Nineteen farmers benefit from heifers to boost dairy production

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha on Monday handed over dairy stock to farmers as part of the Government of Guyana’s continued efforts to strengthen and expand the country’s dairy industry.

Nineteen farmers benefited from the first phase of the initiative, which forms part of a broader programme aimed at improving genetics, increasing milk production, and building a competitive livestock sector.

While addressing the gathering, Minister Mustapha said that over the last five years, the government has made significant advances across multiple aspects of the livestock industry, emphasizing the importance of integrated agricultural systems to ensure sustainability and profitability for farmers.

“We have expended over $110 million to conduct 300 embryo transplants. This set of animals here, these are considered dairy animals. So, as you know, we want to improve the beef and dairy sectors,” Minister Mustapha said.

He noted that the embryo transplant programme represents a historic milestone for Guyana, complementing the ongoing artificial insemination initiative and significantly improving the genetic quality of livestock nationwide.

“Now, for the first time in the history of our country, we have started a new programme called embryo transplant. We have had the artificial insemination programme, which, through critical investments, has also increased over the years,” the Minister explained.

Minister Mustapha further stressed that farmers must avoid a narrow approach to production and instead recognize the interdependence of crop and livestock development.

“We are developing our agriculture sector in every area. We want the livestock sector to be very robust, resilient, and competitive in both the beef and dairy industries. Over the last five years, we’ve increased budgetary allocation to this sector,” he said.

“When we produce crops like corn and soya, you as farmers will benefit because when you look at the livestock sector, when we produce more corn and soya, you will get feed at a cheaper cost. This is why, as farmers, you cannot have tunnel vision in this industry,” Minister Mustapha explained.

During the engagement, the Minister also informed farmers that Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) is partnering with an international company to establish a modern dairy processing plant at Moblissa. He disclosed that the facility is approximately 90 per cent completed and will play a critical role in expanding Guyana’s dairy value chain.

In addition to the dairy animals, farmers also received soilage to support improved feeding systems and sustainable livestock production.

The animals handed over can be referred to as seed stock and are products of the Guyana Livestock Development Authority’s sex embryo transplant programme, under which only female embryos were implanted. The programme has recorded a zero-mortality rate, reflecting the effectiveness of the technology and the high standard of veterinary oversight.

Minister Mustapha also highlighted parallel initiatives within the small ruminant sector, aimed at reducing imports and positioning Guyana as a regional supplier of quality livestock products.

“We’ve also embarked on a programme to develop a new brand in the small ruminant sector. We want to create a special Black Belly brand of mutton coming out of this part of the hemisphere. We have collaborated with Barbados, and so far, approximately 500 farmers in the small ruminant industry have already been given animals and other forms of assistance so that they can increase their stock,” he noted.

In a few years, he explained, Guyana will be able to replace the brands of mutton coming from New Zealand and Australia. He also said that through targeted investments, Guyana is also on the path to becoming a net exporter to the CARICOM market (Ministry of Agriculture press release)