BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
ISABELA (August 12)—The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 2 has said artificial insemination (AI) technology is gaining ground in Cagayan Valley, contributing much to the needs and livelihood of farmers.
Explaining the advantages of AI, DA Region 2 executive director Narciso Edillo said AI of cattle represents the most successful sophisticated program of animal breeding ever implemented to improve the quality, productivity and reproductive health of dairy cattle and other farm animals.
“We are giving this a serious thought, including hog repopulation and poultry because Cagayan Valley is 98 percent sufficient for pork, 109 percent for chicken meat, 85 percent for chicken egg, 212 percent for beef, 244 percent for carabeef and 156 percent sufficient for chevon,” Edillo also said.
The DA has introduced a cattle raiser from San Placido in Roxas town, Isabela — James Pertible — who has been into AI, which he said has been contributing much to his family’s needs and livelihood.
Pertible added that he has nine cows and counting as two heifers are scheduled for AI.
He said since they do not have bulls on his farm, “sumpit” (referring to the AI technology) has been very beneficial.
“The offspring is bigger and larger, its price is way above than the traditional way of breeding,” Pertible added.
Dr. Bryan Sibayan, DA Region 2 livestock focal person, has admitted that the application of AI technology is a labor-intensive process that requires technical expertise.
He, however, explained that the vast use of AI nowadays in many livestock species, most notably dairy cattle, swine and carabao, shows that the benefits of the technology outweigh the time and cost associated with it.
To promote the AI technology, Demetrio Tang, DAR Region 2 genetic improvement focal person, said his team is going around the region — comprising the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and the island province of Batanes — to explain to local government units the advantages of AI.