Livestock Industry Boost: Belize Extension Officers Attend Reproductive Technology Training

Extension officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise are participating in a week-long training workshop to improve the country’s livestock industry. The training is being held under the “Reproductive Technology in Cattle Production in Belize” project. The official launch was held in Belmopan yesterday with support from the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation (AMEXCID), and the National Institute of Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research (INIFAP). Andrew Mejia, Livestock Coordinator for the Ministry, said that the training will focus on improving the genetics of beef cattle in Belize through artificial insemination.

Mejia explained that, in natural breeding, farmers have to invest thousands of dollars into a breeding bull. However, with the artificial insemination systems in place, farmers will be able to save by purchasing imported bull semen. Mejia added that the project has four phases, and this week’s training marks the start of the first.

The training is being facilitated by Dr. Jorge Quintal Franco and MSc. Jose Eduardo Cabrera Torres of INIFAP.