BACOLOD City – The Negros Occidental provincial government on Wednesday opened a P1.045-million Swine Artificial Insemination (AI) and Laboratory Center in Cadiz City.
The facility, located in the slaughterhouse compound in Barangay Tinampa-an, is a project under the Provincial Veterinary Office that will be maintained and operated by the Cadiz City Veterinary Office.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson led the inauguration ceremony with mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. and provincial veterinarian Renante Decena.
Lacson said aside from its main purpose of boosting the local livestock industry, the center will also serve as an educational hub for veterinary students.
The AI center and laboratory, dedicated for the province’s second district, houses various equipment such as trinocular microscope, sterilizing/drier cabinet, and water bath.
Decena said more AI laboratory centers will soon be opened in the province, including those in Himamaylan City (fifth district), and towns of E.B. Magalona (third district) and Candoni (sixth district).
Negros Occidental is the number one producer of backyard swine in the country.
As of January 2019, Negros Occidental has a total swine population of 508,709 heads, including 451,035 heads from backyard raisers and 57,674 heads from the commercial sector.
Escalante said more investors are actually interested in the poultry and livestock production of the province, which could boost the local economy.
During the inauguration, Ricardo Alba, president and chief operations officer of Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Company, turned over AI paraphernalia worth P1 million as well as 10 heads of boar to the center.
Alba, who lauded the provincial government-led projects in the livestock industry, also committed to provide veterinary medicines worth P300,000 to the province and P100,000 to Cadiz City. (With a report from PNA/PN)
