ST.GEORGE’S, GRENADA: The Livestock sector in Grenada will receive a boost with the launch of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Artificial Insemination Programme for cattle. The programme will be officially launched by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Hon. Michael Denis Lett at the Pearls Airstrip in St. Andrew’s on Wednesday February 18, 2009. All livestock farmers and the general public are invited to the event which begins at 10:30 a.m. and marks the reestablishment of artificial insemination of livestock here after more than 25 years. Chief Veterinary and Livestock Officer in the Ministry Dr. Bowen Louison said the reintroduction of the programme will directly benefit farmers and the island’s agricultural sector in general. He explained that cattle farmers can now select the offspring they desire and therefore improve or diversify their breeds without importing live animals. He said farmers can also more effectively manage reproductive problems by closely monitoring their animals. Dr. Louison said that farmers will now be able to selectively breed animals for milk or for meat in a more precise way. He said the facility will also provide farmers with the capability to cut back on the periods between pregnancies and remove the need to move heifers long distances to find a bull. Although the procedure will be limited to cattle for the time being, it will be expanded to include other livestock in the future. From The Ministry of Health INSIDE GRENADA NEWS