Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Board (PLDDB) trained 362 Artificial Insemination Assistants (AIAs) who inseminated over 110,000 semen doses along with ear tagging of animals in 10 districts of the province during last one year.
AIAs were trained by the Board under its project entitled ‘skill development project for rural youth’ aimed at productivity enhancement of animals, income raise of dairy farmers and promoting self-employment of rural youth through training in Artificial Insemination and extension services.
The Board is working through its trained AIAs and Women Livestock Extension Workers (WLEWs) in 10 districts of the province including Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Narowal, Sialkot, Jhang, Kasur and Khushab.
PLDDB General Manager (Field Services and Capacity Building) Dr Naveed Niazi told Business Recorder here on Tuesday that the provincial government launched the project to meet the challenges of low productivity in animals, long calving interval, gap of service providers and ensuring availability of quality semen to the livestock farmers. He said that at the time of launch of these services it was estimated that over 11,000 artificial inseminators were needed to meet the above mentioned goals in the province.
The Board launched an ambitious plan of training 2,000 young men as AIAs and the same number of women as WLEWs Training of Livestock Service Providers in Artificial Insemination and better Extension Services with a view of women empowerment, provision of incentives to outstanding rural youth engaged in livestock rearing, provision of breed improvement package to rural youth and analyse impact of livestock development as a result of artificial insemination.
Dr Naveed said that best quality semen of exotic breeds known for better milk and meat yield are being used. He said that 36.6 percent animals out of the total inseminated till date had been given semen of Friesian cow, while semen of other breeds such as Sahiwal, Buffalo, Jersey and Cholistani are also being used. He said that efforts being made by the youth trained by the Board would result in a better next generation of animals in the province having better milk and meat yield meeting the shortage between the demand and supply resulting in better income for the livestock farmers and economic prosperity in rural areas.
