Livestock production: first high-yielding calf produced

The calving of the very first Holstein Frisian by embryo transfer has been reported in the North West Region.

The Minister of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries MINEPIA, Dr Taïga is seemingly satisfied with the project to improve cattle production in the country. A team of experts of the Animal Products Development Corporation, SODEPA, a satellite of MINEPIA, has made strides in the ongoing project within the framework of the Ministry’s Contingency Plan to reproduce high-yielding animals.

In effect, the team on April 3, 2015, successfully brought forth a calf, at the SODEPA Station, Jakiri in the North West Region. The calf is Holstein Frisian breed with a dairy character and potential of producing 35 to 40 litres of milk per day when it enters into productive age, estimated at 18 to 20 months.

The calf’s embryo was produced in Sersia in France and imported to Cameroon, using modern biotechnology methods, it was planted into the womb of a local indigenous Goudali cattle to produce a pure bred calf.

“Our indigenous breeds of cattle enter into production at about 36 months of age and produce three to four litres of milk per day,” said one of SODEPA experts, Head ofDivision for Prospective and Development of Animal Productions, Dr Wellington Bessong Ojong.

He explained that the new breed is pure and was mothered by a Goudali cow in Ngaoundere within the framework of MINEPIA’s activity to boost protein foods production both quality and quantity.

Even though the Goudali cow produced the calf, genetic contribution to the calf was capable of transferring antibodies against endemic disease into its uterus.

The project strategy is to offset trending deficits as well as encourage exports of animal products. Meat and milk production in the country has been decimal, partly as a result of poor genetic production performance and inadequate nutrition, Ojong said.

The experts are currently working on assisted-reproductive biotechnological methods to rapidly multiply and make available to farmers stock of high-yielding genetics through Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer, MOET.

The MOET biotechnology provides a sustainable solution to the scarcity of animals of adequate genetic production potential. The female calves born of this activity shall be earmarked for super ovulation while the males shall be used for semen production. “We are expecting a series of births of about 16 calves out of 39 embryos we transferred,” disclosed the SODEPA expert.