•Provincial livestock production officer Muliyunda Mukumbuta (left) with Kanchindu livestock centre manager Miyanda Mwaanga taking stock of boer goats.

By LAWRENCE KABUTU  –

Livestock breeding centres play an important role for progeny distribution among the farming communities.
One such breeding facility that the Government has established under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is the Kanchindu Livestock Multiplication Centre located in Sinazongwe District of Southern Province.
The breeding centre was set up in 2011 with the major objective of continuously producing through the multiplication of improved breeds of livestock for offloading into the farming communities mainly in Southern Province, as well as throughout Zambia.
The Kanchindu breeding centre is focussing on the multiplication of boer goats and crosses of the brahman, boran and Tonga cattle breeds.
The boer goat breeding stock being used was imported from Namibia while the brahman/ boran and Tonga breeding stock was procured locally within Southern Province.
Southern Province livestock production officer Muliyunda Mukumbuta said the centre had a boer goat breeding stock of four pure billies (males) and 98 nannies (females), 11 winner billies and 23 winners (female).
Mr Mukumbuta adds that with this stock, the actual breeding or multiplication programme was initiated towards the end of 2012 after the completion of the basic infrastructure such as goat houses, paddocks, dipping, spraying, feeding and water reticulation facilities.
He noted that the boer goat sector is now ready to commence the offloading of ‘integration stock’ into the farming community with an initial strength of 11 males and 23 females.
This represents an integration level of one male to two females, meaning that approximately seven sets of ‘’intergration stock’’ are currently ready for offloading.
‘’It is projected that from this point onwards, six sets will be ready for offloading every three to four months,’’ says Mr. Mukumbuta.
He outlined the advantages of the Boer goat breed over the local goat breeds as: highly prolific (high reproductive potential under average management), high milk yield, larger adult size and adapted to rigid climatic conditions.
However, what has been critical is to complete the construction works of an office block and housing units for staff.
To this effect, the  construction of staff houses and an office block at Kanchindu Livestock Multiplication centre has reached an advanced stage in which completion is anticipated within the next two  months.
Mr Mukumbuta also reveals that the other infrastructure that has reached advanced stage is the heavy duty storeroom and installation of the spray race that has since been completed.
He further said that in Sinazongwe, the spray race will assist in controlling and containing diseases at the breeding centre.
Mr Mukumbuta stresses that the spray race is only awaiting the placing of rough concrete along the walkway before use can commence.
He said the Kanchindu Livestock Multiplication Centre that was multiplying improved breeds of goats and cattle had a good number of heifers (female cattle) serviced and are in-calf (pregnant).
Mr Mukumbuta said the first calving (giving birth) of cattle was expected around this year while offloading could only begin towards the end of next year.
Kanchindu Livestock Multiplication Centre manager Miyanda Mwaanga said two low cost houses, one office block and one medium cost house has since been roofed at the centre.
Mr Mwaanga added that the larger storeroom had reached the roofing level and that, the centre would be an area of excellence in the livestock sector.
He said there was need to lobby from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock to allow the centre open a revolving fund account to be able to sort out issues that required cash.
Mr Mwaanga elaborates that funds could easily be realised from the use of hammer mill charges, truck and tractor hiring to local farmers once authorities in the Ministry of Agriculture and livestock authorised.
“The centre also has the feed mixer for making feed rations apart from the hammer mill, truck and tractor which can also be used to generate funds for the revolving fund account,” said Mr Mwaanga.
A livestock farmer Friday Ncube expressed willingness to access the improved breeds of goats and cattle from the breeding centre, noting that farmers improved breeds have several advantages as compared to stunted local goats and cattle in the valley district of Sinazongwe.
Another livestock farmer Fred Mudenda, called on the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and livestock to expedite the formulation of the offloading guidelines to enable them access the improved breeds of cattle and goats.
However, Mr Mukumbuta advised farmers not to despair as the formulation of the offloading modalities had reached an advanced stage.
The livestock sector can only improve and register increased populations once improved breeds and made available to farming communities.
In this vein, it is crystal clear yhat there is the need for disease prevention, control and containment, if the livestock sector is to flourish.
Establishment of livestock breeding centres to continuously produce improved breeds of livestock for offloading into the farming community,  is a welcome move aimed at registering growth in the livestock sector.
It would also  contribute to the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country through export of livestock. — NAIS