The sheep purchased by the Negros Occidental provincial government from Perth, Australia will arrive on the first week of next month as cyclone-hit northern Australia recently had caused the delay of the shipment, Provincial Veterinarian Dr. Renante Decena said yesterday.

The sheep will leave Australia on Monday and will arrive in Bacolod City13 days after. They will be accompanied by veterinarians from the supplier, Decena said.

The province purchased 6,000 sheep, 300 of them male and 5,700 female, he said.

The animals will be quarantined for 16 days upon arrival at the Negros First Ranch in Sta. Rosa, Murcia, before distribution to the buyers, Decena said.

He also said they are not selling the sheep to raisers who have not trained with the PVO.

He said Gov. Alfredo Marañon, Jr. wants to make sure that the raisers and buyers have the capability and the right technology to raise the sheep as they will be used for production and food security of the province.

PVO has started evaluating farms of buyers, checked pasture development, and facilities to make sure that the sheep be handled and maintained properly, he said.

Decena also said the Australian Embassy in Manila has asked for help from the province to help the Luzon sheep raisers to train here, seeing the expertise of Negros in sheep-raising and management.

The embassy also called Wednesday, expressing its interest to buy sheep from the province, but he still has to consult Marañon because the sheep are purchased primarily for the province, Decena said.*LTG

back to top