Walter Nyamukondiwa 

Kariba Bureau 

The National Artificial Insemination Programme, which seeks to improve the national herd through cross breeding of indigenous cattle breeds with exotic ones has gone a gear up with a local university indicating that it has capacity to provide nearly 500 000 straws. 

It is envisaged that in the next five years the country’s herd, particularly in communal areas would have significantly improved to boost beef and milk production. 

Farmers in the country’s communal areas are expected to tap into the semen bank to improve their herds. 

The programme is being spearheaded by the Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) working with Government departments including Agritex and Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement. 

An official at CUT said the programme had the capacity to provide 500 000 doses of semen countrywide. 

“We have capacity to produce and supply over 500 000 doses of semen from nine breeds of beef and three dairy breeds of cattle,” said the official. 

“Our objectives are to improve cattle genetics and increase national herd size. We are very interested and excited to work with the Ministry of Agriculture through the department of livestock, extension officers and other personnel as well as all interested stakeholders from private sector and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to achieve this common objective.”

The Artificial Insemination programme is expected to run annually during the breeding season, which is between November and April. 

Covid-19 restrictions have affected the smooth roll out of the programme with at least 1 000 to 2 000 cattle expected to be inseminated by the end of the breeding season in April. 

“Response from farmers across the country has been overwhelming and we are excited to be part of national development together,” said the official.

“The Artificial Insemination programme will run annually, semen can be obtained from CUT throughout the year.” 

CUT conducts training to capacitate farmers to also inseminate their cattle every month. 

Artificial insemination is the collection of sperm cells from a bull, which is deposited manually into the reproductive tract of a cow when it is in heat or synchronisation (inducement).

Zimbabwe has an estimated national herd of 5,58 million, of which 45 percent are males, according to Second Crop and Livestock Assessment Report for 2017/18 season.