—four breeding sheep exported
THE first shipment of four sheep, all of breeding age, to Suriname was realized Saturday, with the animals having gone through the full gamut of procedures related to health, the Ministry of Agriculture reported in a release. Guyana wishes the Surinamese farmers rapid success in their efforts to produce high quality mutton.
As the only English and Dutch speaking countries respectively in South America, Guyana and Suriname have been collaborating in supporting each other’s livestock programme. It has been long recognized by developing countries that crossing appropriate breeds with indigenous breeds brings
tremendous gains in terms of other desirable traits.
The most recent cooperation between Guyana and Suriname allowed for the movement of pure bred pigs. These have been utilized in reinvigorating the pork industry in Guyana. The communication links through roads, rivers and at the institutional level between the Guyanese and Dutch Ministries of Agriculture have facilitated fruitful exchanges, all of which have been beneficial to farmers.
For several years, Guyana has been engaged in cross breeding work in sheep, using imported as well as local breeds of sheep to improve on meatiness, lambing capacity, feed conversion, heat tolerance and growth rate Its success has been visible and farmers have been responding positively in adopting the animals being produced.
Indeed the demand for Guyana’s improved breed of sheep has far outstripped its capacity to supply. In the market place, mutton consumers too are demonstrating strong support for the product.
Guyana’s work in sheep production has witnessed modest progress, but has also captured the attention of farmers in Suriname who have expressed an interest in procuring breeding animals from Guyana. (GINA)