The Sh30 million initial Artificial Insemination programme to introduce hybrid cattlein Kitui has proved a success, deputy governor Wathe Nzau said on Sunday.
Nzau, an experienced veterinarian, said out of the 6,681 cows that were inseminated, 58 per cent of them had conceived had started calving.
About 4,000 of the cows will have calved by the end of December. Now 70 per cent of the 40 wards have experienced calving,” Wathe told the media in Kitui town.
He said AI was carried out in the eight subcounties between January and March.
Governor Charity Ngilu praised the programme's success and potential to create wealth for the residents.
"AI synchronization has been such a success for many households. I congratulate my DG for proving his prowess in multiplying our livestock-derived wealth,” Ngilu’s social media post read.
As she launched the AI programme in January, Ngilu said it will improve the livestock numbers, especially cattle, and introduce hybrids to improve the quantity of milk and beef.
The deputy governor said prolonged drought had harmed some of the inseminated cows, leading to miscarriage and deaths. In some cases, farmers sold off the inseminated cows for fear that they might starve to death.
Nzau said that some of the cows that were inseminated could have failed to conceive because of poor handling by inexperienced veterinarians.
“The AI concept is new in Kitui and so even some of our veterinarians are not used to doing ," Nzau said.
Edited by R.Wamochie
