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Livestock Development Unit

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Livestock Development Unit

Function:

This Unit seeks to be strategic in its actions and work continually to ensure that the livestock we produce are healthy for human consumption and that it is done under sustainable systems with ideal conditions. The Unit is headed by an experienced Veterinary Officer who continues to support livestock development and expansion with a view to increasing available food and reduce imports, an ever-mounting challenge. The Unit’s overall mandate is to regulate actions, work within set safety standards and utilize best practice for livestock development and expansion.

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Areas involved are:

  • Veterinary and ambulatory Services
  • Disease surveillance, monitoring and diagnosis
  • Procurement of drugs and Materials
  • Regulatory services to the public
  • Technical support and engagement of farmers
  • Revolving Fund Management
  • Capacity building and Unit development
  • Engagement, Partnerships and Networking
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Mission:

The units mission is to develop and promote animal production systems and to encourage the use of local resources utilizing sustainable and reliable feeding programs, in the production of healthy livestock for providing meat and meat products all geared towards food security, self sufficiency and lowering the food import bill, for all Dominicans.

Programmes:

  • Provision of Technical services for livestock production
  • Carry out farm visits and to provide technical information relating to pasture establishment management, feeding and grazing, as well as the utilization of local resources for animal feeding.
  • Management of Central Livestock Farm.
  • Provide the necessary technical information related to animal breeding, selection, and housing systems.
  • Provide strategies for an integrated livestock, vegetable and crop production systems aimed at promoting sustainable organic agriculture (crops and livestock).
  • Provision of essential inputs through revolving fund for farm development programs, fencing material (barbed and sheep fencing wire, and rabbit cage wire)
  • Provide support to farmer organisations and groups and identifying specific areas for project development and to seek funding from foreign agencies to assist farmers.

The livestock Development Unit is an integral part of the Division of Agriculture, Regional Teams system and also works closely with the following units:

  • Quarantine
  • Agricultural Investment Unit
  • Extension Unit
  • Produce Chemist Lab
  • Forestry Division
  • Fisheries Division
  • Land And Surveys
  • Communication and Works
  • Other institutions such as CARDI, IICA and OIE
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Staffing:

  • 3 Veterinarians
  • 6 Animal Health and Production Officers
  • 1 Animal Production Officers
Sub Units
  1. Central Live Stock Farm which consists of:
    • Goat Multiplication Unit
    • Sheep Multiplication Unit
    • Dairy and Cattle Multiplication Unit
    • Pig Breeding Unit
    • Rabbit Breeding Unit
    • Research Center
    The Functions of the CLF are as follows:
    • Produce genetically superior breeding animals for sale to livestock farmers.
    • Provide technical information to farmers
    • Sale of Inputs: sheep fencing wire, Bard wire
    • Promotion of New Technologies. Renewable Energy
  2. Portsmouth Pig Breeding Unit
  3. Molecular Diagnostic Lab
    • Diagnostic capabilities :
    • Conventionally PCR diagnosis of Chytrid Fungus, Black Sigatoka, Citrus Greening Disease, Leptospirosis
    • Parasitology
    • Microbiology
    • Pathology

The Unit also caters to the animal's health component providing:

  1. Regulatory Services
    • Regulation of importation of Live Animals, meat and meat products, milk and milk products
    • examination of animals and animal products for export.
  2. Quarantine Services providing Surveillance at ports of entry for live animals and livestock products.
  3. Disease Monitoring Surveillance and Control
    • Amblyomma Tick Elimination Program
    • Varroa Mite Control Program
    • Avian Influenza(H1N1), Foot and Mouth disease, BSE, CSF, leptospirosis, prevention and awareness programs.
  4. Veterinary Drugs and Supplies - Provision of Veterinary Drugs and Supplies for the treatment of animals and sale of veterinary drugs and supplies to farmers
  5. Ambulatory Services - Emergency Animal Health cases