The government has received heifers and bulls as gift from the Republic of Korea. Supply of the high-quality heifers and bulls was facilitated by Heifer International Nepal and Heifer International Korea as per the approval of Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The first shipment of the cows arrived at the Tribhuvan International Airport via Asiana Airlines, carrying 36 heifers and six breeding bulls aged 6-9 months on Thursday.
A handover ceremony was held at the Tribhuvan International Airport in the presence of Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr. Govinda Sharma and Ambassador of South Korea to Nepal Park Chong-Shuk,
The cows were handed over to Secretary of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr. Deepak Kumar Kharal. Remaining 65 heifers and 14 bulls will arrive on the 23rd, 25th and 28th of December 2022, according to Heifer International Nepal. This is the largest shipment of high-quality livestock and frozen semen (for artificial insemination) to arrive in Nepal.
The purebred heifers and bulls have been procured through Heifer Korea in partnership with Nonghyup National Agricultural Cooperative Federation and Seoul Dairy Cooperative.
During the handover ceremony, Ambassador Park said, “Korea expresses its commitment to support the Government of Nepal with genetically improved cattle and dairy technology. We believe the gift of heifers, bulls, and frozen semen will contribute to transforming and modernizing the dairy industry of Nepal.”
Dr. Kharal said, “On behalf of the government of Nepal, we thank Korea and Heifer International for this generous support. Dairy is a priority sector for the government of Nepal, this support will be very valuable to Nepal. We are committed to expand the benefits to millions of families engaged in dairy industry in the country.”
These heifers coming from Korea will help to establish a nucleus herd of bull mothers, which will contribute to achieving the long-term dairy development vision of the government towards national economic development.
The heifers will make their way to Kamalamai Municipality of Sindhuli district, where they will be placed in improved sheds of 50 farming families, while the bulls will be placed in facilities of the National Livestock Breeding Offices across the country.
Heifer International Nepal is collaborating with the government of Nepal to implement the Milky Way programme which aims to establish a model dairy village as an elite nucleus herd and a knowledge hub in Kamalamai Municipality, thereby strengthening cattle breeding and improving the dairy ecosystem for the transformation of dairy sector in the country.
Source : TRN,
