Livestock farmers have received free Artificial Insemination(AI) services in Kiambu County to enable cattle farmers to upgrade their cattle breeds to quality Dairy breeds.

The free AI programme dubbed ‘One calf per year per cow’ is offered by the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Irrigation through a signed memorandum of understanding with the Kenya Animal Genetics Resource Centre (KAGRC) to supply high-quality semen to farmers in all the 12 sub-counties.

According to Kiambu Chief Officer for Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services John Ngigi, the service will enable cattle farmers to upgrade their breeds.

“Kenya Animal Genetics Resource Centre is a national parastatal, which develops semen of various livestock that is the best semen for dairy and beef cattle, therefore the semen is absolutely reliable,” said Ngigi.

However, he has called upon farmers to take advantage of the service as it will help improve dairy breeds, increasing production and farmers’ income.

“I urge our farmer to make good use of our trained and licensed practitioners who are deployed in all the 12 sub counties and shun private quacks who are exploiting them,” said Ngigi.

According to George Kihara, a livestock farmer in the Githunguri sub-county, quality semen is very expensive; therefore, most farmers resolve to the traditional way of using a bull which takes more time.

“I have 20 cows and all received the free artificial semen offered by the KAGRC last year, two have already delivered heifers with one delivering twins,” said Kihara.

According to KAGRC, there are 250,000 dairy cows in Kiambu County, with an annual turnover of over Kes.10 billion.