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By Nurudeen Alimi
FEDERAL Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through its Department of Animal Husbandry Services in conjunction with Real People Concept Limited, has inaugurated the national livestock breed improvement programme in Osun State.
The which was said to be going on in some other state of the federation is targeted at improving indigenous cattle breeds for dairy production. The programme was held last year in Oyo, Niger, Kaduna, Katsina and Taraba States.
Speaking during the flag off ceremony held for the project in Osun State at Makaiza Farms, Iwoye-Ijesha, consultant for the project, an animal scientist and Managing Director, Real People Concept Limited, Mr Tunmise Olagbaju, noted that:”The programme is actually to improve our indigenous cattle breeds for dairy production and this involves artificial insemination with exotic dairy breeds to our indigenous cows so that the offsprings they produce will produce more milk so that is the essence of the programme.
“The main target is to increase milk production of the indigenous cows to livestock farmers. And when this cattle produce more milk, it means more income for the farmers. Farmers can have more revenue for their labour. Instead of producing two litres of milk per day, they can produce between eight and fifteen litres of milk per cow per day that is an elevation in their revenue and that will enhance productivity and profitability.”
While stressing the need for farmers to participate in the programme, Olagbaju stated that:”It is important for farmers to participate in the programme so that they can also benefit. The insemination is going to be done with sex semen because we are focusing on dairy, so it is sex specific that means that more than 95 percent of all the offsprings will be female. There is possibility of male but is should not be more than five percent. All the offsprings we are expecting from the programme will be female.”
While commenting on the breed improvement methods adopted for the programme, Olagbaju listed introduction of exotic genetics which the government is doing and selection. We have not done anything on selection, even this artificial insemination the governmnet is doing, there is no plan for selection. I am aware that there is national livestock identification and tracability programme that is ongoing. I do not know how far it has gone.
“There is a need for us to have a programme where we can monitor the development of these animals. There must be a way to follow them up, to select the highly performing ones. This will help us to be able to identify next generation of cattle that are highly performing.”
In his address during the ceremony, State Coorditor, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Osun State, Mr Sunday Atoyebi, called on cattle farmers and other stakeholders in the state to support the programme and key into it by promoting the programme among themselves.
He noted that:”All hands must be on deck so that this programme can boost meat production on the state and bring about economic growth and development of Nigeria. I want to also use this very special moment to thank Makaiza Farm Limited for their efforts in nation building through agriculture and provision of job opportunity for the youth.”
Farm Manager, Makaiza Farms Limited, Mr Abayomi Agunbiade, thanked the Federal Government for initiating the national breed improvement programme, while assuring the government of maximum cooperation to ensure the success of the programme.
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