The 6,000 sheep purchased by the Negros Occidental provincial government from Perth, Australia will arrive Wednesday next week at the Bacolod Real Estate Development Corporation, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Renante Decena said yesterday.

The sheep were purchased for the breeding program of the province. Of the 6,000, 300 are male and 5,700, female, Decena said.

He said they rented 20 trucks to transport the sheep from BREDO to the Negros First Ranch in Brgy. Sta. Rosa, Murcia.

The sheep will be quarantined for 30 days to help stabilize their strength and health before they will be distributed to the raisers and beneficiaries, Decena added.

A mixture of napier and stylo sathes grasses and concentrates will be fed to the sheep to improve their immune system and for faster recovery, he also said.

Decena said they started evaluating the interested buyers, private sheep raisers, and local farmers who were recently trained for sheep management and raising for the first recipients of the animals.

He said raisers have to meet the requirements for raising sheep. They need to have the right facilities, pasture development, and they must be equipped with the right technology to properly raise the animals, Decena added.

He also said they will not risk the sheep with any raiser who has not undergone training with them because these animals were purchased for the sheep breeding and livestock industry of the province.

He added that it is not the gains but securing the food requirement of the province, that propels the government efforts.

Meanwhile, all provincial paraveterinarians will have their sheep management training today at the ranch with Dr. Saturnino Dayanan, PVO farm veterinarian, as lecturer.*LTG

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