GLDA focusing on improving livestock production; holds inaugural ruminant expo

As part of a series of events being held around the country to observe October Agriculture Month, a ruminant expo was staged in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) on Sunday. It was the first such event to be organised by the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA), a sub-agency within the Ministry of Agriculture.
The expo catered to farmers and agribusinesses, attracting participants from the five coastal regions, as well as Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice).
The event featured a ruminant judging competition, where farmers competed for more than 20 prizes across various categories, recognising the best of Guyana’s cattle, sheep, and goats.

Genetic improvement programme
Farmers were also exposed to a livestock auction, which provided the opportunity to share knowledge, access improved animal genetics, and strengthen market linkages.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GLDA, Dr Dwight Waldron, explained that it allowed farmers to showcase some of the genetics which they would have from either breeding or acquired through the genetic improvement programme, which the GLDA is currently pushing with the aim of growth in the industry.
This, he pointed out, is not only applicable to large-scale farmers but also to medium-scale farmers throughout the country. Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, at the event declared Govt’s genetic improvement programme a clear success.

“In the livestock sector, we’ve been moving rapidly. I’m very impressed with what I’ve seen here. These animals are not the GLDA’s animals. These are farmers’ animals. Farmers who’ve worked with us in our genetic improvement programme and have benefited from breeding stock, artificial insemination, or embryo transfer. From what I’ve seen here today, our genetic improvement programme is a clear success. We are working with cattle farmers across the country to develop the beef industry, and from the Ministry’s standpoint, we’ve been working with a company from Brazil to develop our farm in Ebini, where we are concentrating on dairy. Soon, we’ll commission a state-of-the-art abattoir at Onverwagt, and you know we have to ensure we produce enough meat for that facility. Based on what I’ve seen here today, if very impressive because it shows that over the last five years, we’ve exceeded our target as it relates to the number of animals that are available,” he explained.

Small ruminants
As it relates to small ruminants, there has been a lot of talk and seemingly focus on the Barbados Black Belly sheep. Guyana was able to acquire 1000 of the animals from Barbados to boost the local stock, but Dr Waldron revealed that while Guyana now has the largest single flock of Barbados Black Belly in the Caribbean at the Guinea Livestock Station, the Barbados Black Belly is critical in terms of its adaptability and does not produce enough meat to grow the industry to the level that the GLDA is seeking.
“So we are going to be using those to lay the foundation. They are going to be the foundation stuff for Guyana because we can replicate and multiply them quickly. We also have the black-haired Dorper, we have white-haired Dorpers, and we have Katahdin here. Those are the meat breeds which we will be doing the crosses with Barbados Black Belly to ensure that we have the meatiness,” Dr Waldron explained. The Barbados Black Belly over the years has proven to be very good in terms of multiplying.
“Today, you won’t get the meatiness from those. So come next year you will see we will be making some additional investments in ensuring that we have the processing aspect for small ruminants included in our strategic plan execution which is to ensure that the farmers can gain enough by selling not just quality meat but they can start looking at specialised cuts and so on and that can only be had from having a facility that is certified internationally. We don’t or we’re not developing a two-tier system for our local consumers. What is good for the export market is just as good for the local market. We want to ensure that Guyanese have access to the best.”
The veterinarian who leads the GLDA in promoting and developing Guyana’s livestock sector through initiatives like genetic improvement said they are using the Barbados Black Belly Sheep as a base because it is a tropical breed and has adapted to our conditions.

Cattle
Meanwhile, the GLDA is currently focusing on both a dairy programme and a beef programme for the cattle industry. Currently, there is a bull rotation programme that would have seen the Government importing sixty-four bulls to supply the demand nationally. There are currently twenty-one breeders with which the GLDA is working on the programme. “They are the ones who are helping us to do the breeding, so that we can have animals available for all the farmers throughout the country. The base breed with which we are working with is Brahman. We are also working on feedlots in all the regions. That programme has already started, so for the animals that will be incorporated into the feedlot, we are crossing those with, we have Beef-master, we have Charley, Brangus, and Angus itself because those are the synthetic breeds which give the meat a better marbling, a better quality.” According to Dr Waldron, the GLDA is also using the as part of the programme but to a limited degree. He said they are promoting the Girolando heavily. “Which is a mixture between Holstein and Brahman, and that was developed in Brazil. India did some work on that breed also. So based on our embryo programme that we have nationally, that is what we are pushing,” Dr Waldron revealed.
He pointed out that the Girolando breed has adapted to local conditions and gives a lot of milk, and can withstand ticks. According to Minister Mustapha, the Government’s expansion plans for the livestock industry include the continued advancement of genetic programmes, the development of a 5,000-acre area equipped with a training centre and facilities to support livestock farmers, and the allocation of new lands to assist farmers with scaling their operations. He disclosed that construction of a new processing facility for small ruminants is also on the agenda, as the Government seeks to create a more robust and value-added livestock industry. The Expo featured 16 competitive categories ranging from livestock exhibition to cooking contests, with one farmer set to be crowned the Grand Champion. The event served as a platform to highlight improvements in livestock breeding and management.