots of potential for profit; Rahaman said he takes care of all issues relating to his cattle’s health such as worming and treating them for various ticks and infections.
He related that the average lifespan for cattle is 15 years to 22 years. as such clean, fresh water must always be available to the cattle. Generally, a mature animal consumes between 10 and 20 gallons of water a day.
“You really have to take care of them like babies sometimes, if you have animals with walking- difficulty, you must create an area to allow them to get to water easily. Dehydration in cattle is deadly,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Sachlin Shaw said his father was a cattle and rice farmer and he has also followed that route.
He said the weather was not conducive to rice farming presently but cattle-rearing had become a main area of focus.
“This rice crop I’m not planting because there is no rain, so this crop is strictly cows, goats and sheep I’m focusing on. Strictly Zebu bulls I buy,” He explained “Leguan is a beautiful place, you can farm and mind anything you want and you’re free to do anything agriculture. And the best thing is you can leave your house and no one will trouble anything. This is a heaven for farmers.”
Another cattle farmer emphasized that the government-employed vet would travel to the island once a week and while he did an excellent job there was need for more vets. He said that if a vet was placed permanently at Leguan, the farmers there would be delighted.

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