AGRICULTURE Minister, Robert Persaud, has said that the development of the ‘Texana’ breed sheep locally, working with the British Texel Society, was a major achievement in the Livestock Sector last year.

In an interview with this newspaper last week, he said it was noteworthy, in the sense that it had been a long time since the industry benefitted from an injection of new genetic stock.

The Government, in 2009, started an aggressive and extensive programme to enhance livestock genetics, using artificial insemination and embryo transplant, implemented here for the first time and the Agriculture Ministry also paid considerable attention to developing pure breed animals.

Persaud said the project was significant, in terms of cost reduction, pointing out that the expense, to the Government, for importing the animals was US$20,000.

He said, to bring in the experts and train local personnel incurred just about one tenth of the importation expenditure, to enable a more rapid expansion.

Persaud said, generally, livestock production increased in 2009 and, for the first time in history, Guyana did not import chicken, especially during the Christmas season.

He said, too, that given the level of local self-sufficiency in that, Guyana, informally, has been exporting chicken to neighbouring Suriname and, to a lesser extent, Brazil.

Persaud said this country also exported a small quantity of beef in 2009 and is hoping to do more of that this year.

Livestock rearing forms an important component of the Agriculture Diversification Programme (ADP) and he said his officers will continue to work with farmers, not only to ensure genetic improvements, but also to enhance training, farming facilities and extension services.

Persaud said, in light of the achievements last year, there have been some challenges which, to some extent, affected production and was the cause of conflict.

According to him, they included improper animal husbandry, farmers lack of management of their herds which, at times, could be a nuisance and the managing and containing of various animal health problems that can pose a threat to Guyana.

He reported that new pastures were opened to ease the problem of cattle roaming and the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) was able to develop a nutrition feed for animals using local feedstock.

Persaud said, the Ministry, through the latter venture, hopes to reduce importation and the price of animal feed locally.