Sheep, goats arrive in T'dad to breed and improve local stock

Some of the animal imported from the US

Some high class goats and sheep have arrived in Trinidad - 146 of them - to help improve local stocks and boost meat and milk production.

The animals arrived last week from the United States. The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Ministry of Food Production (MFP) are collaborating in this project.

Other stake holders are the Jamaica Government and the Caribbean Development Bank. The investment is valued at US$18,000.

A media release from CARDI states that the arrival of the pedigree stock signals "a potential for some 2,000 improved breeding animals over the next three years for local farmers. These breeds were selected based on, in part, adaptability, weight gain, meat to bone ratio, milk yield."

The animals are Katahdin and Dorper sheep and Anglo-Nubians, Alpine and Saanan goat breeds. 

CARDI says it expects that farmers "will benefit from improvement in farm income from increased availability of quality breeding stock; improved technical capability and practices of small ruminants’ producers through training; improved quality of output from the farm level (marketing of higher quality small ruminant meats) and stronger farmer groups linked to processors, marketers and consumers."

It adds, "Importation of “new higher-performing breeds” is therefore critical. Under the project, over 250 animals will be imported into Trinidad and Tobago."

The animals have been quarantined at the Ministry of Food Production’s Centeno Livestock Station. When they are released they will be used as breeding stock and their offspring would be given to farmers.

CARDI is a Regional organization that seeks to contribute to the economic well being of Caribbean people by the generation and transfer of appropriate technology through agricultural research for development.