LBSA lodges 143 FIRs against breeding service providers

The Livestock Breeding Service Authority (LBSA) lodged 143 FIRs against breeding service providers against violation of the breeding act. According to official sources, additional directors and deputy directors had been given authorities to check working breeding services providers in their respective districts. The breeding inspectors used to check different facilities, samples and also seal substandard semen.
The Breeding Authority registered 6,474 artificial insemination technicians (AIT) in the province for providing standard services. Similarly, the authority is also monitoring the AITs so that no one should dare to damage breeding animals. The livestock sources informed that 20 FIRs were registered in Rahim Yar Khan, 12 each in Okara and Bahawalnagar, 11 in Nankana Sahib, 10 in Muzaffargarh, seven each in Khanewal and Vehari, six in Sahiwal, five each in DG Khan and Mianwali. However, FIRs were also registered in some other districts.
Pakistan is fortunate to be the home of some of the finest breeds of the livestock as compared with other regional countries. There are two buffalo breeds, including Kundi and Nili Ravi, and eight discrete breeds of cattle. Similarly, there are 28 breeds of sheep and more than 20 breeds of goats recognized in the country. Sahiwal cow is considered as the best breed in Pakistan and globally, it remained a champion in All India Cattle Show from 1939-1941 with a peak yield of 25.4 litres milk at that time.
The sources informed despite having great potential of the livestock sector for national growth and poverty alleviation. The unit production of the livestock has been lesser than actual potential due to various reasons, including market distortions, nutrition, management, extension services and indiscriminate use of genetic resources for breed improvement. There is dire need to improve production of animals and quality of the livestock. Due to non-existence of standardization of semen and regulatory framework, mushrooming production units, supply of unknown or inferior quality semen, was deteriorating the livestock genetic potential. Similarly, there were unapproved training institutes to train artificial insemination services providers. The duration of training varies from one week to three months in these institutes which produced untrained and unskilled artificial inseminations services providers besides aggravating the situation through damaging reproductive system of the breeding animals.