In the first operation of its kind within the Caribbean, embryos from the Texel sheep were implanted into the wombs of local Black Belly sheep at the National Agricultural Research Instit-ute (NARI) farm at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara yesterday.
Some 135 embryos were expected to be implanted into 107 female Black Belly sheep at the end of yesterday’s process.
It is expected that within five months, the sheep will give birth to pure-breed Texel Sheep.
Apart from embryo transfers, the $5M United Kingdom (UK) funded project also encompasses artificial insemination and a number of Black Belly sheep had semen from the Texel sheep inserted into them at the Guyana School of Agriculture on Thursday. These will produce a cross-breed sheep, which has, so far, been called ‘F1’.
Extolling the virtues of the Texel sheep, during a ceremony to officially launch the programme at the NARI farm yesterday, Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud stated that there is a tremendous market for mutton locally and in the Caribbean.
Emphasizing that globally and within Guyana, the cost of food has been rising; he stated that “down the road” such projects would have an impact on reducing food prices.
Persaud asserted that the industry was being looked at as a “potential growth area” and the project was not only about developing a new genetic stock but also about the exposure that local veterinarians and others within the sector would gain as a result.
In encouraging those persons to make full use of the opportunity, he also appealed to the private sector to get involved in such activities.
The project had its genesis following the visit of a team from the United Kingdom including personnel from the Texel Sheep Society, who conducted an assessment last October to determine the possibility of importing the new breed of sheep.
Sarah Wheeler, the wife of the British High Commiss-ioner, Fraser Wheeler, in her address yesterday noted that because of the enthusiasm of local farmers and the interest shown by agriculture sector officials, the project took off.
Meanwhile, Director of NARI, Dr. Oudho Homenauth, who chaired the proceedings, stated that the project is not being done on an experimental scale or for demonstration purposes only but will hopefully see the introduction of hundreds of pure and cross-bred Texel sheep for the first time in Guyana.
He noted that markets exist both locally and within the Caribbean for mutton and currently the Caribbean imports six million kilogrammes of mutton valued at US$12M annually. He declared that the Texel breed is one with remarkable muscle development and produces lean meat and passes on this quality to cross-breed offspring.
Veterinary Surgeon, James Mylne as well as Veterinary Technician John Yates from Innovis, a company that provides such biotechnological services, are providing the expertise for the project.
Meanwhile, Speaking with Stabroek News, Dr. Homenauth said that the pure-bred Texel sheep, resulting from the embryo transfer will be used for mating with the Black Belly sheep to produce a cross-breed.
He said that NARI had been working with some farmers and they will not have to pay to use the ram for breeding their stock. However, at some point, they are expected to give back a cross-breed sheep to the institute.
Farmers from different areas of Guyana were present at the ceremony and Deonarine Ramgobin, a sheep farmer, speaking with this newspaper said that he had dealt with NARI previously and so got involved in the project.
Some of his ewes were to have embryos implanted yesterday and he noted that some will also be artificially inseminated.
He noted that the Texel breed is a new one in Guyana and it is still to be seen how it will fare in local conditions. He said that if it does well, he would have no problem converting his flock to the Texel-Black Belly Breed.
It is expected that another component of the project would include training local personnel in the advanced techniques and technology. (Gaulbert Sutherland)
