03 Nov 2022

Government has transformed the Artificial Insemination (AI) programme from using conventional methods to the use of technology in order to improve its efficiency. 

 Officially launching the revised programme at Dibete AI Camp yesterday, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said themed: Advanced Reproductive Technologies; A Definitive Way Towards Improved and Increased national herd”, it was aimed at increasing quantity and improving quality through  adoption of new technologies.

  On average, he noted, the national  conception  rate was 77 per cent whilst the calving rate  stood at  56.7 per cent against the target of 90 per cent. 

Despite the livestock sub-sector’s significance in contributing to income generation, employment and food security, the national herd had continuously declined from three million cattle in 1979, 2.1 million in 2004 to 1.7 million in 2015.

Therefore, in line with the Reset Agenda to revive the livestock sub-sector, ‘through this revised programme we will have an increased and quality national herd that promote market access, as well as participation in the global market space’, said the President.

Dr Masisi said his desire was for Botswana, as a beef exporting country, to have quality beef herd in the shortest possible time.

Additionally, the President  said, the programme was meant to promote private sector participation and provide high quality semen, technical capacity building and fodder production. 

Stating that AI offered an opportunity to access superior genetics compared to the natural way, Dr Masisi said the programme facilitated easy access to semen and insemination of cattle at government AI farms. 

 The programme, the President explained, had two components one of them being the static AI, which had a network of 16 camps with a capacity to hold 11 000 cows per breeding season and assisted mainly farmers from communal areas.

It also boasted an on-farm version which encouraged insemination on farms, holdings or cattle posts, Dr Masisi said. 

He revealed that over 200 farmers were practising on-farm insemination.

The programme selection criteria for insemination included good body condition score and age,  which should be between 24 months and eight years old, said President Masisi adding that testing for reproductive diseases would be mandatory.

It would be the farmer’s responsibility to ensure the animal reached the AI camp in good body condition, he emphasised.

Dr Masisi encouraged farmers to take advantage of the new programme, which allowed the insemination of many cattle.

“From today onwards, the introduced AI technologies will enable increase of cattle entries from five to 10 cows per farmer per breeding season and shortened period of stay in AI farms,” he said.

President Masisi said agriculture was a priority sector  because it had the potential to improve and grow the country’s economy and place it at a competitive level. 

“There is no government, in the world, that can ignore this sector. There is no government, in the world, that does not support this sector. So, I want to assure you that my government, and I, will support this sector till eternity, because it is a source of life,” he said. 

He said the launch,  which included demonstration of pregnancy test kits, synchronisation of animals and artificial insemination, paved way for the other 16 government AI camps to start using the newly-introduced technologies.

AI is currently on cattle only but plans are underway to extend it to small stock.

For beef, the preferred breeds for AI are; Bonsmara, Brahman, Charolaise, Limousine, Pinzguaer, Santa Gertrudis, Simmental, Sussex, Tuli and Tswana.

 Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, Dairy Swiss, Friesian and Jersey are the preferred dairy breeds.

Semen used for AI is collected from bulls at the Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory and Training Center whilst some is sourced from countries such as the United States, South Africa, Germany, France and Canada. ends