SEROWE - The government initiative to upgrade the cattle industry by introducing good quality breeds such as simmental, charolais and brahman through artificial insemination has proved to be beneficial to pastoralists around the country.

Cattle farmers who could not afford to purchase good quality bulls which could cost over P60 000 for the purpose of breeding now have the advantage of utilising government artificial insemination Camps to obtain such good quality breeds.

All they have to do is to register with the Ministry of Agricultures Artificial Insemination Section in their region and contribute P10 for each cow that is due to be administered semen from the bull of their choice through artificial insemination.

Mr Olebogile Moseki, who is the scientific officer with the Ministry of Agricultures Artificial Insemination Section in the Serowe region said that last year 84 per cent of the 500 cattle that were registered at the Morupule Artificial Insemination Camp successfully under went the process.

He said that this year their target is to administer roughly 700 cattle at the end of the artificial insemination season that takes place from November to March.

However, the move will depend on the number of cattle brought forward for insemination.

Before the season starts we make a press release to inform all cattle farmers interested in engaging in the programme to register with us, he said.

After compiling the registry, we then go on tour visiting cattle posts of those who had applied for their cattle to do a pregnancy diagnosis on the cows in order to determine if they are pregnant or not, he said, adding that if the cows were found to be pregnant after the analysis they would not be included in the program.

After we have records of the number of cows due to be inseminated under the program we then order bull semen of the desired breed by cow owners from the Ramatlabama Bull Stud, he said.

When the cattle are in our possession, we inseminate them only if they are on heat and those that are on heat are identified by mucus discharge on the visible reproductive area or seeing them standing on others trying to mate as well as being restless in the kraal, he said. BOPA