Function:
The Livestock Development Unit is responsible for carrying out two main functions namely, animal health and animal husbandry of several species (cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, rabbits, poultry and honeybees) nation-wide.
Mission:
The Unit's mission is to develop and promote animal production systems and to encourage the use of local resources, utilizing sustainable and reliable feeding programs, in the production of healthy livestock for providing meat and meat products all geared towards food security, self sufficiency and lowering the food import bill, for all Dominicans.
Programmes:
- Provision of Technical services for livestock production
- Carry out farm visits and provide technical information relating to pasture establishment management, feeding and grazing, as well as the utilization of local resources for animal feeding.
- Management of Central Livestock Farm.
- Provide the necessary technical information related to animal breeding, selection, and housing systems.
- Provide strategies for an integrated livestock, vegetable and crop production system aimed at promoting sustainable organic agriculture (crops and livestock).
- Provision of essential inputs through revolving fund for farm development programs, fencing material (barbed and sheep fencing wire, and rabbit cage wire)
- Provide support to farmer organisations and groups by identifying specific areas for project development and to seeking funding from foreign agencies to assist farmers.
The Livestock Development Unit is an integral part of the Division of Agriculture, Regional Teams system and also works closely with the following units:
- Quarantine
- Agricultural Investment Unit
- Extension Unit
- Produce Chemist Laboratory
- Forestry Division
- Fisheries Division
- Land And Surveys Division
- Communication and Works
- Other institutions such as Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute (CARDI), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and Office International des Epizooties - World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)
Staffing:
- 3 Veterinarians
- 6 Animal Health and Production Officers
- 1 Animal Production Officer
Sub Units
- Central Live Stock Farm which consists of
- Goat Multiplication Unit
- Sheep Multiplication Unit
- Dairy and Cattle Multiplication Unit
- Pig Breeding Unit
- Rabbit Breeding Unit
- Research Center The Functions of the CLF are as follows:
- Produce genetically superior breeding animals for sale to livestock farmers.
- Provide technical information to farmers
- Sale of inputs: sheep fencing wire, barbed wire, rabbit cage wire
- Promotion of New Technologies. Renewable Energy
- Portsmouth Pig Breeding Unit
- Molecular Diagnostic Lab
- Conventionally PCR diagnosis of Chytrid Fungus, Black Sigatoka, Citrus Greening Disease, Leptospirosis
- Parasitology
- Microbiology
- Pathology
- Diagnostic capabilities :
The Unit also caters to the animal's health component providing:
- Regulatory Services
- Regulation of importation of live animals, meat and meat products, milk and milk products
- examination of animals and animal products for export.
- Quarantine Services providing surveillance at ports of entry for live animals and livestock products.
- Disease Monitoring Surveillance and Control
- Amblyomma Tick Elimination Program
- Varroa Mite Control Program
- Awareness and prevention programs for Avian Influenza(H1N1), Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Classic Swine Fever (CSF) and Leptospirosis.
- Veterinary Drugs and Supplies - Provision of veterinary drugs and supplies for the treatment of animals and sale of veterinary drugs and supplies to farmers
- Ambulatory Services - Emergency animal health cases