27 June 2009
Kampala — THE population of domestic animals in the country has gone up, according to the latest national livestock census. Over a three-year period, the cattle population has grown by 3.9 million, while that of goats by four.
Other animal species like pigs and poultry have also registered remarkable population growth. This is good news. More livestock means easier access to animal protein, which remains insufficient in the diets of most Ugandans.
The census, however, is silent about the quality of the animals, yet this is very important. Growth should not be just about numbers. It should also address quality, in this situation; productivity. There is a need to take stock to establish the state of the national herd, in terms of quality.
This will work as a basis for our researchers to come up with appropriate breeding programmes, to improve the productivity of the different species. While there are several animal breeding programmes going on at research institutions like Serere, Namulonge and Tororo, the results are hardly seen on the ground. These breeding programmes also tend to focus on cattle, leaving out pigs, sheep and poultry.
Left on their own, a few individual farmers have tried to develop their own breeds, using the little knowledge they have, while the majority have left nature to do it for them.
While the country is doing well in terms of livestock population growth, assuming it is in step with human population growth, there is need to come up with relevant breeding programmes to improve the productivity of these animals.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
