Some of the purebred pigs feeding at the Bodles Research Station, Old Harbour, St. Catherine, that have been imported from Canada. - Contributed
LOCAL PIG farmers should be able to access superior off-springs as of September, through a $53-million Pig Industry Improvement Project in operation at the Bodles Research Station, Old Harbour, St. Catherine.
The superior stock is being produced from the 75 young sows, which have been bred by 190 purebred pigs imported from Canada in September of last year. The pigs are being housed at a state-of-the-art core breeding facility, which has been outfitted with automatic watering and feeding systems in operation at Bodles. The facility also boasts a modern artificial insemination laboratory and has been producing and selling semen from the purebred animals since March of this year. To date, 25 farmers have benefited from this service.
THE PROJECT
The project was borne out of a partnership involving Newport Mills Ltd., Donaldson International (a Canadian livestock genetics company) and the Ministry of Agriculture, through the Agricultural Support Services Project (ASSP) launched in June 2004. The ASSP contributed $18 million to the project.
The Pig Industry Improvement Project is aimed at establishing a core breeding facility; an artificial insemination laboratory; an extension programme through which farmers will be provided with technical assistance; and a marketing programme to assist in identifying buyers for farmers operating Multiplication Units. Fifteen farmers have so far been selected to operate these units, which will act as a nursery for the superior young sows
produced by the core breeding facility. These sows will later produce fatteners for the local market.
The ASSP will be
developing business plans for these farmers. Jamaica produces approximately seven million kilogrammes of pork per year, however, this is unable to satisfy existing demand, resulting in about 23 per cent of this demand being imported from Canada.
