BOLMA Intensifies Free Artificial Insemination Programme
The Borno State Livestock Management Agency (BOLMA) has intensified the implementation of the state’s free artificial insemination programme, with the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Bukar Ali Usman, mni, calling on livestock farmers across Borno State to take full advantage of the initiative aimed at improving cattle breeds and boosting livestock productivity.
Dr. Bukar made the appeal while leading a team of veterinary doctors and livestock experts to conduct artificial insemination on cows belonging to members of the public at the Gamboru Cattle Market in Maiduguri.
Among the prominent livestock farmers who benefited from the exercise were the Chairman of kanem Borno Cattle Market Association, Alhaji Yakubu Goni, Sheikh Dudu Sale, Alhaji Dawud Jidda, Alhaji Umar Goni, and Alhaji Ali Bulama, whose animals were successfully inseminated under the programme.
Speaking during the exercise, the Director General said the initiative was approved by the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, as part of his administration’s commitment to modernising the livestock sector, improving the quality of local cattle breeds, and enhancing the economic wellbeing of livestock farmers.
Dr. Bukar explained that the programme is not a one-off intervention but a continuous, year-round exercise designed to educate livestock owners on the enormous benefits of artificial insemination and encourage them to present their animals for cross-breeding with high-quality exotic breeds.
He noted that artificial insemination is one of the most effective and globally accepted breeding technologies, offering numerous advantages over natural mating. According to him, the technology enables farmers to produce healthier and genetically superior calves with faster growth rates, better body conformation, stronger disease resistance, and significantly higher milk and meat production.
The Director General further explained that cross-breeding through artificial insemination reduces the risk of transmitting reproductive diseases commonly associated with natural breeding, while also eliminating the need for farmers to maintain expensive breeding bulls.
He added that the technique allows a single high-quality bull to produce semen capable of inseminating hundreds of cows, thereby accelerating genetic improvement within a short period and reducing breeding costs for livestock owners.
We have covered many special events such as fireworks, fairs, parades, races, walks, awards ceremonies, fashion shows, sporting events, and even a memorial service.
improved cattle breeds mature faster, produce more milk, attain greater market weight, and generate higher income for farmers, thereby contributing to food security, poverty reduction, employment generation, and economic growth across the state.
Dr. Bukar Ali Usman, mni
Some of the beneficiaries, including Alhaji Yakubu Goni, Alhaji Dawud Jidda, and Alhaji Umar Goni, commended Governor Babagana Umara Zulum for introducing the initiative, describing it as a landmark intervention that addresses one of the major challenges facing livestock farmers in the state.
They noted that after years of relying on indigenous breeds with relatively low productivity, the introduction of artificial insemination would enable farmers to access superior genetics capable of producing healthier animals with better milk yield, rapid growth, and higher market value.
The beneficiaries appealed to fellow livestock owners across the state to embrace the programme by presenting their cows for artificial insemination, assuring them that the long-term economic benefits far outweigh traditional breeding methods.
It will be recalled that the artificial insemination programme was officially flagged off by the Borno State Ministry of Livestock Development at the Mafa Ruga Settlement. BOLMA has since commenced implementation across the state and is working towards achieving the Governor’s approved first-phase target of 3,000 cows, laying a solid foundation for sustainable livestock development and improved cattle production in Borno State.