The sheep and goat industry in Region Five is currently under threat from rustling and stray dogs which plague the growth of farms.
Chairman of the Sheep and Goat Association, Clyde Mc Almont, said the rustling is being encouraged by the ‘ bottom house’ butcher shops, since thieves are able to sell the stolen animals to the butchers.
Farmer Kunti Heeralall of Number Seven Village, West Coast Berbice, who rears mainly goats, has recently introduced sheep to her stock. She has mixed the Boer buck with creole ewes, and this has produced goats with excellent quality meat, she said.
Like other farmers, her animals are under daily threats from dogs, which have destroyed about ten on one occasion, while rustling is an everyday issue.
The rustlers are most times armed, and farmers are reluctant to put up a fight when faced with the animal thieves.
The association has engaged the police on measures to counter the problems confronting the development of the industry.
However, despite this, farmers are determined to boost the output with enhanced breeding species.
Sheep and goat rearing was previously labelled as a ‘family hobby’. However, with improved breeding stocks being made available by the agriculture ministry, residents in the region are now becoming commercial farmers.
The Sheep and Goat Association was formed in the region in November 2007, thus spearheading the transformation of this industry.
Secretary of the association, Rambhajan Ramlagan, said that when the organization was established in 2007, it only had ten members. But, today, the membership is almost 60.
The group has been working to improve the quality of the breed and standard of the farms in the region.
In the sheep industry, the Texana and the Santa- Ines rams are currently being used as breeding stock by most farmers, and they have reported encouraging results in the production of meat.
According to Ramlagan, the next step for the industry is to secure a steady local market for mutton and venison, as there are future projections to supply an export market.
The price for mutton is $ 700 per pound, while live weight ( living sheep) is about $ 400.
In the goat industry, farmers are now experimenting with Boer ( goat) buck, which has a fast growth rate and excellent carcass quality.
This goat is one of the most popular breeds for meat in the world. Boer goats have a high resistance to disease, and adapt well to hot, dry conditions.
Ramlagan is optimistic that, over the next two years, the association would be able to establish itself on the export market.
Several farmers exhibited their stock at an open day hosted by the Mahaica/ Mahaicony/ Abary Agricultural Development Authority ( MMA- ADA) at the Bath Community Centre on Thursday.
Mc Almont explained that farmers are sometimes at a disadvantage due to the lack of a steady market, and they are forced to sell off stock to ‘ bottom house’ butchers, who do not pay ‘ decent’ prices for the animals.
He noted that butchers buy by sight, but the farmers want to sell by pound, where the full value of the animal could be had.
Mc Almont said the farmers are working along with the Agriculture Ministry to create steady local market where the price could be controlled, so the farmers could operate in confidence.
The association wants to set up a model farm in Region Five to promote the sheep and goat industry.
Mc Almont said the proposal would require fifteen acres of land to allow for the full functioning of the model farm.
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