CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Introduce two species of cattle, goats suitable to increase milk, meat production
Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera advised the Animal Production and Health Department to start research to introduce two species of cattle and goats suitable for our country in order to increase the production of milk and meat in our country.
During a discussion held at the Peradeniya Animal Production and Health Department recently, the Minister said one of the main reasons affecting the increase in livestock production in Sri Lanka is the lack of suitable animals for the respective products.
"Although we import cows and goats for milk and meat production in our country, those animals die because they cannot withstand the climatic conditions of our country and suffer from other diseases," the minister said.
During the discussion, the officials of the Animal Production and Health Department pointed out that it usually takes 5-7 years for this kind of research. The officials also said that they have started research to identify a new species of cattle using white cattle in the Eastern Province.
They also mentioned that further research is going on regarding the Kottukachchiya goat species produced on the Kottukachchiya farm.
"The daily amount of beef required by our country is 37,000 metric tons. Most of this meat is imported. Also, only 40 percent of the milk requirement is produced locally and 60 percent is met through imports. The main problem is that the farmers do not have access to technology that can produce more milk, and there is no breed of cattle that can produce more milk in this country," the Minister said.
He said if the livestock sector had started this project five years ago the country could have produced suitable cattle and goat species by now. But due the necessary steps for that having been not taken the amount of milk and meat that the country needs have to be imported today. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)
Comments - 11
Recommended
You May Also Like
Trending
