Representatives from 15 local government units who trained as paraveterinarians received their monthly stipend amounting to P402,000, recently.

Catheryn Narez, livestock coordinator, yesterday said the amount covers the paravet allowance of 429 paravets from March to June 2012.

Covered by the releases are the towns of Ilog, Manapla, La Castellana, Hinigaran, Pulupandan, Cauayan, San Enrique, Valladolid, and the cities of Victorias, Cadiz, La Carlota, Himamaylan, Bago, Sagay, and Kabankalan.

Narez said the paravets were trained to help and assist veterinarians in conducting animal health extension services particularly in remote areas to the Provincial Veterinary Office delivering poultry and livestock services.

They conduct vaccination, animal treatment, monitoring, deworming, and artificial insemination, she said.

About 3,049 farm animals were dispersed last month under the Negros First Dispersal Program of Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr.

For the same month last year animals distributed were only kabir chick and piglets but this year, the PVO gave out sheep, cattle, gilts, kabir chicks, and piglets, Narez said.

The locally purchased sheep are dispersed to qualified raisers for production and cross breeding while those recently purchased from Perth, Australia, are sold to local government units and private raisers, she said.

The farm animals were distributed to rebel returnees, farmers' groups, pastors, teachers, cooperatives, LGUs, and to Negros Occidental Drug Rehabilitation Foundation to help them in their livelihood, she added.

Meanwhile, about 134 families under the Population Development Division of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Negros Occidental were trained in livestock raising and management to prepare for the livestock dispersal recently.

The families are from Brgy. Doldol, Valladolid; Brgy. Tigbas, Calatrava; Brgy. Alicante, EB Magalona; Brgy. Quiwi, Hinigaran; and Brgy. Renta Mesa, Manapla, she said.

All beneficiaries have to train with PVO on the basic animal management to avoid mortality and to maintain if not improve the health conditions of the animals during reproduction, she said.

PVO also encouraged all animal raisers to make use on the free animal health services to prevent disease outbreak especially during rainy season where immune system of animals are weak due to unstable weather conditions, Narez added. *LTG

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