The improvement of livestock rearing has brought about a number of new developments within the sector. Some of these improvements include improved breeds of cattle, sheep, goats and swine, which were multiplied and distributed, while additional small ruminant stocks were made available for breeding and distribution to farmers. Guyana is also working to develop a new breed of sheep – Texana – with help from the British Texel Sheep Society.
Surveillance activities at swine farms in keeping with the H1N1 threat were heightened.
Improved swine, sheep-breeding animals were also distributed.
Over the past year the livestock sector was boosted with the addition of three veterinary officers, who returned after training in Cuba.  A number of other issues pertaining to animal’s welfare have been addressed, with  some ranging from animal health, bat trapping, and ambulatory service
Animal Health
Rabies Control Vaccination continued in Regions 3 and 5, with approximately 1485 animals being vaccinated for the reporting period January to June 2010.  This was intended to reduce mortality due to bovine rabies.
Bat Trapping
For the reporting period (January to June 2010) twenty-three sessions of bat-trapping were conducted in Regions 2, 3, and 5. The main aim is the reduction of rabid bat population and animal infestation.
Ambulatory Services.
A total of 6542 animals were treated for various ailments that have surfaced as a result of the El Nino weather condition. The department worked to improve the general health status of animals, reduce morbidity and mortality, thereby increasing production.
Botulism and rabies vaccination were conducted in Region 9, with 300 doses of vaccines administered to animals to reduce morbidity and mortality in cattle.
Method and results demonstration were conducted for selected secondary school students in Region Ten to generally improve their knowledge and skills base in agriculture.
Poultry on the upswing
Animal Health
During 2008 Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) attracted international focus, with confirmation of cases in the United Kingdom.  Guyana joined with other CARICOM countries in designing a comprehensive programme to safeguard its livestock population for this highly-contagious disease.  Some prophylactic measures were implemented to prevent the entry of the disease into the country.  These included:
Inter-agency meeting with the relevant organizations e.g. Ministry of Trade, Customs, Airlines, Guyana Defence Force, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs along with Ranchers and other stakeholders to inform of the strategies and surveillance system
The banning of imports that are considered high or moderate risk
Placement of mobile footbaths at Airports
Erection of posters and signs in Region 9 and all ports-of-entry
Continued surveillance at FMD camps along the border with Brazil, spraying of vehicles and educating persons in the areas and buffer zones.
Construction of drive-in dip in Region 9
Vaccination programmes continued in Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9.  Animals were vaccinated against Tuberculosis, Equine Encephalomyelitis and Rabies.
The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory continued to test faecal samples for internal parasites in small ruminants and poultry including ducks.  Testing is continuing in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5 and ten.
The Ministry of Agriculture has distributed approximately one hundred and sixty (160) breeding animals to farmers in all ten (1) administrative regions of the country.  Farmers are expected to improve on their breeding stock and increase on their production.
A number of farmers are currently involved in honey production as a result of the training of forty (40) persons in Regions 3, 4, 5 and ten.
Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Disease Surveillance Programme (Mad Cow Disease)
The banning of items considered as a risk for BSE was implemented. Monitoring and Certification were also implemented to ensure that other animal-derived products to be imported were not prepared with ruminant protein.
Rabies Surveillance Programme
A total of 3,153 bovine animals were vaccinated against rabies in Regions 2, 3, 6, 9 and ten.
A bat-trapping team visited Region 2 to carry out inspection and set up nets to reduce incidences of the vector population.
Rabies seminars were held in Regions 2, 3, and 9.
Bovine Tuberculosis Surveillance Programme
During 2008 a total of 2,500 bovine animals were tested for tuberculosis in the following Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9 and ten.
Seventeen bovine animals were found to be positive at the Georgetown abattoir during post-mortem inspection; thirty-three bovine animals were condemned for tuberculosis.
Equine Encephalomyelitis Surveillance Programme (EEE)
A total of 3,000 horses were vaccinated against EEE in Regions 4, 5 and 6.  Reports out of Region 4, 5, and 6 point to a marked decrease in the incidences of EEE in these epidemic areas.  This change in the incidence level can be the result of a successful vaccination programme done in the past.  A working relationship has been established with the Guyana Horse Racing Authority (GHRA)
Surveillance Programmes
Blackleg – A total of 1,608 bovine animals were vaccinated in Region 9 against blackleg disease
Botulism – During 2008 a total of 1,206 bovine animals were vaccinated in Region 9 against Botulism.
Brucellosis – A total of 700 bovine animals were tested for Brucellosis, all were negative.  These tests were done in Regions 2, 5 and 9.
Poultry Disease Surveillance & Hatcheries Visits
In 2008 poultry operations in Guyana continued to be affected by the Hypo-Glycaemia (Spiking Mortality Syndrome), Coccidiosis, Foul Pox, Parasitism, Poor broiler starter (feed).  Weekly visits were made to poultry farms and hatcheries along the East Bank Demerara and Georgetown by Field Officers.
Government’s projections for the future in livestock and by-products would assume even more dynamism, with many initiatives planned for both short and longterm developments.