Negros Occidental Vice Governor Genaro Alvarez Jr. yesterday said that he and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan want an inventory of the sheep purchased by the provincial government from Australia, following the death of 403 lambs.
Provincial Veterinarian Renante Decena yesterday explained to Alvarez and other members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that 62 of the 403 dead sheep were covered with insurance, while some had been sold to be slaughtered, and majority were eaten by wild dogs.
The provincial government had purchased 5,760 sheep from Australia, and 108 cattle and 156 sheep from General Santos in Mindanao.
Decena, however, said the 705 newly-born lambs will make up for the deaths.
Alvarez said he is supporting the suggestion of Decena to retain only 16 percent of more than 5,000 sheep purchased by the provincial government from Australia, in anticipation of the shortage of napier grass, on which lambs, feed during the summer season.
In anticipation of the growing number of sheep and cattle in the two ranches in Sagay City and Murcia, being maintained by the provincial government, Alvarez said he also agrees with Decena that they should either be distributed or sold to other interested local government units.
Of the more than 5,000 sheep, 250 were sold to the private sector, Alvarez, said quoting Decena.
Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr., however, said the lambs purchased from Australia, and the cattle bought from General Santos City can all be accounted for, and, in fact, have increased in number.
Alvarez said they will also check the status of more than 1,700 sheep distributed to local government units.* GPB back
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