-local shipping company being engaged to transport remaining Black Belly sheep from Barbados

SOME 60 Brahman bulls have been ‘identified’ for importation into Guyana from Texas, United States by the end of September.

These replacement bulls are part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s breed improvement programme to rebuild the country’s livestock sector.

Agriculture Minister, Zulfikar Mustapha, on Sunday evening, told the Guyana Chronicle that the programme is one of many interventions being undertaken by the Government of Guyana to address the effects of the 2021 and 2022 floods which saw many farmers suffering tremendous losses.

“60 of those bulls will come in the country by the end of September. When we had the floods, we had budgeted money for genetic improvement and we are using that fund to improve our genetic stock in the country and that will cost roughly about $70 million to bring in those bulls,” he said.

Additionally, he noted that other small ruminants will be imported as the country moves ahead with improving its livestock production and meeting market demands.

He said: “We will also bring in some other small ruminants so we will continue to increase our stock and improve the genetics in our livestock.”

President Dr. Irfaan Ali had officially declared Guyana to be in a state of disaster in June 2021. At the time, a total of 28,228 households were affected by flooding, some with water in homes, while, for others, their domestic animals and livestock were in distress and farmlands inundated.

The Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) had also implemented a 24-hour pontoon service to transport animals from the flooded areas.

BLACK BELLY SHEEP
Meanwhile, Minister Mustapha disclosed that the government is currently working to secure an agreement with a local shipping company to transport the remaining 1,000 Black Belly sheep from Barbados to Guyana.

“They [Black Belly sheep] are ready and I am working with Barbados, so, hopefully the next batch will be all. I am hoping that, within a week from now, we will have a deal with a local shipping company, so that we can send the ship to Barbados and bring all the sheep back,” Mustapha said.

Earlier this month, 20 rams and 112 ewes arrived in Guyana as part of the first shipment.

The Ministry of Agriculture is also be looking to spearhead a cross-breeding project using the Black Belly sheep and the locally bred sheep.

Under the breed improvement programme, genetic insemination, embryo transplant and cross-breeding will be done.