Apac women cooperative acquires 120 bulls to boost breeding

APAC – Members of Apac Women Cooperative Group have acquired 120 bulls worth Shs  48 million from National Animal Genetic Resource Centre [NAGRIC] and Data bank to boost production and productivity by crossbreeding their livestock.

NAGRIC delivered the bulls to the cooperative following a request by the Apac district LC5 chairperson, Odongo Asante and resident district commissioner, George Abdul.

Each of the bulls was offered to the cooperative at a much-reduced price of Shs 400,000 to boost the quality of livestock.

The Ministry of Agriculture handed over Maruzi Ranch to NAGRIC 10 years ago for agricultural development and modernisation with a focus on livestock.

Speaking at the handover of the bulls, the vice chairperson Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Dr Agnes Apea urged government to give more funds to NAGRIC programmes, saying its programmes directly benefit the communities.

She further urged NAGRIC to expand its programmes to cover all the districts in the Lango Sub-region, saying it would improve household incomes.

She also encouraged the community to embrace animal production programmes so that Lango Sub-region regains its former glory of livestock keeping.

The executive director of NAGRIC, Dr Peter Beine said the offer is labour saving and increase speed and efficiency in land opening for crop production.

“This is routine in all the NAGRIC ranches situated in different regions of the country and the purpose of these government ranches is to solve livestock challenges in the area they exist,” Beine said.

RDC Abdul said the cooperative members were assessed, trained and given time to pay for the bulls.

“By doing this we intend to achieve, improve growth rate, increase production of meat, milk and improve resistance to various diseases, especially ticks,” he said.

https://thecooperator.news/veterinarians-launch-training-and-exhibitions-for-livestock-farmers/

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