Farmers learn skills from Texans

Livestock farmers in the Cayman Islands have received hands-on experience during an agriculture clinic.

The Cayman Islands Department of Agriculture recently staged a Artificial Insemination and Palpation clinic, which attracted 11 people and five farmers.

The Department invited facilitators Carl D. Rugg and Dr. Lesley R. Sprott from Bovine-Elite, a company based in College Station, Texas, which specialises in the manipulation and examination of the reproductive tract of cattle.

The week-long clinic covered benefits, such as the anatomy and physiology of reproduction, estrus detection, estrus synchronisation, frozen semen handling, reproductive management, herd health, proper nutrition for reproductive efficiency, practical training on live cattle, sire evaluation and sire selection.

Local farmer George ‘Lulu’ Smith, who owns a herd of 36 cattle in West Bay area, lauded the department.

“This programme will take us to the next level because it will enable us to breed the best bulls with the best cows,” Mr. Smith said. “That will provide us with the best genetics for a margin of the cost. It was an exciting and engaging clinic.”

Bruce Watler, a livestock farmer from Savannah, also praised the Agriculture Department, saying the clinic was presented in an easy and practical manner and “the hands-on teaching makes it easy to put the information to use after the clinic.”

Tiffany Scott, livestock extension officer for the Department of Agriculture organised the clinic. She said one of the reasons for artificial insemination is the profitability of meat production from cattle depends, to a large extent, on the efficiency of reproduction.

“Maximising reproductive efficiency requires the matching of genotypes to the production environment, together with appropriate husbandry practices, in order to ensure that the intervals from calving to conception are short,” Ms Scott said. “Our local supermarkets are asking us to breed a special type of cattle to improve the beef quality on these islands. The outcome of this clinic will be greater economic benefits to the farmers. Optimum conception rates will only be achieved if the quality of semen used is good, the insemination is done at the most appropriate time in relation to the reproductive period and those who participated in the programme now have the skills to do the procedure.”

Ms Scott also said artificial insemination of cattle is a practice that allows for better breeding records. With disease transfer generally being avoided, the expenses are considerably less and there is added safety with no live bulls because they can be aggressive and hard to handle.

Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and Minister responsible for Agriculture praised the department’s progressive nature.

“This clinic has added another element of education to farmers and by doing so will no doubt improve our beef quality in the future,” Mrs. O’Connor-Connolly said.