Botswana spends P25m to procure US bulls

The Government of Botswana has invested P25 million in the procurement and transportation of 162 top tier bulls and heifers from JD Hudgins Incorporation located in Texas, USA. President Mokgweetsi Masisi said this week that the move is in line with the government’s Reset Agenda which is to revive the livestock sector and ensure value chain development within the sector. Masisi explained that the livestock sector has suffered the worst decline in recent years. He said the arrival of livestock from the USA marks a new beginning, one that compliments the envisioned upgrading of the Ramatlabama National Artificial Insemination Laboratory into a centre of excellence and an export facility. “These breeding cattle which are a national asset will be used in the production of semen embryos,” Masisi said, further explaining that the cows are a national asset which are owned by the Republic of Botswana. The consignment comprised 106 Brahman bulls, 21 white Brahman heifers, four red Brahman bulls, two black Angus bulls, two red Angus bulls, five Charolais bulls, five Brangus bulls, 10 BeefMaster bulls and seven Santa Gertrudis bulls. Masisi said this is the first time that the nation imports top genetics from America. President Masisi explained that skills importation is also coming into the country in the form of the ability to make straws, embryos and tap the bulls of farmers. Global best technology and equipment will be used to match where the best beef comes from, according to President Masisi. He added that the government is committed to ensuring that the beef that comes out of Botswana continues to be the best in the world as it is organic grass- fed. He revealed that the government has bought 2 000 Simental beef straws and it is expecting three sex beef semen straws and 2 401 dairy sex semen straws have been procured for local farmers to buy at Ramatlabama.