01 Nov 2022

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi is scheduled to officially launch the revised Artificial Insemination (AI) programme at Dibete AI Camp tomorrow.

Responding to a questionnaire, the Ministry of Agriculture's public relations officer for central region, Mr Clifas Kemiso said ‘the launch will include synchronisation of animals, the use of pregnancy test kits and insemination’.

He said a pilot project would be undertaken at selected farms around the Dibete/Mahalapye area before rolling out the estrus synchronisation and pregnancy test kits to the country’s 16 other AI camps. 

First introduced in 1966 to improve the national herd,  the programme offered an opportunity to access superior genetics, he said.

Mr Kemiso revealed that the semen used was collected from bulls at Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory and Training Centre while some was sourced from places such as the United States, South Africa, Germany, France and Canada. 

He said the preferred beef breeds were Bonsmara, Brahman, Charolaise, Limousine, Pinzguaer, Santa Gertrudis, Simmental, Sussex, Tuli and Tswana.

For dairy cattle, farmers preferred Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Dairy Swiss, Friesian and Jersey, said Mr Kemiso.

 Explaining that currently artificial insemination  was performed on cattle only, he said plans were afoot to extend it to small stock.

Mr Kemiso said the total cost of insemination covering labour, logistics and disease tests, was up to P1 500 per animal.

The farmer on the other hand, would part with only P35 per cow made up of P25 for semen and a P10 maintenance fee.

The P25 charge was for local semen while the price of foreign semen varied according to breed, said Mr Kemiso.

Giving details of the programme, he said farmers were limited to a maximum of 10 animals per brand, adding that cattle should be in good condition, not too young or old, fertile, healthy with a brand certificate, keeper card and affidavit. 

After being inseminated, cattle were permitted to be in the camp for a maximum of two months, Mr Kemiso said. He said artificial insemination success rate stood at around 85 per cent. 

Mr Kemiso said to address the challenge of shortage of qualified inseminators currently facing Botswana, relevant training was  being offered in Ramatlabama.

Another challenge,  he said, was that in communal areas farmers found it difficult to isolate cows from bulls.

He said uptake of the programme was good but its capacity was limited. 

To educate Batswana about the programme,  public education campaigns were undertaken through the media, field days and district shows, said Mr Kemiso. ends