MinAgri seeking supplier of heifers to improve dairy stock
Published:Wednesday | December 11, 2024 | 12:07 AM
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Mining is trying to source 250 heifers, or young cows, for the Jamaica Dairy Development Board.
Bids to supply the young cows are due by January 7, 2025.
The ministry is seeking to procure 50 of the Brown Swiss breed, 100 Holstein and 100 Jersey.
Efforts to get comments from industry players about the move to procure the heifers were unsuccessful.
However, it is well known that the quality of Jamaica’s dairy cattle has been of concern for years, with reports suggesting that dairy cows in Jamaica produce an average of only 11 litres of milk per day, whereas the yield is about 28 litres per day in Ireland, for example.
The Holstein Friesian breed is said to produce the highest yield.
The age of the animals should range between 14 and 20 months at the time of shipment, and the supplier must demonstrate that they will meet Jamaica’s health requirements, including certification that the animals are free from contagious diseases and vaccinated according to Jamaican regulations.
The Dairy Board is a statutory body that falls within the portfolio of the Ministry of Agriculture. It was founded in 2009 to revitalise and sustain the dairy industry, and its services include pasture establishment and rehabilitation; concessionary loans as low as five per cent per annum; a Heifer Redeployment Programme to assist farmers to acquire animals and to genetically improve their herds; technical support to farmers in silage production and conservation; the provision of equipment on lease for dairy farmers nationwide to enhance the harvesting of fodder material; and training of farmers in the use of improved technologies.